Sen. Neil Anderson faced opposition Tuesday from witnesses including Richard Mikel and Katherine Nunes who unsuccessfully urged a Senate committee to reject a proposal that would legalize the sale of ground-based sparklers in Illinois.

A Senate committee on Tuesday failed to approve a Republican-sponsored bill that would expand Illinoisans’ access to so-called “novelty” fireworks despite widespread opposition from fire department officials.

Sen. Ann Gillespie (D-Arlington Heights) defended an amended version of a bill sunsetting the use of “prone restraint” in Illinois schools.

A bill phasing out the use of face-down physical restraints in Illinois schools cleared the Senate Education Committee Tuesday despite emotional testimony from witnesses saying the measure wouldn't act fast enough.

 

Illinois Housing Development Authority executive director Kristin Faust (left) and Illinois Department of Human Services secretary Grace Hou joined Gov. JB Pritzker on Monday as he signed a bill will implement a framework for administering the state’s rental assistance programs.

SPRINGFIELD — Gov. JB Pritzker on Monday announced the launch of the latest round of federally-backed housing assistance while signing a measure that seeks to provide additional relief to renters.

Lawmakers largely focused last week on getting bills finalized in committees, with few measures receiving final approval on the House and Senate floor.

Among those bills that were approved during floor sessions were measures related to firearms and discrimination in schools.

The following is a roundup of the latest proposals approved in either chamber.

In separate news conferences last week, Rep. Lisa Hernandez (D-Cicero) and Rep. Ryan Spain (R-Peoria) discussed the forthcoming release of new redistricting maps.

With less than two weeks until the scheduled end of the legislative session, Democrats have yet to reveal their proposed redistricting maps. But that could soon change.

Speaking in separate news conferences last week, Democrats and Republicans suggested the new maps could come out as early as this week. That would be consistent with the timeline used in 2011.

First-term Sen. Mike Simmons (D-Chicago) is pushing a major budget reform as the legislature considers the next fiscal year: a tax credit for families with children, worth $600 per child.

As the fiscal year winds to a close and next year’s budget discussions reach a fever pitch in Springfield, some legislators are proposing sweeping new tax credits they say would help one of the most pandemic-battered groups in Illinois: children and their families.

Illinois Department of Public Health director Ngozi Ezike and Deputy Governor Sol Flores fielded questions from lawmakers Thursday about the state’s handling of last year’s COVID-19 outbreak at the LaSalle Veterans’ Home.

House lawmakers on Thursday scrutinized the way Gov. JB Pritzker’s office handled last year’s COVID-19 outbreak at the LaSalle Veterans’ Home, questioning a deputy governor who was challenged whether she did enough.

For the first time since the November outbreak, members of the House Veterans’ Affairs Committee had a chance to hear directly from an official in the governor’s office, with the panel on Thursday questioning Deputy Governor Sol Flores.

House Majority Greg Harris (D-Chicago) said Thursday Illinois will receive $27 billion overall from the American Rescue Plan.

The state of Illinois is set to receive even more money from the American Rescue Plan than previously anticipated, House Majority Leader Greg Harris (D-Chicago) said Thursday.

Officials have been anticipating since March that the federal relief program would send $7.5 billion to Illinois. Speaking during a news conference in Springfield, Harris said the latest estimates indicate “it will be closer to” $8.1 billion.

Gov JB Pritzker on Wednesday pushed back against recently issued guidance from the federal government outlining how states could spend money from the American Rescue Plan.

Illinois lawmakers received good and bad news this week as they continue to consider Gov. JB Pritzker’s proposed budget for the upcoming fiscal year.

On the positive side, revenue collections in Illinois in recent months have surpassed expectations, leading the Commission on Government Forecasting and Accountability to significantly increase its revenue projections for the current and upcoming fiscal year. However, new preliminary guidance released this week by U.S. Treasury officials could scramble state leaders’ plans to right Illinois’ financial ship.

Director of Illinois families for Public Schools Cassie Creswell faced intense questioning from House lawmakers over a proposed law mandating 30 minutes of recess for Illinois elementary school students Wednesday.

Lawmakers picked apart a bill meant to mandate 30 minutes of recess for elementary school students during a Wednesday hearing of the House Elementary and Secondary Education Committee.