Gov. JB Pritzker presents a bill to allow community colleges to offer four-year degrees Monday at Lewis and Clark Community College in Godfrey. 

Gov. JB Pritzker is touting a bill allowing community colleges to offer some four-year degrees as a way to improve equity in higher education, grow the Illinois workforce and keep students in the state. 

Democratic congressional leaders are advocating against cuts to Medicaid and Medicare while state lawmakers and Gov. JB Pritzker look to provide some state-funded relief from healthcare costs. 

The House Personnel and Pension Committee and the House Appropriations-Pensions & Personnel Committee hold a joint meeting Wednesday to get an overview of the Illinois pension system. [BlueRoomStream] 

Illinois lawmakers are discussing possible Tier 2 pension reforms as the chance of “Safe Harbor” violations increases. 

Rep. Kam Buckner (D-Chicago) answers questions at the House Gun Violence Prevention Committee Wednesday in Springfield. 

The House Gun Violence Prevention Committee heard subject matter on three bills Wednesday that would aim to increase transparency around gun violence, modify the firearm transfer fee and create a firearm insurance task force.  

A state medical debt relief program has relieved more than $345 million in debt for nearly 270,000 Illinoisans since its inception last year. 

Illinois’ municipalities are seeking changes to posting requirements, preservation of their authority to implement housing programs and expansion of municipality authority to implement a motor fuel tax. 

Sen. Mary Edly-Allen (D-Grayslake) speaks at the Senate Education Committee Tuesday. [BlueRoomStream] 

The Illinois Senate is considering a bill which aims to reduce the number of redundant mandates in the Illinois School Code.  

Senate Bill 1740, sponsored by Sen. Mary Edly-Allen (D-Grayslake), would establish a Mandate Reduction Council, which would modify, combine or eliminate mandates if they are found to be outdated, redundant or unnecessarily burdensome. 

State lawmakers are considering legislation to increase Illinois' renewable energy implementation. 

Increasing energy efficiency, producing renewable energy battery storage and banning single-use plastics are all on the table this spring as the state looks to reach its climate goals.   

Proponents and opponents of Senate Bill 9 attend a meeting of the Senate Executive Committee Friday in Chicago. [BlueRoomStream] 

The Illinois Senate is considering a bill to legalize assisted dying for patients with terminal diseases. 

The Illinois Department of Revenue (IDOR) is expecting revenue from Illinois' “big three” taxes to increase in Fiscal Year 2026, despite economic indicators pointing downward.  

IDOR gave a presentation to the House Revenue and Finance Committee Thursday on anticipated revenue for FY26. The department, alongside the Governor’s Office of Management and Budget (GOMB), creates revenue forecasts that are used to determine spending for the new fiscal year.