Gov. JB Pritzker speaks about his proposal to pause the grocery tax at a Jewel-Osco in Chicago on Friday. [Blue Room Stream]

On the heels of Gov. JB Pritzker’s budget address in which he touted an expected $1.7 billion surplus for the current fiscal year, the Committee on Government Forecasting and Accountability, or COGFA, released a new report Friday detailing the additional revenue that is coming into the state compared to one year ago.

Rep. Dave Vella (D-Rockford) explains House bill 4214 during a House Revenue Committee meeting Thursday.

Restaurant and bar owners could get some temporary tax relief this year under a bill that would create a tax credit for hospitality employers who provide benefits to their employees.

From left: Sen. Melinda Bush (D-Grayslake), Waukegan Mayor Ann Taylor and Sen. Adriane Johnson (D-Buffalo Grove) speak during a committee hearing Thursday.

The Illinois Senate Committee on Environment and Conservation met Thursday and passed two bills aimed at building upon Illinois environmental legislation passed during previous sessions.

New members may be added to the state’s Local Journalism Task Force. Lawmakers are interested in making a change to the state’s Property Tax Extension Limitation Law to give more options to taxing districts. And the House Mental Health and Addiction Committee advanced a bill aimed at providing more mental health services to children in care of the Department of Children and Family Services.  

Gov. JB Pritzker gives his annual State of the State and Budget Address at Illinois’ Old State Capitol in Springfield Wednesday. The in-person address in front of the General Assembly was cancelled because of the snow storm. [Blue Room Stream]

With just over nine months until he stands for reelection, Gov. JB Pritzker touted fiscal progress his administration has made while offering a positive outlook for the state’s future and announced a series of spending increases and tax cuts in his annual State of the State and Budget Address Wednesday.  

Senate Majority Leader Kimberly Lightford (D-Maywood) and Senate Minority Leader Dan McConchie (R-Hawthorn Woods) give their thoughts on Gov. JB Pritzker’s budget proposal Wednesday. [Blue Room Stream]

With the November election on everyone’s mind, lawmakers from both parties used Gov. JB Pritzker’s budget address Wednesday to score political points and reinforce their views on Pritzker’s administration to voters. Industry groups expressed cautious optimism at the governor’s proposals, but Republican candidates for governor were quick to criticize.

Sen. Chapin Rose (R-Mahomet) speaks Tuesday with members of law enforcement and other Republican Senators about the Senate Republicans’ latest crime package. [Ben Szalinski]

Taking legislative action to prevent crime and give police more tools to fight it is urgent, Senate Republicans said Tuesday as they announced their latest legislative proposal to combat violent crime.

Department of Children and Family Services director Marc Smith (left) and Senate Health Committee chair Sen. Julie Morrison (D-Deerfield) during a meeting on Tuesday 

Members of the Illinois Senate Committee on Health on Tuesday weighed whether new  laws could help protect workers in the Department of Children and Family Services (DCFS) from on-the-job violence or other hazards.

Sen. Cristina Castro (D-Elgin) speaks about Senate bill 570 during a press conference Monday. The bill would remove a surcharge gas companies put on bills.

Democratic lawmakers are angling to tighten a law they say allows gas companies to take advantage of customers by imposing surcharges on services. 

Illinois Department of Children and Family Services Director Marc Smith testifies Friday in front of the House Appropriations- Human Services committee on recent issues at the department.

After being found in contempt of court three times in the last month, Illinois Department of Children and Family Services (DCFS) Director Marc Smith argued he is trying to clean up problems at the department caused by previous administrations.