Gov. JB Pritzker on Monday outlined the state’s distribution plan for the forthcoming COVID-19 vaccine for children between 5 and 11 years old. 

Anticipating the forthcoming regulatory approval for the next round COVID-19 vaccines, Gov. JB Pritzker on Monday said children in Illinois between 5 and 11 –years old could start getting vaccinated as early as next week.  

Rep. Robyn Gabel (D-Evanston) has filed bill to create a COVID-19 exemption to a 1998 ‘conscience’ law in an effort to deprive vaccination opponents of a legal tool. And Gov. JB Pritzker announced a sixth union agreement to require state workers to get vaccinated against the virus.  

ComWell Behavioral Health Services executive director Shea Haurey was one of several behavorial and mental health providers who urged lawmakers on Friday to provide the industry greater funding to help address workforce shortages. 

With an increased demand for mental and behavioral health services and a shortage of workers, Illinois should fully utilize its federal American Rescue Plan Act dollars, deploy mobile health units, waive regulations and ultimately change the way providers are paid, a panel of state officials and advocates told lawmakers on Friday.  

Democrats on Friday released an updated congressional map proposal. And Gov. JB Pritzker ordered COVID-19 vaccinations for daycare staff. 

Sen. Darren Bailey (R-Xenia) posted his best quarter yet in terms of fundraising according to his latest campaign finance reports. 

New campaign finance reports revealed the ongoing struggles of the state Democratic Party to raise money, a surge of new donations to legislative leaders and the continued financial difficulties facing the Republican candidates running for the chance to oust Gov. JB Pritzker. 

Faith Colson, who testified before a Senate committee in August, praised the chamber’s passage on Wednesday of a bill aimed at combatting sexual abuse and misconduct in Illinois schools. 

The Senate on Wednesday unanimously approved a measure designed to bolster training and resources to combat sexual abuse and misconduct in Illinois schools, plus a separate bill to make midwifery in Illinois a licensed occupation.  

Witnesses on Wednesday urged Democrats to keep the state’s 3rd congressional district intact. And Gov. JB Pritzker announced a new school safety initiative and a fifth union vaccine agreement.  

A three-judge panel on Tuesday issued an opinion that found the legislative redistricting maps touted by Rep. Lisa Hernandez (D-Cicero) and Senate President Don Harmon (D-Oak Park) earlier this year were unconstitutional. 

A panel of judges handling two of the lawsuits challenging the state’s legislative redistricting maps on Tuesday issued an opinion that said the June-approved district boundaries violated the U.S. Constitution, leaving open the possibility for the federal court to create new maps.  

Rep. La Shawn Ford (D-Chicago) on Tuesday touted a bill that would give prisoners the right to vote. Four GOP senators proactively pushed back on a bill that would eliminate Illinois’ parental notification law for teen abortions. And Gov. JB Pritzker encouraged elderly residents to get their COVID-19 booster shots.   

Senate President Don Harmon, House Speaker Chris Welch and Gov. JB Pritzker posed for a photo on Sept. 15 after the governor signed the omnibus energy bill into law. 

The General Assembly on Tuesday will reconvene for its scheduled veto session that is expected to be more focused on approving new congressional redistricting boundaries and a handful of lingering bills more than it will be on overriding any bills rejected by the governor.  

The East St. Louis NAACP has filed a lawsuit over Illinois’ legislative redistricting map. U.S. Rep. Rush (D-Ill.) excoriated Democrats’ draft congressional map. Gov. JB Pritzker announced a third union vaccine agreement. And Pritzker announced new funding for a years-long renovation of I-80. 

Illinois Democrats on Friday released their first draft of new congressional boundaries that were criticized by Republicans, outside observers and U.S. Rep. Marie Newman. 

Democrats on Friday released a first draft of their proposed congressional district boundaries, which they said would ensure equal representation for communities across Illinois. But they were met with a wide array of criticism from Republicans, advocacy groups and U.S. Rep. Marie Newman (D-Ill.).  

Gov. JB Pritzker and First Lady MK Pritzker on Friday released portions of their 2020 tax returns. And Senate President Don Harmon’s (D-Oak Park) chief of staff contracted COVID-19. 

Rep. Tim Butler (R-Springfield) expressed concern Thursday about the lack of information about Democrats’ plans to create new judicial subcircuits in Illinois. 

When lawmakers announced their plans to hold a series of public hearings to gather input for the creation of new congressional and judicial subcircuit maps, Democrats indicated they were looking at creating new judicial boundaries for counties with populations of more than 150,000 people. 

Gov. JB Pritzker announced a $15 million investment in ‘wet’ labs designed to advance research in biotechnology and medicine. And a racing board commissioner called for lawmakers to rewrite Illinois’ gaming laws to help horse racing by shifting regulations around how people can place bets.  

Wednesday’s redistricting hearings continued to feature little public participation. And a group filed a complaint with the U.S. Department of Justice alleging that Illinois’ new legislative maps infringe on the rights of Black voters. 

Kelly Cunningham, the Medicaid director for the Illinois Department of Healthcare and Family Services, on Wednesday provided four House committees an overview of a new report calling for changes to the state’s nursing home industry.  

Illinois lawmakers can improve the state’s long-term care facilities by tying Medicaid money to performance and using $444 million in incentives and subsidies to help the industry, according to a new report from the Illinois Department of Healthcare and Family Services. 

Sen. Elgie Sims (D-Chicago) and Sen. Jason Plummer (R-Edwardsville) engaged in a partisan-charged 20-minute discussion about the redistricting process during Tuesday’s latest Senate hearing on congressional redistricting. 

Lawmakers’ congressional redistricting hearings continued to be plagued by lack of participation on Tuesday, with just three witnesses offering testimony in a hearing that largely consisted of partisan bickering.  

The Illinois Municipal League and Illinois mayors are calling on the legislature to pass four bills during the veto session they say will help their municipalities. 

With one week until the start of the General Assembly’s fall veto session, Illinois mayors on Tuesday joined the Illinois Municipal League in calling on the legislature to pass four bills they say will help their municipalities by opening a new avenue for small business supports, tweaking gambling rules, codifying a parking tax break and allowing more remote meetings.  

Department of Commerce and Economic Opportunity acting director Sylvia Garcia on Thursday gave lawmakers an overview of the preliminary allocation of Back to Business grants.

A newly launched grant program aimed at helping small businesses recover from the COVID-19 pandemic has awarded 784 companies a total of $36 million as of last week with a majority of funding going to minority-owned businesses, a state official told a panel of lawmakers on Thursday.