Gov. JB Pritzker on Tuesday hailed Moody’s Investor Services upgrade of the state’s general obligation credit rating.

Gov. JB Pritzker on Tuesday hailed Moody’s Investor Services upgrade of the state’s general obligation credit rating on Tuesday, calling it a “major milestone” and a “monumental development.” 

Gov. JB Pritzker signed a bill that will student athletes to enter endorsement deals. And the Pritzker administration announced an expansion of financial assistance for child care.  

Gov. JB Pritzker issued a warning about the Delta COVID-19 variant. Secretary of State Jesse White extended the deadline to renew expiring driver’s licenses. And the Illinois Department of Labor outlined a new reporting requirement for large businesses. 

Speaking at an event in North Lawndale on Monday, Gov. JB Pritzker thanked former Chicago Mayor Rahm Emanuel for his early support of a project that now is the recipient of a state-funded grant. [Joel Ebert/The Daily Line]

With a continued focus on helping minority-owned businesses overcome economic barriers, Gov. JB Pritzker on Monday said his administration will launch another round of grant applications available to companies in under-resourced communities.  

Rep. Steven Reick (R-Harvard) said during a June 16 House floor debate the state’s more than $5 billion unemployment fund deficit was a “sort of Damocles that’s hanging over” the legislature.

Last week, Illinois received another round of good financial news when Fitch Ratings upgraded its credit outlook for the state to positive. The ratings agency, which previously had a negative outlook for Illinois, said the change reflects the state’s “preservation of fiscal resilience” while noting the Fiscal Year 2022 budget signed by Gov. JB Pritzker this month indicated “further improvements in operating performance and structural balance.” 

Sen. Rachelle Crowe is a finalist included on a list to fill Illinois’ US attorney openings. And drone and esports competitions will be at the State Fair. 

Federal Election Commission members Ellen Weintraub (left) and James “Trey” Trainor pressed attorney Samuel Brown for answers about a proposal that would make special accommodations for the Democratic Party of Illinois, which in March named U.S. Rep. Robin Kelly as chair.

The Federal Election Commission on Thursday signaled a willingness to work with the Democratic Party of Illinois to make special arrangements that could allow the party to raise money for state-level candidates while U.S. Rep. Robin Kelly is at the helm. 

Fitch Ratings upgraded Illinois’ outlook, citing its “fiscal resilience” as it recovers from the pandemic. The Federal Election Commission on Thursday will consider whether U.S. Rep. Robin Kelly can raise money for the Democratic Party of Illinois. And the state announced new grants for broadband plans.  

Legislative Inspector General Carol Pope said Wednesday portions of the omnibus ethics bill surprised her when they were introduced during the final hours of the legislative session. 

The changes lawmakers made to the Legislative Inspector General's office in the omnibus ethics bill they approved last month don’t go far enough to expand the agency’s reach — and some parts of the bill could even erect new barriers to independent investigations, according to Carol Pope, the office’s head. 

Members of the Illinois Racing Board expressed optimism Tuesday about the prospects of keeping racing at Arlington International Racecourse.  [Arlington Racecourse]

Members of the Illinois Racing Board on Tuesday expressed new interest in trying to keep horse racing at Arlington International Racecourse, despite the Chicago Bears and others’ recent bids to take over the embattled facility.  

Attorney General Kwame Raoul filed a lawsuit against Dynegy Midwest Generation for allegedly unlawfully disposing coal ash. And the Illinois Department of Transportation issued a warning about a recent phishing scam.  

Sen. Bill Cunningham (D-Chicago) said last week the ongoing disagreement over the omnibus energy bill has put Democrats in a difficult position.  

Last week, lawmakers returned to Springfield with a main goal of taking up the long-delayed and heavily altered omnibus energy bill that seeks to transform the state’s energy sector and make Illinois more climate-friendly. In a repeat of what occurred two weeks before, when the legislative session was scheduled to end, lawmakers kicked the can down the road once again. 

Sen. Celina Villanueva (D-Chicago) led a discussion on Friday in a Senate committee about a bill she’s sponsoring that would let non-citizens vote in local school board elections. 

With the legislation to make Chicago’s school board an elected body on its way to Gov. JB Pritzker’s desk, lawmakers have turned their attention to a bill that would allow non-citizens to vote for members of the new board.  

On Friday, the Senate Human Rights Committee held a subject matter hearing on SB 1565. Sponsored by Sen. Celina Villanueva (D-Chicago), the legislation would change state law to make all school board races in Illinois “non-State” elections, which would allow non-citizens to vote. Legislators have not indicated when the bill may come up for a vote.

The Illinois State Board of Elections headquarters

Members of the Illinois State Board of Elections signaled this week they will make preparations in case either of two recent lawsuits succeeds in striking down the new legislative boundaries signed into law earlier this month.

Gov. JB Pritzker signed the omnibus election bill that will delay next year’s primary to June and the state budget. Pritzker also announced a new $10 million COVID-19 vaccine lottery as he boasted 70 percent of adults have been at least partially vaccinated. And Rep. La Shawn Ford (D-Chicago) announced he has been diagnosed with prostate cancer, saying he wants to raise awareness of the issue. 

House Speaker Chris Welch (D-Hillside) reflected on Wednesday’s brief one-day return to Springfield during a news conference. 

Making an abbreviated return to Springfield, the House changed its rules Wednesday to allow members to vote remotely before signing off on Gov. JB Pritzker’s changes to the state budget and a bill to update the state’s firearm owners’ identification system. 

Rep. Delia Ramirez (D-Chicago) addressed the House Wednesday minutes before the chamber approved a bill that would create an elected school board for Chicago.

The House on Wednesday gave final approval to a bill that will dramatically change the makeup of the leadership of Chicago Public Schools by making it an elected board.  

Senate President Don Harmon (D-Oak Park) addressed reporters Tuesday after the Senate failed to take up an energy bill that remains under discussion.

The Senate’s plans for a one-day return to Springfield hit a wrinkle Tuesday after last-minute negotiations over Gov. JB Pritzker’s proposed omnibus energy bill failed to reach a consensus.

The ongoing stalemate came hours after Pritzker’s office once again changed a key component of its bill that would allow certain power plants that were seeking an exemption to stay open longer if they reached certain emissions goals. 

Gov. JB Pritzker issued an amendatory veto to the state budget bill. The House is expected to change rules to allow remote voting. And the state’s health department announced it is scaling back COVID-19 updates.  

A coalition of business groups sent a letter to Gov. JB Pritzker in an effort to ramp up pressure on his energy proposal. 

One day before the Senate’s return to Springfield, a coalition of business groups sent a critical letter to Gov. JB Pritzker on Monday indicating his proposed energy omnibus legislation would result in the “largest rate hike on consumers and businesses” in state history.