
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.
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Former state govt & legislative reporter for @thedailylineIL, @Tennessean, @wvgazettemail, @charleywest & @capitaljournalGov. JB Pritzker on Wednesday signed two bills into law giving special needs students more time in school.
Gov. JB Pritzker on Wednesday signed two bills into law giving special needs students more time in school.

“An alignment of the law with our values”: Pritzker signs bills giving extension for special education students
Gov. JB Pritzker announced a $200 million investment in early childhood education workforce. Secretary of State Jesse White reimposed a mask requirement at his facilities. And the first cannabis dispensary lottery is set for Thursday.

News in brief: Pritzker announces $200 million early childhood education investment; Jesse White reimposes mask requirement at facilities; first cannabis dispensary lottery set for Thursday
Gov. JB Pritzker on Tuesday signed four bills aimed at helping members of the LGBTQ+ community into law, including a measure to repeal Illinois’ HIV criminalization law.
Gov. JB Pritzker on Tuesday signed four bills into law aimed at helping members of the LGBTQ community, including a measure to repeal Illinois’ HIV criminalization law.

Pritzker signs four bills aimed at helping LGBTQ community
Illinois health officials announced their adoption of new Centers for Disease Control guidance, including on wearing masks indoors. Gov. JB Pritzker urged the need for vaccinations while downplaying potential new mitigations. Attorney Thomas DeVore launched a bid for downstate appellate court. And the Department of Human Services announced new naloxone funding.

News in brief: IDPH to adopt new CDC mask guidance; Pritzker downplays potential new mitigations; DeVore launches bid for downstate appellate court
Gov. JB Pritzker, seen here on July 22 at a bill signing ceremony, signed off on 56 measures approved by the legislature on Friday and another seven proposals on Monday.
Last week, Gov. JB Pritzker signed into law dozens of bills the General Assembly approved during the spring session. On Monday, he signed seven more bills into law.

Pritzker signs 63 bills, including legislation on TIFs, Medicare enrollment, organ transplants
Sen. Darren Bailey (R-Xenia) kicked off his summer bus tour while criticizing Gov. JB Pritzker as he continues his bid for the Republican nomination for governor.

News in brief: Bailey kicks off summer bus tour as bid for GOP gubernatorial nomination continues
Gov. JB Pritzker announced the return of the Chicago Auto Show in early May. [Twitter]
In the weeks since the General Assembly sent more than 600 bills to Gov. JB Pritzker’s desk, he has faced a swell of calls for him to veto an omnibus ethics proposal (SB 539). But that’s not the only measure some are looking for him to reject.

Manufacturers call for Pritzker to veto bill upping reimbursement requirements for auto warranty repairs
Gov. JB Pritzker is more popular in Cook County than Chicago Mayor Lori Lightfoot or county board President Toni Preckwinkle, according to a new Chicago Index survey.
Gov. JB Pritzker remains more popular than the Illinois General Assembly, Chicago Mayor Lori Lightfoot and Cook County Board President Toni Preckwinkle among residents of Cook County, according to a new survey from The Chicago Index, a joint effort by Crain’s and The Daily Line.

Pritzker clings to popularity among Cook County residents as reelection kicks off, new Chicago Index survey finds
Rep. Thaddeus Jones (left) and Sen. Napoleon Harris (center) joined Gov. JB Pritzker on Thursday for his signature of a bill they sponsored to make permanent telehealth services that were expanded during the COVID-19 pandemic.
Gov. JB Pritzker on Thursday signed a measure (HB 3308) into law that aims to increase Illinoisans’ access to telehealth services.

Pritzker signs bill codifying expansion of telehealth services deemed ‘vital’ during COVID-19 pandemic
Gov. JB Pritzker signed into law a measure from Sen. Melinda Bush (left) and Rep. Michelle Mussman (right) that will allow pharmacists to prescribe contraceptives to patients.
Gov. JB Pritzker on Thursday signed into law a measure that will allow pharmacists to prescribe oral contraceptives to patients.

‘There’s got to be a better way’: Pritzker signs over-the-counter birth control bill into law
Gov. JB Pritzker defended the omnibus ethics bill lawmakers approved this year during a July 15 news conference.
Despite facing calls to use his amendatory veto power on the omnibus ethics bill lawmakers approved earlier this year, Gov. JB Pritzker appears poised to sign the legislation into law while calling for additional work in the future.

