Ben Szalinski

Bio

Ben is The Daily Line's legislative reporter covering Illinois state government. He came to The Daily Line in January 2022 from Shaw Media where he covered local government in McHenry County for the Northwest Herald. Ben is a graduate of the Public Affair
MAR 29, 2022
Chicago Police officers gather in June 2020.

Police departments need more money from Springfield to keep, train and hire new officers, as well as to buy equipment to protect officers and comply with state mandates, according to the Illinois Association of Chiefs of Police.

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Police chief’s association asks state leaders for $759M to cover training, equipment and personnel costs for cops

Chicago Police officers gather in June 2020. Police departments need more money from Springfield ...
MAR 29, 2022
Eleanor Wilson, left, and Oreal James, right, speak to the Senate Executive Appointments Committee on March 22. [Blue Room Stream] 

Illinois’ Prisoner Review Board (PRB) is now short a quorum after the Senate voted to reject one of Gov. JB Pritzker’s nomination to the board and a second nominee resigned Monday.

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Senate rejects Prisoner Review Board nominee after another resigns, leaving board short of quorum

Eleanor Wilson, left, and Oreal James, right, speak to the Senate Executive Appointments Committe...
MAR 28, 2022
Andrew Bodewes from the Illinois Fraternal Order of Police, left, and Illinois Sheriffs’ Association Executive Director Jim Kaitschuk, right, speak to lawmakers in the House Police and Fire Committee Thursday.

Illinois leaders need to do more to retain and attract police officers, leaders of police groups are telling lawmakers as they enter the final two weeks of session and as legislation to improve public safety continues to remain a hypothetical.

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Police leaders ask lawmakers to make it easier to recruit and retain officers

Andrew Bodewes from the Illinois Fraternal Order of Police, left, and Illinois Sheriffs’ Associat...
MAR 25, 2022
Rep. Jay Hoffman (D-Swansea), left, and Rep. Anne Stava-Murray (D-Naperville), right, present bills to the House Revenue and Finance Committee Thursday.

Members of the House Revenue and Finance Committee heard more subject matter hearings Thursday on bills that committee chair Rep. Mike Zalewski (D-Riverside) said will make it into a package of tax credits lawmakers will pass in the final weeks of session.

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Tax credit for breast pumps, changes to veteran property tax credit on the table in final weeks of session

Rep. Jay Hoffman (D-Swansea), left, and Rep. Anne Stava-Murray (D-Naperville), right, present bil...
MAR 25, 2022
Gov. JB Pritzker speaks to reporters Thursday after lawmakers passed a bill paying several of the state’s debts.

Democrats are claiming victory and touting fiscal progress in Illinois after lawmakers sent Gov. JB Pritzker a bill on Thursday partially paying debt in the unemployment insurance trust fund and paying other debts in full.

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MAR 24, 2022

A bill that will bring vehicle emissions testing sites back to Chicago advanced to the governor’s desk on Wednesday. And volunteer firefighters are pushing lawmakers to a create a tax credit for them to help recruit more people to the profession.

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News in brief: Bill restoring emissions testing in Chicago goes to governor; Volunteer firefighters want tax credit

A bill that will bring vehicle emissions testing sites back to Chicago advanced to the governor’s...
MAR 24, 2022
House Majority Leader Greg Harris (D-Chicago) debates funding for the unemployment insurance trust fund on the House floor Wednesday night. [Blue Room Stream] 

The House approved a measure Wednesday night to provide $2.7 billion from the state’s American Rescue Plan Act (ARPA) funds to its unemployment insurance trust fund despite severe blowback from Republicans. The bill also made several appropriations changes to pay down debt and fund pension accounts.

Democratic leaders said they hope to get the bill past the Senate on Thursday so Gov. JB Pritzker can meet a federal regulatory deadline by signing it into law by the end of the month.

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House approves using ARPA to repay unemployment trust fund debt as Republicans demand lawmakers repay the debt in full

House Majority Leader Greg Harris (D-Chicago) debates funding for the unemployment insurance trus...
MAR 24, 2022
Rep. Patrick Windhorst (R-Metropolis) speaks during a news conference Wednesday.

House Republicans on Wednesday made another pitch for lawmakers to pass public safety legislation before session ends and continued to argue that legislation passed by the General Assembly last year is causing crime rates to rise in Illinois.

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Republicans ask to see public safety legislation, worry they will be left out of conversations

Rep. Patrick Windhorst (R-Metropolis) speaks during a news conference Wednesday. House Republican...
MAR 24, 2022
Nora Collins-Manderville from the American Civil Liberties Union, left, and Rep. Tony McCombie (R-Savanna) speak during the House Human Services Committee Wednesday.

After sailing through the Senate with unanimous support, a bill that would codify rules allowing Department of Children and Family Service (DCFS) investigators to carry pepper spray on home visits was met with opposition by advocates as the House took up the bill.

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Bill allowing DCFS workers to carry pepper spray meets opposition from advocates including ACLU

Nora Collins-Manderville from the American Civil Liberties Union, left, and Rep. Tony McCombie (R...
MAR 23, 2022

Senators advanced a series of bills designed to make it easier for retired teachers and student teachers to join the workforce. And a bill that would expand access to HIV care in the Black community advanced to the Senate floor for a final vote.

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News in brief: Senate advances bills to soften teacher shortage, provide better access to HIV care

Senators advanced a series of bills designed to make it easier for retired teachers and student t...
MAR 23, 2022
Kenneth Tupy, left, Sen. Jason Plummer (R-Edwardsville), center, and Oreal James, right, speak during the Senate Executive Appointments Committee Tuesday.

