Chicago Public Schools Chief of Safety and Security Jadine Chou, left, and Rep. La Shawn Ford (D-Chicago), right, speak during a Public Safety and Violence Prevention Task Force. [Blue Room Steam] 

Lawmakers and school officials discussed how schools have worked to combat violence in schools, particularly in Chicago, during a Public Safety and Violence Prevention Task Force hearing last week.  

Sen. Scott Bennett (D-Champaign), left, speaks at a news conference earlier this year. Right, advocates supporting the Pretrial Fairness Act voice opposition to changes to the law.   

Democrats who crafted the SAFE-T Act and its provision banning cash bail, the Pretrial Fairness Act, have not produced any specific changes with lawmakers set to return to Springfield next week for the final time before the law takes effect.  

The only proposal for changes publicly on the table comes from Sen. Scott Bennett (D-Champaign), but supporters of the law have criticized Bennett’s efforts.

Gov. JB Pritzker signs the Fiscal Year 2023 budget in April at Chicago State University. [Ben Szalinski/The Daily Line]   

Two new reports show Illinois is on track to once again bring in more revenue than expected this fiscal year, prompting Gov. JB Pritzker to suggest three additional steps for state lawmakers to take by the end of the year to shore up the state’s fiscal stability and pay down debts.  

Andrew Johnson, executive director of the Native American Chamber of Commerce of Illinois, speaks at a news conference in Springfield Wednesday. [Blue Room Stream]

Illinois Native Americans are working to have a more noticeable presence in the state capitol and are asking lawmakers to consider legislation that improves their acceptance in the state.  

House Minority Leader Jim Durkin (R-Western Springs) speaks at the Illinois State Fair in August. [Blue Room Stream]

House Minority Leader Jim Durkin (R-Western Springs) is not holding back on criticism of his own party as he gives up his leadership role. A week after his House Republican Caucus lost at least four seats, Durkin is offering a blunt assessment of where his party went wrong.

Sen. Robert Peters (D-Chicago) speaks at a rally at the Illinois Capitol Wednesday. [Ben Szalinski/The Daily Line]

The first of two weeks of fall veto session wrapped up Wednesday without any changes to the SAFE-T Act and Democrats said little about what changes they are considering making to the law that received heavy criticism during the election season.

Sen. John Curran (R-Downers Grove). [Senate Republican Caucus]

The Senate Republican Caucus will have a new leader in January when Sen. John Curran (R-Downers Grove) takes the helm from Senate Minority Leader Dan McConchie (R-Hawthorn Woods) after the caucus unanimously voted for Curran to be their leader at a closed-door meeting Tuesday night.

Rep. Tony McCombie (R-Savanna) speaks at a news conference in Springfield Wednesday. [Ben Szalinski/The Daily Line]  

Rep. Tony McCombie (R-Savanna) often puts her thoughts bluntly when debating a bill and says she will continue to be herself as House Minority Leader but hopes she can continue forming relationships with House Democrats.

Left, Rep. Tony McCombie (R-Savanna), and right, Sen. John Curran (R-Downers Grove) will be the new Republican caucus leaders.

Both the House and Senate Republican caucuses will change their leaders when the new General Assembly is sworn in in January after members took a pair of private votes Tuesday night.

Members of the Prisoner Review Board testify in front of the Legislative Audit Commission Tuesday. [Ben Szalinski/The Daily Line]

The spring session concluded in April with ongoing controversy over appointments by Gov. JB Pritzker to the Prisoner Review Board. On Tuesday, lawmakers told board members they would like recommendations about how to improve the appointment process.