By REBECCA ANZEL Capitol News Illinois ranzel@capitolnewsillinois.com SPRINGFIELD — Illinois restaurants and bars can serve cocktails to go Tuesday after Gov. JB Pritzker signed an initiative designed by lawmakers to provide establishments with financial relief in the wake of COVID-19 challenges. Those businesses are “some of the hardest hit” by […]
Tag: State of Illinois
In conference call, Pritzker tells Trump his rhetoric is ‘making it worse’ as protests rage on
Trump tells governors ‘you have to do retribution’ in response to destructive actions at protests By JERRY NOWICKI Capitol News Illinois jnowicki@capitolnewsillinois.com SPRINGFIELD — A conference call between U.S. governors and Republican President Donald Trump led to the latest in a series of spats between Illinois’ governor and the president […]
Despite budget approval, much is in limbo after session
By JERRY NOWICKI Capitol News Illinois jnowicki@capitolnewsillinois.com SPRINGFIELD – Lawmakers approved a state operating budget shortly before 2 a.m. Sunday, but despite the passage of the document, nothing about the next fiscal year is black and white. The state is depending on a broad package providing federal monetary aid to […]
Lawmakers pass budget package to close out special session
By PETER HANCOCK Capitol News Illinois phancock@capitolnewsillinois.com SPRINGFIELD – The Senate on early Sunday morning passed a budget package authorizing $42.8 billion in general revenue spending next year, although much of that remains tentative depending on the progression of the COVID-19 pandemic and potential congressional action that could send more […]
Illinois daylight savings discussion stalled at House
BY DANI TIETZ dani@sjodaily.com Groggy workers and students on Monday in Illinois are left wondering if Senate Bill 533, the bill that would end the state’s biannual change of the clock known as daylight savings time, will ever pass and become law. As of Nov. 19, 2019, the measure had […]
75-mph speed limit up for consideration in Illinois
Senate Bill 2565 and Senate Bill 2564, filed by State Sen. Jim Oberweis (Republican-25th District), seeks to increase speed limits across rural Illinois. The bills have been assigned to the Senate Subcommittee on Special Issues, which currently has no members. Should the bills pass, Senate Bill 2564 would […]
Local governments call for increase in state revenue sharing
By JERRY NOWICKI Capitol News Illinois jnowicki@capitolnewsillinois.com SPRINGFIELD – A local government advocacy group laid out its legislative agenda Monday and called on lawmakers to fully fund a program that shares state income tax revenue with local municipalities. The Illinois Municipal League’s “Moving Cities Forward” agenda also includes efforts to: […]
Proposed bill would mandate K-12 sex education
BY DANI TIETZ dani@mahometnews.com Senate Bill 2762 could mandate “inclusive, medically accurate, and culturally appropriate comprehensive sex education” for students in grades kindergarten through 12th grade if it becomes law. Presented by sponsors Senator Ram Villivalam (Democrat District 8) and Representative Kathleen Willis (Democrat District 77), the bill would require […]
First month’s legal marijuana sales generate $7.3 million in tax revenue
photo by Jerry Nowicki – Capitol News Illinois By PETER HANCOCK Capitol News Illinois phancock@capitolnewsillinois.com SPRINGFIELD – The Illinois Department of Revenue reported Monday that the first month of legalized adult-use cannabis sales in the state generated $7.3 million in cannabis tax revenue for the state, plus another $3.1 million […]
Municipal Gas Tax Bill proposed
Illinois Sen. Bill Cunningham (D-18th District) has proposed a new gas tax bill. Senate Bill 2978 seeks to amend the Illinois Municipal Code to provide that municipalities may impose a motor fuel tax on top of the 38-cent state tax (19-cents previously) that was imposed in July 2019. Cunningham’s proposal […]