The Senate Executive Appointments Committee recommended four of Gov. JB Pritzker’s six nominees to the Prisoner Review Board (PRB) to the full Senate Tuesday about a year after they were first nominated by Pritzker. In a floor vote Tuesday afternoon, the Senate voted against one of the four members the committee recommended.

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Senators recommend 4 nominees to the Prisoner Review Board, but full Senate votes down 1 nominee as Republicans drill down on parole votes

Kenneth Tupy, left, Sen. Jason Plummer (R-Edwardsville), center, and Oreal James, right, speak du...
MAR 22, 2022
Lawmakers are scheduled to be in session for all but two days through April 8.

Lawmaker are returning to Springfield Tuesday for the final three weeks of spring session and are looking to wrap up legislation in four key areas before they head home to begin their reelection campaigns.

This year’s session will end on April 8 , more than a month ahead of the traditional May 31 final day of session. After taking this coming weekend off, lawmakers will return on March 28 for 12 consecutive days of session.

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4 topics lawmakers are expected to address in final three weeks of session

Lawmakers are scheduled to be in session for all but two days through April 8. Lawmaker are retur...
MAR 22, 2022
A map shows the new Illinois House districts across Chicago and much of northern Illinois. The 2022 Election is the first election using the new maps lawmakers passed in 2021. [Illinois House Democrats]  

Election Day is still more than seven months away, but the contest is already virtually over for nearly half the Illinois legislators up for reelection this year as 75 candidates — 74 of whom are incumbents — were the only person in either major political party to file to run for office.

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Races for 75 state legislative seats already decided with only one candidate running for each office

A map shows the new Illinois House districts across Chicago and much of northern Illinois. The 20...
MAR 21, 2022
Rep. Lindsey LaPointe (D-Chicago) introduces legislation to prevent state investment accounts from holding assets based in Russia or Belarus.

The Illinois House is preparing to take up legislation that will allow the state to impose its own financial penalties on Russia and Belarus and to prepare for a potential influx of refugees from Ukraine.

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Lawmakers to vote on package ending state investments in Russia and Belarus, preparing to take in refugees from Ukraine

Rep. Lindsey LaPointe (D-Chicago) introduces legislation to prevent state investment accounts fro...
MAR 18, 2022
Rep. Greg Harris (D-Chicago) gives an update to reports Thursday about budget negotiations. [Blue Room] 

House Democrats are ready to begin crafting the state’s Fiscal Year 2023 budget, and their lead budget negotiator Rep. Greg Harris (D-Chicago) said there are a lot of things Democrats like about Gov. JB Pritzker’s proposal.

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Harris signals support for Pritzker’s spending proposal as budget crafting process begins

Rep. Greg Harris (D-Chicago) gives an update to reports Thursday about budget negotiations. [Blue...
MAR 18, 2022
Rep. Tom Weber (R-Lake Villa), center, speaks during a news conference Thursday with Reps. David Welter (R-Morris), far left, Steve Recik (R-Woodstock) second left, and Deanne Mazzochi (R-Elmhurst), right.   

It’s a problem that goes back years and multiple governor administrations, but House Republicans are unhappy Gov. JB Pritzker’s administration has not been able to significantly approve the Department of Children and Family Services (DCFS) — and the agency seems to face more problems.

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House Republicans frustrated over lack of action on DCFS issues as judge finds director in contempt of court a 7th time

Rep. Tom Weber (R-Lake Villa), center, speaks during a news conference Thursday with Reps. David ...
MAR 18, 2022
Rep. Mike Halpin (D-Rock Island), left, and Illinois Manufactures’ Association CEO Mark Denzler, right, speak during the House Revenue and Finance Committee Thursday.

Lawmakers are considering a proposal to create an incentive package for microchip manufacturers in an attempt to attract the businesses to Illinois.

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House considering bill to create microchip manufacturing incentives in Illinois

Rep. Mike Halpin (D-Rock Island), left, and Illinois Manufactures’ Association CEO Mark Denzler, ...
MAR 17, 2022
Gov. JB Pritzker is pictured in September 2021.

Gov. JB Pritzker is calling on the Senate to hold confirmation hearings on his nominations to the Prisoner Review Board after some nominees have waited nearly three years for a hearing.

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Pritzker asks Senate to hold confirmation hearings on Prisoner Review Board nominees in limbo for more than a year

Gov. JB Pritzker is pictured in September 2021. Gov. JB Pritzker is calling on the Senate to hold...
MAR 17, 2022
Rep. Chris Bos (R-Lake Zurich), left, and Libertyville resident Kellie Sheridan, right, speak to the House Human Services Committee Wednesday.

A bill that would require hospitals and nursing homes to let patients and residents receive visitors even during a pandemic was moved to the House floor Wednesday.

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Bill requiring medical facilities to allow visitors during pandemic one step closer to passage

Rep. Chris Bos (R-Lake Zurich), left, and Libertyville resident Kellie Sheridan, right, speak to ...
MAR 17, 2022

The House Transportation: Vehicles and Safety Committee advanced a bill to the floor that aims to resolve Chicago’s lack of vehicle emissions testing sites. New Legislative Inspector General Michael McCuskey said his office is almost ready to start tackling investigations. And a bill to limit standardized testing in elementary school met more opposition.

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News in brief: Bill on emissions testing in Chicago moves forward; McCuskey settling into inspector general role

The House Transportation: Vehicles and Safety Committee advanced a bill to the floor that aims to...

Bio

Ben is The Daily Line's legislative reporter covering Illinois state government. He came to The Daily Line in January 2022 from Shaw Media where he covered local government in McHenry County for the Northwest Herald. Ben is a graduate of the Public Affair