Gov. JB Pritzker speaks at the site of the new Vantive headquarters Friday in Deerfield. 

Gov. JB Pritzker announced Friday that healthcare company Vantive will invest $23 million to build its new U.S. headquarters in Deerfield. 

The House Judiciary Criminal Committee heard subject matter on three bills that aim to encourage compassionate release of sick or aging incarcerated people in Illinois. 

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.