Illinois American Water government affairs director Sean Flynn encouraged a Senate committee on Thursday to approve a bill to create an assistance program for water bills.

A bill aimed at helping low-income residents pay their water bills cleared a key committee hurdle on Thursday, brightening its prospects as the General Assembly session speeds toward a close.

Ald. Harry Osterman (left) and neighbors listen to a water management representative describe the excavation process for replacing water lines. (Photo: Jonathan Ballew/Block Club Chicago)

A multiyear effort to require toxic lead service water lines to be replaced throughout Illinois is nearing the finish line.

The Senate Executive Committee on Wednesday approved HB 3739, a measure that would set timelines for lead service line replacements and create a state grant program to aid the process. The House approved the measure last month, meaning the Senate floor could be its last stop before heading to Gov. JB Pritzker’s desk.

Gov. Pritzker announced a multiyear plan to fix the state’s roads and bridges. Amtrak is set to resume full services. And House Republicans are unaware of Democrats’ latest ethics reform work.

 

Sen. Neil Anderson faced opposition Tuesday from witnesses including Richard Mikel and Katherine Nunes who unsuccessfully urged a Senate committee to reject a proposal that would legalize the sale of ground-based sparklers in Illinois.

A Senate committee on Tuesday failed to approve a Republican-sponsored bill that would expand Illinoisans’ access to so-called “novelty” fireworks despite widespread opposition from fire department officials.

Sen. Ann Gillespie (D-Arlington Heights) defended an amended version of a bill sunsetting the use of “prone restraint” in Illinois schools.

A bill phasing out the use of face-down physical restraints in Illinois schools cleared the Senate Education Committee Tuesday despite emotional testimony from witnesses saying the measure wouldn't act fast enough.

 

Illinois Housing Development Authority executive director Kristin Faust (left) and Illinois Department of Human Services secretary Grace Hou joined Gov. JB Pritzker on Monday as he signed a bill will implement a framework for administering the state’s rental assistance programs.

SPRINGFIELD — Gov. JB Pritzker on Monday announced the launch of the latest round of federally-backed housing assistance while signing a measure that seeks to provide additional relief to renters.

Lawmakers largely focused last week on getting bills finalized in committees, with few measures receiving final approval on the House and Senate floor.

Among those bills that were approved during floor sessions were measures related to firearms and discrimination in schools.

The following is a roundup of the latest proposals approved in either chamber.

In separate news conferences last week, Rep. Lisa Hernandez (D-Cicero) and Rep. Ryan Spain (R-Peoria) discussed the forthcoming release of new redistricting maps.

With less than two weeks until the scheduled end of the legislative session, Democrats have yet to reveal their proposed redistricting maps. But that could soon change.

Speaking in separate news conferences last week, Democrats and Republicans suggested the new maps could come out as early as this week. That would be consistent with the timeline used in 2011.

First-term Sen. Mike Simmons (D-Chicago) is pushing a major budget reform as the legislature considers the next fiscal year: a tax credit for families with children, worth $600 per child.

As the fiscal year winds to a close and next year’s budget discussions reach a fever pitch in Springfield, some legislators are proposing sweeping new tax credits they say would help one of the most pandemic-battered groups in Illinois: children and their families.

Illinois Department of Public Health director Ngozi Ezike and Deputy Governor Sol Flores fielded questions from lawmakers Thursday about the state’s handling of last year’s COVID-19 outbreak at the LaSalle Veterans’ Home.

House lawmakers on Thursday scrutinized the way Gov. JB Pritzker’s office handled last year’s COVID-19 outbreak at the LaSalle Veterans’ Home, questioning a deputy governor who was challenged whether she did enough.

For the first time since the November outbreak, members of the House Veterans’ Affairs Committee had a chance to hear directly from an official in the governor’s office, with the panel on Thursday questioning Deputy Governor Sol Flores.