The Illinois House meets on Friday.

The House advanced a bill with strong bipartisan support that would reform how some local taxing bodies levy property taxes in the hope that the new system will save taxpayers money.

Ahead of Friday’s deadline to hand bills off to the Senate, the House passed legislation to combat catalytic converter theft, eliminate the requirement that schools must choose the lowest bidder on lunch contracts and remove a potential barrier high school students face for graduation.

Department of Children and Family Services Director Marc Smith, orange tie, speaks to members of the House Appropriations- Human Services Committee Thursday.

Lawmakers and advocates blasted Department of Children and Family Services (DCFS) Director Marc Smith during his agency’s appropriation hearing Thursday, even after Smith said the department was making progress toward ensuring the safety of its employees and the children under its care.

Former Mike Madigan and Democratic Party of Illinois staffer Alaina Hampton speaks at a news conference in March 2018. [A.D. Quig] 

Wednesday was an emotional day but validating day for Alaina Hampton, a former staffer for the Democratic Party of Illinois who worked out of Mike Madigan’s 13th Ward office and ran Illinois House campaigns for the state party while Madigan was chair. 

The House advanced several measures Thursday ahead of Friday’s deadline to move bills on to the Senate. They included a requirement that life rings be placed on public lands along Lake Michigan, a bill to allow college students studying education to become substitute teachers and a proposal to limit standardized testing young children.

Then-House Speaker Mike Madigan during a floor session in 2020. [Justin Fowler/pool/SJ-R]

Former House Speaker Mike Madigan (D-Chicago) was indicted Wednesday on 22 counts of bribery, racketeering and wire fraud in the culmination of a multi-year federal corruption probe that has already ensnared multiple people in his inner circle.

The 106-page indictment handed down by U.S. Attorney John Lausch described details of an intricate "enterprise" through which Madigan used his powers as speaker and 13th Ward Democratic committeeperson to dole out personal favors to allies.

Eighteen House Democrats who did not support former House Speaker Mike Madigan’s bid for another term as speaker in 2021 react to news of his indictment Wednesday.

While the House debated legislation Wednesday, news of former House Speaker Mike Madigan’s (D-Chicago) indictment on 22 corruption charges rattled the chamber and brought a variety of reactions.   

Republicans slammed Madigan and members in the Democratic caucus for having worked with him, while a group of Democrats who blocked Madigan’s election to another term as speaker gave an emotional response to the news. Madigan’s successor, House Speaker Chris Welch (D-Hillside), said the House is moving forward in a new direction under his leadership.  

House Speaker Chris Welch (D-Hillside) speaks to members of the Illinois Chamber of Commerce in Springfield on Wednesday.

Crafting legislation to address crime in Illinois remains a priority, House Speaker Chris Welch (D-Hillside) said Wednesday, adding that he expects lawmakers will be able to vote on a package to tackle crime by the end of session on April 8. However, he did not detail what form the new legislation may take. 

Gov. JB Pritzker speaks to the U.S. House Committee on Oversight and Reform on Tuesday.    

Illinois is successfully fighting COVID-19 and helping the economy recover from the pandemic, Gov. JB Pritzker told the U.S. House Committee on Oversight and Reform Tuesday.  

The House passed a bill Tuesday that would allow principals in the Chicago Public Schools system to unionize and collectively bargain. Democrats voted to remove three Republicans from House floor Tuesday for not wearing masks on the first day of session after the state’s mask mandate ended. And the House advanced a bill giving school employees paid administrative leave if they miss work for reasons related to COVID-19 so long as they are fully vaccinated.