Pritzker signals intention to sign ethics reform bill as advocates call for veto
Metra officials said ridership is on the rise in recent months. Federal prosecutors said Wednesday they plan to hand over voluminous records and documents of former House Speaker Mike Madigan’s longtime chief of staff Tim Mapes. Attorney General Kwame Raoul said a nationwide opioid settlement could send $790 million to Illinois. And the Illinois EPA referred a recent gas leak case in Iroquois County to Raoul’s office.

News in brief: Metra ridership on the rise; federal prosecutors handing over Mapes documents; Opioid settlement could net $790M for Illinois; IEPA refers gas leak to Raoul
Gov. JB Pritzker spoke with The Daily Line about his reelection campaign on Tuesday [Joel Ebert/The Daily Line]
One day after he announced his reelection bid, Gov. JB Pritzker touted his accomplishments in an interview with The Daily Line while offering his vision of which issues must be addressed if he wins a second term, including tackling property taxes and pension reform.
Pritzker touts accomplishments, targets property tax reform for second term as reelection effort begins
Gov. JB Pritzker called on Congress to reimburse the National Guard for their DC expenses. And a new federal lawsuit is hoping to halt the state’s upcoming cannabis license lottery.

News in brief: Pritzker calls for Congress to reimburse National Guard; new federal lawsuit seeks to halt cannabis lottery
Gov. JB Pritzker announced his reelection bid for 2022, highlighting his leadership during the COVID-19 pandemic. And the state’s higher education agencies urged institutions to make vaccines mandatory.

News in brief: Pritzker announces reelection bid, citing leadership during pandemic; higher education institutions urge mandatory COVID-19 vaccinations
Attorneys representing House Speaker Chris Welch (D-Hillside), Senate President Don Harmon (D-Oak Park) and the Illinois State Board of Elections pushed back last week on two lawsuits challenging the state’s new legislative redistricting maps, encouraging a three-judge panel to dismiss both cases.
Attorneys representing House Speaker Chris Welch (D-Hillside), Senate President Don Harmon (D-Oak Park) and the Illinois State Board of Elections pushed back last week on two lawsuits challenging the state’s new legislative redistricting maps, encouraging a three-judge panel to dismiss both cases.

Welch, Harmon, Board of Elections urge judges to dismiss federal redistricting lawsuits
Gov. JB Pritzker and House Speaker Chris Welch (left)
With less than a year until Illinois’ primary election, contributions are continuing to flow into the campaign committees of candidates and leadership PACs. Last week marked the filing deadline for second-quarter campaign finance reports, giving a chance to look at how some of the state’s top political players fared at raising and spending money in recent months.

Pritzker dwarfs GOP challengers in money race; Welch, Harmon pad war chests
Alexi Giannoulias, seen here campaigning with striking county workers in June, padded his considerable fundraising advantage in the Secretary of State race last quarter.
The campaign to become Illinois’ next Secretary of State is well underway, with the four Democratic candidates reporting significantly different donation totals during the latest reporting period.

Giannoulias pads financial advantage in race for Secretary of State
Gov. JB Pritzker on Thursday signed four criminal justice-related bills that he said will put the state at the “forefront” of “true reform.” (Credit: Gov. JB Pritzker’s Twitter)
Gov. JB Pritzker on Thursday signed four criminal justice-related bills that he said will put the state at the “forefront” of “true reform.”

Pritzker signs four criminal justice bills into law, including ban on deceptive police interviews
Attorney Samuel Brown (left) told members of the Federal Election Commission on Thursday he and the Democratic Party of Illinois supported a new advisory opinion that would allow the state party to restart fundraising for in-state campaigns while U.S. Rep. Robin Kelly serves as chair.
The Federal Election Commission (FEC) approved an advisory opinion on Thursday that will allow the Democratic Party of Illinois to once again raise money for in-state candidates by limiting chair Robin Kelly’s role.

FEC approves plan to create special committee to oversee IDP’s in-state fundraising
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Former state govt & legislative reporter for @thedailylineIL, @Tennessean, @wvgazettemail, @charleywest & @capitaljournal