Rep. Lisa Hernandez (D-Cicero) and Senate President Don Harmon (D-Oak Park) defended Democrats’ redistricting effort throughout the day Friday, when lawmakers approved the remap bills along party lines.

Lawmakers approved various measures to redraw the state’s legislative and Supreme Court districts on Friday, less than 24 hours after publishing their final proposals. 

The flurry of action, which came more than two months after lawmakers initiated the redistricting process, once again generated criticism from Republicans and community members, who made their final pleas with Democrats during two final hearings.

Lawmakers on Thursday held lengthy floor sessions to pass a wide range of bills as just four days remain in this year’s legislative session.

Meeting throughout the day, the Senate approved more than 100 bills. During a six-hour floor session, the House signed off on 54 bills on its regular calendar.

The Senate approved a host of bills Wednesday, including one that would ban restraints in Illinois schools.

The Senate on Wednesday continued its final push to pass legislation, including a proposal to curtail isolation in schools and another measure setting the stage for the passage of Gov. JB Pritzker’s proposed budget for the upcoming fiscal year. The chamber approved 14 proposals.

Jay Young, Madeleine Doubek and Allan Lichtman were among more than 30 witnesses who testified before lawmakers during this week’s latest redistricting meetings.

Lawmakers on Wednesday wrapped up a two-day series of hearings designed to field feedback from the public and interest groups about newly released legislative redistricting maps.

Democrats on Tuesday released a new map proposal for the Illinois Supreme Court’s boundaries.

Democrats on Tuesday released a proposed map of new Illinois Supreme Court boundaries, dropping the plan less than three hours before holding their first hearing to allow the public to react to their redistricting proposals.

The Senate approved 25 bills on Tuesday.

The Senate on Tuesday approved roughly two dozen bills on a variety of topics, ranging from advancing racial equity in hiring and making tampons more widely available to loosening college admissions requirements.

Gov. JB Pritzker addressed reporters last week during a news conference in Springfield that was also attended by House Speaker Chris Welch.

Lawmakers are set to wrap up the first half of the 102^nd General Assembly next week. But with mere days remaining in session, a host of high-profile issues that leaders have described as top priorities have yet to cross the finish line.

Rep. Barbara Hernandez (D-Aurora), left, highlighted a bill she’s sponsoring to ensure menstrual hygiene products are provided in all Illinois schools during a news conference last week.

Last week, lawmakers approved a host of new bills as they began to zero in on the end of this year’s legislative session. With the end in sight, the House approved nearly 90 bills, most of which were part of the chamber’s consent calendar — largely non-controversial bills that are unanimously supported —  while the Senate signed off on five measures.

Democrats on Friday released their long-awaited legislative redistricting map proposals, which they touted as a fair reflection of the state’s diversity while facing pointed criticism from Republicans and advocacy groups.

The majority party published the new maps on Friday evening, less than three months after lawmakers began the decennial redistricting process.

Illinois American Water government affairs director Sean Flynn encouraged a Senate committee on Thursday to approve a bill to create an assistance program for water bills.

A bill aimed at helping low-income residents pay their water bills cleared a key committee hurdle on Thursday, brightening its prospects as the General Assembly session speeds toward a close.

House Majority Leader Greg Harris said Thursday lawmakers are looking at using state revenue, rather than the money the state will receive from the American Rescue Plan, to repay money it borrowed last year.

In a rare joint statement, Gov. JB Pritzker, Senate President Don Harmon (D-Oak Park), House Speaker Chris Welch (D-Hillside) and Comptroller Susana Mendoza on Thursday announced a plan to pay off the money the state borrowed from the federal government last year without relying on funds from the American Rescue Plan.

Ald. Harry Osterman (left) and neighbors listen to a water management representative describe the excavation process for replacing water lines. (Photo: Jonathan Ballew/Block Club Chicago)

A multiyear effort to require toxic lead service water lines to be replaced throughout Illinois is nearing the finish line.

The Senate Executive Committee on Wednesday approved HB 3739, a measure that would set timelines for lead service line replacements and create a state grant program to aid the process. The House approved the measure last month, meaning the Senate floor could be its last stop before heading to Gov. JB Pritzker’s desk.

Gov. Pritzker announced a multiyear plan to fix the state’s roads and bridges. Amtrak is set to resume full services. And House Republicans are unaware of Democrats’ latest ethics reform work.

Sen. Neil Anderson faced opposition Tuesday from witnesses including Richard Mikel and Katherine Nunes who unsuccessfully urged a Senate committee to reject a proposal that would legalize the sale of ground-based sparklers in Illinois.

A Senate committee on Tuesday failed to approve a Republican-sponsored bill that would expand Illinoisans’ access to so-called “novelty” fireworks despite widespread opposition from fire department officials.

Illinois Housing Development Authority executive director Kristin Faust (left) and Illinois Department of Human Services secretary Grace Hou joined Gov. JB Pritzker on Monday as he signed a bill will implement a framework for administering the state’s rental assistance programs.

SPRINGFIELD — Gov. JB Pritzker on Monday announced the launch of the latest round of federally-backed housing assistance while signing a measure that seeks to provide additional relief to renters.

Lawmakers largely focused last week on getting bills finalized in committees, with few measures receiving final approval on the House and Senate floor.

Among those bills that were approved during floor sessions were measures related to firearms and discrimination in schools.

The following is a roundup of the latest proposals approved in either chamber.

In separate news conferences last week, Rep. Lisa Hernandez (D-Cicero) and Rep. Ryan Spain (R-Peoria) discussed the forthcoming release of new redistricting maps.

With less than two weeks until the scheduled end of the legislative session, Democrats have yet to reveal their proposed redistricting maps. But that could soon change.

Speaking in separate news conferences last week, Democrats and Republicans suggested the new maps could come out as early as this week. That would be consistent with the timeline used in 2011.

Illinois Department of Public Health director Ngozi Ezike and Deputy Governor Sol Flores fielded questions from lawmakers Thursday about the state’s handling of last year’s COVID-19 outbreak at the LaSalle Veterans’ Home.

House lawmakers on Thursday scrutinized the way Gov. JB Pritzker’s office handled last year’s COVID-19 outbreak at the LaSalle Veterans’ Home, questioning a deputy governor who was challenged whether she did enough.

For the first time since the November outbreak, members of the House Veterans’ Affairs Committee had a chance to hear directly from an official in the governor’s office, with the panel on Thursday questioning Deputy Governor Sol Flores.

House Majority Greg Harris (D-Chicago) said Thursday Illinois will receive $27 billion overall from the American Rescue Plan.

The state of Illinois is set to receive even more money from the American Rescue Plan than previously anticipated, House Majority Leader Greg Harris (D-Chicago) said Thursday.

Officials have been anticipating since March that the federal relief program would send $7.5 billion to Illinois. Speaking during a news conference in Springfield, Harris said the latest estimates indicate “it will be closer to” $8.1 billion.

Gov. JB Pritzker’s call to close ‘corporate loopholes’ has been met with mixed reviews.

After Gov. JB Pritzker outlined his $41.6 billion proposed budget for Fiscal Year 2022 last month, he faced a host of criticism from Republicans and members of the business community for his call to close $932 million in what he’s dubbed “corporate loopholes.”

The so-called loopholes run the gamut from changing the cap on corporate net operating loss deductions to biodiesel exemptions.