Joel Ebert is The Daily Line's reporter covering the Illinois state government. He covered politics in Illinois, South Dakota and West Virginia before joining The Tennessean in 2016 to report on the Tennessee General Assembly and state government. In West Virginia, he worked as a daily statehouse reporter before transitioning to provide daily coverage of the trial of former Massey Energy CEO Don Blankenship, who became the first chief executive of a major corporation convicted of a workplace safety crime. A native of Illinois and graduate of the University of Illinois at Chicago, Ebert is a student of Chicago politics whose work has been cited by national media. He’s received awards from the press associations in South Dakota, West Virginia and Tennessee, including the Malcolm Law Award for investigative reporting. In 2019, he was a National Press Foundation fellow.
Bio
Former state govt & legislative reporter for @thedailylineIL, @Tennessean, @wvgazettemail, @charleywest & @capitaljournal
NOV 16, 2020
News in brief: Pritzker extends eviction moratorium while adding new caveat; Fowler, Curran express frustration over nixed veto session; Metra to expand new bike train car program; White announces facility closures
TDL Springfield Morning Briefs: Monday, November 16th
News in brief: Pritzker extends eviction moratorium while adding new caveat; Fowler, Curran expre...
NOV 13, 2020
Gov. JB Pritzker on Thursday warned of the potential need to issue a second stay-at-home order due to the recent rise of COVID-19.Gov. JB Pritzker on Thursday warned that a second stay-at-home order could be coming in the future as the state is “running out of time” and “options” while facing its latest rise in COVID-19 cases.
Pritzker warns of second stay-at-home order if state fails to curb recent rise of COVID-19
Gov. JB Pritzker on Thursday warned of the potential need to issue a second stay-at-home order ...
NOV 13, 2020
Skeptical of the effectiveness of calling a special session, Gov. JB Pritzker is turning to conversations with legislative leaders including House Speaker Mike Madigan and House Republican Leader Jim Durkin to address the state’s budget.Despite having the authority to order the legislature to reconvene, Gov. JB Pritzker expressed skepticism Thursday such a call would be heeded days after legislative leaders announced they will cancel their planned veto session. Instead, in recent days he’s stressed the need to work with legislative leaders to address the state’s finances.
Pritzker turns to meeting with leaders to discuss budget in lieu of veto session
Skeptical of the effectiveness of calling a special session, Gov. JB Pritzker is turning to con...
NOV 12, 2020
News in brief: Mah skeptical of GOP support for tax credits; Rezin, Ford call for COVID-19 legislative hearings; Illinois joins national cannabis regulators organizations
TDL Springfield Morning Briefs: Friday, November 13th
News in brief: Mah skeptical of GOP support for tax credits; Rezin, Ford call for COVID-19 legis...
NOV 12, 2020
News in brief: Pritzker reiterates disappointment over canceled veto session; Chicago-based veterans home commemorated; Duckworth happy, willing to listen to Biden admin offers; IL officials encourage working from home; McCombie drops leadership bid; more unions back Madigan
TDL Springfield Morning Briefs: Thursday,
News in brief: Pritzker reiterates disappointment over canceled veto session; Chicago-based veter...
NOV 12, 2020
Hillary Chutter-Ames and Jim Black on Tuesday encouraged lawmakers to make changes to the state’s police certification law.With nationwide efforts underway to improve community trust with law enforcement and weed out bad actors, Illinois lawmakers this week listened to recommendations for changing the state’s police decertification process.
Law enforcement, advocates agree on need to change state’s police certification law though details still need to be worked out
Hillary Chutter-Ames and Jim Black on Tuesday encouraged lawmakers to make changes to the state...
NOV 11, 2020
TDL Springfield Morning Briefs: Wednesday, November 11th
News in brief: AFL-CIO backs Madigan; PTAB moving to online-only hearings
NOV 11, 2020
The Illinois General Assembly will not meet next week for a previously scheduled veto session due to concerns over the rise of COVID-19.Illinois lawmakers will not reconvene next week for their previously scheduled veto session, legislative officials said Tuesday, citing the recent surge in COVID-19 cases.
Veto session canceled over concerns about surge in COVID-19
The Illinois General Assembly will not meet next week for a previously scheduled veto session d...
NOV 10, 2020
Dr. Nia Heard-Garris encouraged a panel of state lawmakers on Monday to declare racism a public health crisis in IllinoisTo begin addressing health inequities in Illinois, lawmakers should declare racism a public health crisis, a panel of legislators were told Monday.
Illinois should declare racism as public health crisis, lawmakers urged
Dr. Nia Heard-Garris encouraged a panel of state lawmakers on Monday to declare racism a public...
