Senate Judiciary Committee Chair Dick Durbin speaks at a committee meeting in Chicago in October [U.S. Senate Judiciary Committee]

After months of anticipation, Sen. Dick Durbin (D-Ill) announced he will not be running for reelection in 2026. The decision has far-reaching implications for Illinois’ politics. 

The House Executive Committee meets Wednesday in Springfield. [BlueRoomStream]

The House Executive Committee approved measures Wednesday to coordinate state assistance for human trafficking survivors and reform the Prisoner Review Board. 

Gov. JB Pritzker announced grants for downstate downtowns in Jacksonville Tuesday afternoon. 

Gov. JB Pritzker announced $30 million in grants Tuesday to rebuild the downtowns of municipalities in Illinois. 

The House Ethics and Elections Committee meets Tuesday in Springfield. [BlueRoomStream] 

The House Ethics and Elections Committee met Tuesday evening to hear subject matter on measures to increase voting windows on college campuses and improve transparency around the political appointment process. 

Rep. Terra Costa Howard (D-Lombard) presents her bill to create oversight on homeschool in Illinois to the House Education Policy Committee. [BlueRoomStream]

After a week-long break, the Illinois House returns to Springfield Tuesday to kick off the second half of the Spring Session. With the scheduled May 31 adjournment date a little more than a month away, there are several issues which the chambers have not yet approved. 

The Midwest has become home to one of the fastest growing industries in the country: data storage. As Artificial Intelligence (AI) continues to grow, data center construction has increased in North America by 70 percent, according to CRBE Research.  

Illinois has worked in recent years to place itself at the center of the conversation, with 222 data centers currently operating and more on the way. According to Data Centers Map, Chicago alone has 161 centers. 

The Illinois Department of Children and Family Services (DCFS) is requesting $2.47 billion for FY26, a 4.7 percent increase from FY25, touting recent improvements to the department.  

Senate Appropriations Health and Human Services meets Thursday. 

The Illinois Department of Healthcare and Family Services (HFS) is requesting a 9 percent increase to their operating budget for Fiscal Year 2026, with the majority of it supporting Medicaid services. 

With a little more than 18 months until the 2026 General Election, Illinois constitutional officers raised a combined $950,000 in the first quarter of 2025. The legislative leaders raised a combined $1.3 million, marking a slower quarter in a non-election year.  

Illinois Supt. Tony Sanders speaks at a news conference at Streamwood High School in U-46 in 2023. 

State Superintendent Tony Sanders says possible cuts to federal funding for K-12 could short Illinois school district’s $77.2 million.