Former state Sen. Miguel del Valle said Thursday he would have voted no on Democrats’ redistricting plan if he were still a member of the legislature.  

Meeting for the first time since lawmakers approved new legislative maps in May, members of the House and Senate redistricting committees on Thursday gathered in Chicago to re-engage the public as the legislature looks to incorporate new census data.  

Gov. JB Pritzker speaking in a news conference on Thursday

Gov. JB Pritzker on Thursday announced a series of actions aimed at mitigating the spread of COVID-19, including a statewide mask mandate for indoor activities and a vaccination requirement for all health care workers, teachers and students in the state.  

Faith Colson, who was abused by a Schaumburg teacher when she was in high school 20 years ago, encouraged a Senate committee on Wednesday to pass a bill that closes loopholes that protect sexual predators of school-aged children. 

Illinois needs to adopt a law that closes loopholes that protect sexual predators of school-aged children, advocates told a Senate committee on Wednesday. 

 

Michael Strautmanis, the executive vice president for civic engagement at the Obama Foundation, and U.S. Sen. Dick Durbin expressed support Wednesday for adding a statue of President Barack Obama to the grounds of the state Capitol.

House lawmakers on Wednesday continued their discussion about the statues and monuments on state property by floating the idea of creating a statue for former state legislator and President Barack Obama on the Capitol grounds.  

A Daily Line analysis of county population counts from the 2020 Census data compared with estimates that Democrats used to draw the legislative maps found notable deviations that advocates say back up their previous concerns.

Next week, lawmakers will return to Springfield for a one-day session to consider how to adjust the previously approved legislative redistricting maps based on the Aug. 12 release of the U.S. Census Bureau’s decennial data. 

Gov. JB Pritzker signed 11 more bills into law this week while vetoing two others. 

Gov. JB Pritzker on Monday and Tuesday signed 11 more bills into law, including measures to tighten the state’s regulations on e-cigarettes, while issuing two more vetoes.  

Kina McAfee, assistant coordinator for the Chicago Regional Council of Carpenters apprenticeship and training program, and other witnesses offered ideas to lawmakers on Monday about how to diversify Illinois’ trade schools and vocational programs.  

Addressing long-standing barriers, adding enforcement mechanisms to ensure diversity goals are being met, changing mentalities, following federal law and bolstering efforts to reach out to kids even before they enter high school will drastically improve Illinois’ trade schools and vocational programs while diversifying an industry long dominated by white men, a panel of witnesses told lawmakers on Monday.  

Gov. JB Pritzker held a bill signing ceremony on Friday as he signed off on seven measures aimed at helping victims of domestic violence. 

Gov. JB Pritzker on Friday signed 155 bills into law while vetoing two measures related to private school teaching credits and a southern Illinois port project.

Lawmakers will head back to Springfield to “incorporate” new Census data into legislative maps. And Senate Republican Leader Dan McConchie contracted COVID-19 in a breakthrough case.  

House Republican Leader Jim Durkin addressed Illinois Republicans at the State Fair on Thursday.

Illinois Republicans gathered at the Illinois State Fair on Thursday in hopes of energizing their supporters by focusing their attention on Gov. JB Pritzker, President Joe Biden and U.S. House Speaker Nancy Pelosi.