NOV 10, 2020
News in brief: Pritzker announces new COVID-19 mitigations for 3 regions; unpaid bill backlog back up; Illinois joins national suicide prevention effort
TDL Springfield Morning Briefs: Tuesday, November 10th
News in brief: Pritzker announces new COVID-19 mitigations for 3 regions; unpaid bill backlog bac...
NOV 09, 2020
After the failure of Gov. JB Pritzker’s graduated income tax proposal, he is being pushed to extend a tax credit to help working-class residents.After last week’s loss of Gov. JB Pritzker’s graduated income tax proposal, one nonprofit organization is looking ahead by encouraging the state to expand a tax credit it says would help working-class Illinoisans.
Extend state’s earned-income tax credit now that ‘Fair Tax’ is dead, nonprofit says
After the failure of Gov. JB Pritzker’s graduated income tax proposal, he is being pushed to ex...
NOV 09, 2020
Although the winners of most legislative races have already been determined, elections officials across the state have reported thousands of returned mail ballots have yet to be counted. As such, the outcome of several legislative races remains up in the air.
With thousands of uncounted ballots remaining, some legislative races still undecided
Although the winners of most legislative races have already been determined, elections officials ...
NOV 06, 2020
Peter Hanna and Brad Cole were on opposite sides of a Thursday legislative discussion on qualified immunity.As Illinois lawmakers consider legislation aimed at curbing qualified immunity for law enforcement, critics warned Thursday such a move would make it difficult to recruit police while advocates said it would increase accountability for bad actors.
Senate committees weigh eliminating qualified immunity for law enforcement
Peter Hanna and Brad Cole were on opposite sides of a Thursday legislative discussion on qualif...
NOV 06, 2020
Madigan support among Democratic Party elders slipping; McConchie picked as next Senate Republican Leader; election officials validate use of Sharpies on ballots
TDL Springfield Morning Briefs: Friday, November 6th
Madigan support among Democratic Party elders slipping; McConchie picked as next Senate Republica...
NOV 05, 2020
TDL Springfield Morning Briefs: Thursday November 5th
News in brief: Madigan investigative committee delayed; Brady won’t run again for Senate GOP leader
NOV 05, 2020
When the dust largely finally settled on Tuesday’s general election, Illinois’ legislative races yielded little change in the composition of the state house, with unofficial results showing Democrats and Republicans each knocking off incumbents in the other party.
Election results show Republicans pick up 2 House seats while Democrats net 1 in Senate
When the dust largely finally settled on Tuesday’s general election, Illinois’ legislative races ...
NOV 05, 2020
Gov JB Pritzker warned of difficult decisions and “painful” budget cuts Wednesday after the defeat of his graduated income tax proposal.Faced with the defeat of his graduated income tax proposal, Gov. JB Pritzker on Wednesday issued a strong rebuke against Republicans and “special interests,” which he said were responsible for forcing the state to make difficult financial decisions in the days ahead.
Rebuking opponents, Pritzker warns of ‘painful’ cuts after defeat of graduated income tax amendment
Gov JB Pritzker warned of difficult decisions and “painful” budget cuts Wednesday after the def...
NOV 04, 2020
Gov. JB Pritzker warned Tuesday afternoon the outcome of the graduated income tax proposal and other races could remain undecided for several days.With thousands of votes still unreported, Gov. JB Pritzker’s proposed graduated income tax amendment appeared to face an uphill battle late Tuesday evening.
With ballots still being counted, Pritzker’s graduated income tax proposal facing uphill battle
Gov. JB Pritzker warned Tuesday afternoon the outcome of the graduated income tax proposal and ...
NOV 03, 2020
Proponents and opponents of Gov. JB Pritzker’s income tax amendment spent more than $36 million to air 50,000 ads on broadcast TVMore than two years after Gov. JB Pritzker campaigned on changing the state’s income tax system, Illinois voters have the opportunity to decide the fate of his proposal to replace the state’s flat-rate income tax with a graduated-rate structure.
Proponents, opponents of Pritzker’s income tax amendment spent more than $36 million to air 50,000 TV ads
Proponents and opponents of Gov. JB Pritzker’s income tax amendment spent more than $36 million...
NOV 03, 2020
News in brief: Pritzker, elections officials warn of delayed election results; IL National Guard in ‘state of readiness’; increased COVID-19 mitigations expected to last weeks
TDL Springfield Morning Briefs: Tuesday, November 3rd
News in brief: Pritzker, elections officials warn of delayed election results; IL National Guard ...
Bio
Former state govt & legislative reporter for @thedailylineIL, @Tennessean, @wvgazettemail, @charleywest & @capitaljournal
