Senate President Don Harmon has contracted COVID-19. Former Sen. Bill Haine has died. And the Illinois Commerce Commission announced a new area code.   

 

Former Sen. Matt Murphy called for lawmakers on Friday to provide more federal funding to help the state’s hotel industry.  

Lawmakers should use more federal American Rescue Plan (ARP) funds to help Illinois’ struggling hospitality industry as soon as possible, a former state senator told a House committee on Friday.  

Gov. JB Pritzker hands a copy of SB 817, which bans schools from adopting hair discrimination policies, to student Jett Hawkins during a Friday news conference. 

Gov. JB Pritzker on Friday signed two education-related measures into law that were much discussed during this year’s legislative session.  

The U.S. Census Bureau said Thursday more than half of the 3,143 counties in the United States were smaller in 2020 than they were in 2010. (US Census Bureau)

All but 15 of Illinois’ 102 counties lost population during the last decade, according to newly released data from the U.S. Census Bureau. 

Gov. JB Pritzker on Thursday signed into law three bills that seek to help the state’s first responders.

Gov. JB Pritzker on Thursday signed into law three bills that seek to help the state’s first responders.  

Gov. JB Pritzker announced Wednesday a new $250 million effort, known as the Back to Business grant program, aimed at helping small businesses recover from the COVID-19 pandemic.

Gov. JB Pritzker on Wednesday announced a new $250 million grant program aimed at helping small businesses recover from the COVID-19 pandemic.  

Duckworth, Durbin are touting the benefits of the U.S. Senate-approved infrastructure bill. The Illinois Department of Public Health debuted a new vaccination portal. And a new WBEZ report highlighted lawmakers’ vaccination status.  

After he signed more than 80 proposals into law last week, Gov. JB Pritzker still has about 330 measures approved by the legislature this spring to take action on as of Tuesday.  

Gov. JB Pritzker on Friday signed into law 83 bills that were approved during the General Assembly’s spring session.  

Joined by Illinois Education Association president Kathi Griffin (left), Gov. JB Pritzker on Tuesday signed into law a measure that will expand access to family and medical leave for educational support staff. 

Gov. JB Pritzker on Tuesday signed into law a measure (HB 12) that will expand access to family and medical leave for educational support staff.  

Illinois Department of Human Services senior policy advisory Dana Kelly told lawmakers on Monday 53 percent of the 6,200 employees working at state-run psychiatric hospitals and developmental centers have been vaccinated for COVID-19.

Fifty-three percent of the more than 6,200 employees working in state-run psychiatric hospitals and developmental centers have been vaccinated for COVID-19, an agency official told lawmakers on Monday. Officials are blaming large unvaccinated staff populations for a series of new outbreaks spreading through nearly a dozen facilities.