Sixteenth Judicial Circuit Judge Clint Hull, left, and Illinois Public Defender Association President Keith Grant, right, speak during Thursday’s task force meeting.

Illinois legal officials are working to prepare law enforcement agencies and other local leaders for the implementation of the Pretrial Fairness Act, which starting on Jan. 1, 2023 will add new restrictions to when and how people are detained by police in Illinois.

Rep. Mary Flowers (D-Chicago), second from left, questions witnesses during a hearing Wednesday. [Ben Szalinski/The Daily Line]

House members pushed leaders of the Department of Healthcare and Family Services Wednesday to answer why Illinois’ safety net hospitals are not getting payments from Medicaid managed care organizations, as Chicago’s St. Anthony’s Hospital is engaged in a lawsuit against the state over Medicaid reimbursements.

A now-removed statue of former U.S. Sen. Stephen Douglas sits outside the Illinois Capitol. The statue was removed in September 2020. [Ben Szalinski/The Daily Line] 

This month marks two years since former House Speaker Mike Madigan (D-Chicago) suggested artwork depicting Illinois’ former controversial U.S. Sen. Stephen Douglas be removed from the Illinois Capitol as the nation wrestled with the civil unrest following the police killing of George Floyd.

A House task force created by House Speaker Chris Welch (D-Hillside) in April 2021 is continuing to mull its options for new statues at the capitol and a process for reviewing the complex’s artwork.

Gov. JB Pritzker speaks during a virtual congressional hearing in March.  

Gov. JB Pritzker tested positive Tuesday for COVID-19 for the first time during the pandemic following a whirlwind week of trips and events, his office reported.

Sen. Darren Bailey (R-Xenia), left, and Gov. JB Pritzker, right, celebrate victories in their primaries on June 28. [Blue Room Stream and Don Vincent/The Daily Line] 

Sen. Darren Bailey (R-Xenia) has his work cut out for him during the next three-and-a-half months to compete with the $60.5 million financial advantage billionaire Gov. JB Pritzker carries over his Republican challenger.

Aurora Mayor Richard Irvin finished behind Sen. Darren Bailey (R-Xenia) in the Republican primary for governor. [ABC Chicago]

Aurora Mayor Richard Irvin raised and spent millions more than his Republican competitors, financial records filed with the State Board of Elections Friday show, only to finish the primary far behind Sen. Darren Bailey (R-Xenia).

Scott Schluter is the Illinois Libertarian Party’s nominee for governor.

As the Republican and Democratic Parties push candidates and policies to appease their most conservative or progressive voters respectively, Illinois’ Libertarian Party is hoping to take advantage of political polarization and grab support from voters who feel left out by both parties as Libertarians look to establish themselves as a major party in Illinois.

Crime scene tape blocks off seats vacated by Highland Park parade goers on July 4. [Ben Szalinski/The Daily Line]

Momentum is growing among House Democrats to pass a bill that would ban sales of assault weapons and put restrictions on gun owners as lawmakers search for ways to prevent another mass shooting and reduce gun violence in the wake of the July 4 Highland Park shooting.

From left to right, Democrat Gregg Johnson of East Moline, Republican Connie Cain of Gilberts and Republican Diane Harris of Joliet. [Campaign websites]

Tuesday was the final day for mail-in ballots to be counted by local election authorities, and the final counts cemented victories for three candidates who were locked in close contests and will now advance to November’s general election in their state legislative races.

Gov. JB Pritzker named Dr. Sameer Vohra the new acting director of the Illinois Department of Public Health (IDPH) after Ngozi Ezike stepped down earlier this year. And House Republicans are asking lawmakers to take action to pay down the remaining deficit of the unemployment insurance trust fund before the fall veto session.

From left to right, Lt. Gov. Juliana Stratton, U.S. Sen. Dick Durbin (D-Ill.) and Planned Parenthood St. Louis Dr. Colleen McNicholas speak during a U.S. Senate Judiciary Committee hearing Tuesday. [U.S. Senate Judiciary Committee]  

Lt. Gov. Juliana Stratton told members of the U.S. Senate Judiciary Committee Tuesday that states like Illinois need more federal help to fulfill their roles as “islands” for people seeking abortion in the wake of the U.S. Supreme Court’s decision overturning Roe v. Wade and shifts by other states to ban or limit abortions.

Planned Parenthood of Illinois CEO Jennifer Welch speaks during a news conference on June 24 responding to the end of Roe v. Wade. [Erin Hegarty/The Daily Line]

Legislative leaders and Gov. JB Pritzker are planning a special session in the coming months to shore up Illinois’ abortion laws after the U.S. Supreme Court struck down Roe v. Wade at the end of June. With Illinois law already protecting access to abortion, the session is expected to focus on building up the state’s ability to handle an influx of abortion cases from nearby states where the practice has been limited.

The scene of Highland Park’s mass shooting remained under investigation on July 5. [Ben Szalinski/The Daily Line] 

As state lawmakers explore how to respond to Highland Park’s Independence Day shooting, gun violence prevention advocates say future state legislation should remain focused on guns to reduce the number of shootings in Illinois.

Lisa Holder White was sworn in Thursday as the first Black woman ever to serve on the Illinois Supreme Court. And the Illinois Commerce Commission unanimously approved a proposal by ComEd to electrify a portion of its vehicle fleet.

Sen. Darren Bailey (R-Xenia) speaks about Monday’s Highland Park shooting during a Springfield news conference Thursday. [Blue Room Stream] 

Republican nominee for governor Sen. Darren Bailey (R-Xenia) is blaming Gov. JB Pritzker’s administration for not more strongly enforcing Illinois “red flag” laws in response to Monday’s shooting at Highland Park’s Independence Day parade.

Rep. Bob Morgan (D-Deerfield) speaks with U.S. Rep. Brad Schnieder (D-Ill.) after visiting with Vice President Kamala Harris in Highland Park Tuesday. [Ben Szalinski/The Daily Line]

Illinois imposes more layers of review over gun purchases than most other states with its background checks, firearm owner identification (FOID) card requirements and “red flag” laws designed to keep guns out of the hands of people who may harm themselves or others.

However, Monday’s shooting that killed seven and injured more than 40 people at the Highland Park Independence Day parade is sparking reviews of the strength of the state’s gun laws after authorities revealed the shooter obtained a FOID card and legally purchased weapons despite prior contact with police.

Gov. JB Pritzker speaks to reporters in Highland Park on July 4 alongside Highland Park Mayor Nancy Rotering and U.S. Rep. Brad Schneider (D-Ill.). [Gov. JB Pritzker/Facebook]

After north-suburban Highland Park became the latest American community to suffer a mass shooting, Illinois lawmakers are stepping up their calls to crack down on guns to prevent future violence.

Gov. JB Pritzker responds to the overturning of Roe v. Wade on June 25. [Blue Room Stream] 

Lawmakers and abortion advocates will continue to work through the summer to craft legislation in response to the end of Roe v. Wade before returning to Springfield for a special session, legislative leaders and Gov. JB Pritzker announced Tuesday.

Aurora Mayor Richard Irvin, right, speaks after conceding defeat to Sen. Darren Bailey (R-Xenia) on election night. [Blue Room Stream]  

Six months ago, Aurora Mayor Richard Irvin was the clear favorite for the Republican nomination for governor. He counted support from establishment Republicans and Illinois’ richest man, and his record as mayor of Illinois’ second-largest city convinced political observers he could attract independent voters to help him make a serious challenge to Gov. JB Pritzker in November.

On Tuesday night, the former front-runner went home after finishing in a distant third place with less than 15 percent of the vote.