(Springfield, IL) — March 31, 2011. State Rep. Greg Harris (D-Chicago) has been tapped to serve on a key Illinois House of Representatives oversight panel. House Speaker Michael Madigan (D-Chicago) appointed Harris to the bi-partisan Joint Committee on Administrative Rules known in Springfield as “JCAR”. “It’s a great honor to serve on this committee to … Continue reading
(Springfield, IL) — March 31, 2011. A budgetary battle could be brewing in the state Capitol, but not necessarily between Republicans and Democrats. Continue reading
(Springfield, IL) — March 30, 2011. A bi-partisan group of Illinois House lawmakers are pushing a legislative effort to permanently cut legislative salaries by 10% and deny legislators any future raises. Continue reading
(Chicago, IL) — March 30, 2011. In an op-ed published yesterday, State Senator Mattie Hunter (D-Chicago) criticized Governor Pat Quinn’s proposed cuts to the Illinois Human Services budget. Continue reading
(Springfield, IL) — March 29, 2011. Illinois recent jump in income tax across the board is getting a lot of attention after the leader of Caterpillar Corp. says other states are wooing him to relocate. Continue reading
(Chicago, IL) — March 29, 2011. As partisan bickering continues on Capitol Hill, the failure to pass necessary federal legislation that provides multi-year federal aid to state highway and transit programs jeopardizes 129,014 jobs in Illinois, according to new research. Continue reading
(Chicago, IL) — March 29, 2011. As ComEd seeks rate increases and legisltive changes to state oversight, multiple groups yesterday rallied in Chicago to persuade Illinois lawmakers to derail the utility’s agenda in Springfield. Continue reading
(Springfield, IL) — March 29, 2011. According to partial information of a new released yesterday by the Illinois State Rifle Association, legislation that allows Illinois residents to carry guns enjoys majority support in only two of four Democratic-controlled Illinois state senate districts that were polled and barely mustered a majority in the third. Continue reading
(Springfield, IL) — March 28, 2011. Tax money coming into state and local governments in Illinois fell sharply — by $2.2 billion dollars between 2009 and 2010, according to the U.S. Census Bureau. Continue reading
(Springfield, IL) — March 25, 2011. Governor Pat Quinn today announced new chiefs of the Illinois state police and the Illinois Department of Labor while reappointing other top officials. Continue reading
(Springfield, IL) — March 25, 2011. Illinois’ regional superintendents are realizing they might not make the cut for state money in Gov. Pat Quinn’s attempt to close the more than $13 billion budget gap. Continue reading
(Springfield, IL) — March 18, 2011. Illinois State Treasurer Dan Rutherford today announced that has hired the Executive Director of the Illinois Republican Party, Curt Conrad, to serve as his director of technical support services. Continue reading
(Springfield, IL) — March 18, 2011. Business and labor groups are meeting to hammer out a plan to pay off the state’s $2.8 billion unemployment debt to the federal government, with both groups apparently sharing in the pain. Continue reading
(Chicago, IL) — March 17, 2011. Governor Pat Quinn today tapped Illinois Housing Development Authority Executive Director Gloria Materre to serve as the Executive Director of the Illinois Liquor Control Commission. Continue reading
(Springfield, IL) — March 17, 2011. Illinois Senate Republicans are pushing a plan that shaves $5 billion off of Governor Pat Quinn’s introduced budget of $35.4 billion. The cuts are necessary if the state is to finally dig itself out of the budget hole of the past several years, senators said Thursday. Continue reading
(Springfield, IL) – March 14, 2011. With no fanfare, Governor Pat Quinn today quietly vetoed two controversial bills that aimed to give state backing to the construction of two coal gasification plants in Illinois, one in downstate Jefferson County and the other in Cook County’s Calumet City, that backers claimed would generate thousands of new jobs. Continue reading
(Chicago, IL) — March 14, 2011. Illinois has captured another dubious distinction in its long-running budget crisis, snagging a spot among the top ten states for slashing funding for mental health care, a new report says. Continue reading
(Springfield, IL) – March 12, 2011. Illinois will spend this year an estimated $800,000 in federal highway safety dollars to fund the extra Illinois State Police patrols to target St. Patrick’s Day drunk driver follies. Continue reading
(Springfield, IL) – March 11, 2011. An Illinois House panel yesterday approved legislation that would further harness the power of DNA to target criminal sex offenders and other criminals by expanding required specimen submissions to the Illinois state police. Continue reading
(Springfield, IL) — March 11, 2011. Governor Pat Quinn yesterday signed the “Amazon.com tax” to require all online companies doing business in Illinois to collect legally required sales taxes. House Continue reading
(Springfield, IL) – March 9, 2011. An Illinois House panel today voted to approve the use of medical marijuana for individuals who suffer from chronic pain and debilitating medical conditions, such as Hepatitis C, HIV/AIDS, and cancer. Continue reading
Today I have signed Senate Bill 3539, which abolishes the death penalty in Illinois. Continue reading
(Chicago, IL) — March 7, 2011. At ceremony at the Chinese American Service League, in Chicago’s Chinatown neighborhood, Governor Pat Quinn today penned a new law that aims to protect the voting rights of minority communities in the Illinois legislative redistricting process. Continue reading
(Springfield, IL) — March 4, 2011. The state’s next budget could be much smaller than Governor Pat Quinn outlined last month. Or it could be the same. Or larger. Continue reading
(Springfield, IL) – March 4, 2011. It’s going to be a tough year for the Illinois Department of Human Services if it can’t find places to trim its budget, consolidate and address the rationale behind recent pay raises. Continue reading
(Chicago, IL) – March 4, 2011. The Illinois unemployment rate fell for the 12th consecutive month, dropping -0.2 to 9.0% in January, compared to 11.2% in January 2010, according to preliminary estimates released today by the Illinois Department of Employment Security. Continue reading
(Springfield, IL) March 2, 2011. Governor Pat Quinn today announced 22 appointments to a commission aimed at eliminating hunger in Illinois. Continue reading
(Springfield, IL) – March 2, 2011. Illinois may have just over a billion dollars that’s not included in Governor Pat Quinn’s new budget. But lawmakers in Springfield say just because they may have the extra cash, it doesn’t mean they will spend it. Continue reading