AJ Wilhelmi, CEO of the Illinois Hospital Association, speaks during a panel hosted by Health News Illinois Wednesday. [Don Vincent/The Daily Line]

Illinois lawmakers made strides to boost funding for health care services and reform reimbursement structures for hospitals and nursing homes during the spring legislative session, but officials say the next challenge will be making sure funding can be sustained in future budget years.

Sen. Darren Bailey (R-Xenia) points to an empty chair for Richard Irvin during a forum for Republican candidates for governor in Washington on Monday. Seated behind Bailey from left to right is Jesse Sullivan, Gary Rabine, Max Solomon and Paul Schimpf. [Blue Room Stream]

Five of the six Republican candidates for governor spent Monday night explaining to Republican voters what sets them apart from Gov. JB Pritzker and one of their opponents, Aurora Mayor Richard Irvin, who did not attend the Tazewell County forum.

Gov. JB Pritzker and General Assembly Democrats pose for a picture after Pritzker signed the budget on April 19. [Ben Szalinski/The Daily Line]

As concern grows about hate crimes against religious and minority groups, Illinois’ Fiscal Year 2023 budget stands to give first-time funding to a program established five years ago to help organizations with security costs.

House Minority Leader Jim Durkin (R-Western Springs) is calling on Illinois Department of Children and Family Services Director Marc Smith to resign after Smith was held in contempt of court for a ninth time this year. And Republican gubernatorial candidate Richard Irvin won the Lake County straw poll over the weekend.

Sen. Rachelle Crowe (D-Glen Carbon) speaks at a news conference in Springfield on April 5. [Ben Szalinski/The Daily Line]

President Joe Biden announced Friday he was nominating Sen. Rachelle Crowe (D-Glen Carbon) to be the new U.S. Attorney for the Southern District of Illinois.

A red-light camera and sign warning drivers the intersection is monitored by a camera.

After former Oakbrook Terrace Mayor Tony Ragucci pleaded guilty Thursday to charges in a federal bribery investigation involving Illinois red light cameras, the devices are once again in the spotlight with some lawmakers calling for their abolition.

Secretary of State candidate John Milhiser, top left, comptroller candidate Shannon Teresi, top right, gubernatorial candidate Richard Irvin, bottom right, and attorney general candidate Steve Kim, bottom left. [Campaign Twitter accounts]

A group of statewide Republican candidates running on a slate together were still waiting for a long-expected round of support of billionaire Ken Griffin as of the latest quarter of fundraising, according to State Board of Elections records. Only Republican gubernatorial candidate Richard Irvin has received support from Griffin so far.

Gov. JB Pritzker signs the Fiscal Year 2023 budget and tax relief plan into law Tuesday at Chicago State University. [Ben Szalinski/The Daily Line]

Democrats took a victory lap Tuesday at the expense of Republicans and touted what they called a new path for Illinois thanks to a balanced budget that provides temporary tax relief to Illinois residents.

Aurora Mayor Richard Irvin, left, and Gov. JB Pritzker, right, raised more than any other gubernatorial candidates in the last three months.

Aurora Mayor Richard Irvin has a $2 million lead over his next-closest competitor in the Republican primary for governor, State Board of Elections records show. One large contribution to each candidate made up nearly all the fundraising pulled in by the Republicans hopefuls.

Actress Jane Lynch is featured in a new tourism advertising campaign for Illinois. [YouTube/Enjoy Illinois]

State officials are launching a new tourism campaign to encourage people from outside the state to visit Illinois this summer as one of the backbone industries of the state’s economy continues to recover from the pandemic.

Richard Irvin is pictured in a campaign commercial. [YouTube/Irvin & Bourne for Illinois]

A political action committee backed by Chicago radio personality Dan Proft began airing a new commercial Monday targeting Aurora mayor and Republican gubernatorial candidate Richard Irvin’s past statements in support of the Black Lives Matter movement as Republicans compete to show voters they are the most pro-police candidate in the primary.

The Democratic Party of Illinois logo. 

In the final reporting period prior to the June 28 primary, Illinois Democrats are boasting a strong quarter of fundraising. Across the aisle, the state Republican party reported losing $4,000 since Jan. 1.

Illinois Retail Merchants Association CEO Rob Karr presents HB1091 at a news conference in Springfield on March 29. [Blue Room Stream]

It took several months and was completed in the final hours, but Illinois Retail Merchants Association CEO Rob Karr saw his bill combating organized retail crime and smash-and-grabs make it to the governor’s desk.

The Illinois State Board of Elections seal. 

The Illinois State Board of Elections decided to remove seven candidates from June primary ballots, deeming that they fell short on the number of signatures required to run or having signatures removed from their petition sheets.

Gov. JB Pritzker speaks at an event Wednesday with legislative leaders at Gatley Park in Chicago. [Governor’s Facebook page] 

Gov. JB Pritzker is taking messages about the Fiscal Year 2023 budget to residents, starting with a rally at Gatley Park on Chicago’s South Side to highlight money set aside in the budget for youth programs and education services.

Former House Speaker Mike Madigan (D-Chicago) is pictured during the 101st General Assembly at the Bank of Springfield Center. [Justin Fowler/Pool]

One senator resigned, a former speaker was indicted, and another representative was reported to be under federal investigation. In the midst of it all, lawmakers did not pass any major ethics legislation to address the issues this spring.

The Illinois House of Representatives meets on April 7. [Ben Szalinski]

While lawmakers moved through a flurry of public safety bills and spent much of their time focused on tax relief during the final weeks of the spring legislative session, some notable bills that had been advancing through the General Assembly remained on the table when legislators adjourned early Saturday morning.

Sen. Linda Holmes (D-Aurora), right in pink, discusses extending the deadline for unemployment insurance trust fund negotiations in the Senate Executive Committee on Friday. [Blue Room Stream]

Negotiations between labor and business groups over what to do with the remaining $1.8 billion deficit in the unemployment insurance trust fund have reached an impasse at the end of the spring legislative session, the parties announced.

Rep. Justin Slaughter (D-Chicago) speaks on the House floor Saturday morning. [Blue Room Steam]

After 4 a.m. Saturday morning, Rep. Justin Slaughter (D-Chicago) called a bill for a vote he said was a clarification to the SAFE-T Act. The bill and Slaughter’s closing remarks set off a shouting match between Republicans and Slaughter as he accused Republicans of backing policies rooted in racism and not caring about inner-city violence.

Illinois Retail Merchants Association President Rob Karr testifies in front of the Senate Executive Committee Friday. [Blue Room]

In their final acts before adjourning for the spring and beginning seven months of campaigning, lawmakers sent Gov. JB Pritzker a series of bipartisan bills on Friday night and Saturday morning designed to address public safety concerns and to incentivize police officers to stay on the job.