Rep. Thaddeus Jones (left) and Sen. Napoleon Harris (center) joined Gov. JB Pritzker on Thursday for his signature of a bill they sponsored to make permanent telehealth services that were expanded during the COVID-19 pandemic.

Gov. JB Pritzker on Thursday signed a measure (HB 3308) into law that aims to increase Illinoisans’ access to telehealth services.   

Gov. JB Pritzker signed into law a measure from Sen. Melinda Bush (left) and Rep. Michelle Mussman (right) that will allow pharmacists to prescribe contraceptives to patients. 

Gov. JB Pritzker on Thursday signed into law a measure that will allow pharmacists to prescribe oral contraceptives to patients.  

Gov. JB Pritzker defended the omnibus ethics bill lawmakers approved this year during a July 15 news conference. 

Despite facing calls to use his amendatory veto power on the omnibus ethics bill lawmakers approved earlier this year, Gov. JB Pritzker appears poised to sign the legislation into law while calling for additional work in the future. 

Metra officials said ridership is on the rise in recent months. Federal prosecutors said Wednesday they plan to hand over voluminous records and documents of former House Speaker Mike Madigan’s longtime chief of staff Tim Mapes. Attorney General Kwame Raoul said a nationwide opioid settlement could send $790 million to Illinois. And the Illinois EPA referred a recent gas leak case in Iroquois County to Raoul’s office.  

Gov. JB Pritzker spoke with The Daily Line about his reelection campaign on Tuesday [Joel Ebert/The Daily Line]

One day after he announced his reelection bid, Gov. JB Pritzker touted his accomplishments in an interview with The Daily Line while offering his vision of which issues must be addressed if he wins a second term, including tackling property taxes and pension reform.  

Gov. JB Pritzker called on Congress to reimburse the National Guard for their DC expenses. And a new federal lawsuit is hoping to halt the state’s upcoming cannabis license lottery.  

Attorneys representing House Speaker Chris Welch (D-Hillside), Senate President Don Harmon (D-Oak Park) and the Illinois State Board of Elections pushed back last week on two lawsuits challenging the state’s new legislative redistricting maps, encouraging a three-judge panel to dismiss both cases. 

Attorneys representing House Speaker Chris Welch (D-Hillside), Senate President Don Harmon (D-Oak Park) and the Illinois State Board of Elections pushed back last week on two lawsuits challenging the state’s new legislative redistricting maps, encouraging a three-judge panel to dismiss both cases.  

Gov. JB Pritzker announced his reelection bid for 2022, highlighting his leadership during the COVID-19 pandemic. And the state’s higher education agencies urged institutions to make vaccines mandatory. 

Gov. JB Pritzker and House Speaker Chris Welch (left)

With less than a year until Illinois’ primary election, contributions are continuing to flow into the campaign committees of candidates and leadership PACs. Last week marked the filing deadline for second-quarter campaign finance reports, giving a chance to look at how some of the state’s top political players fared at raising and spending money in recent months.   

Alexi Giannoulias, seen here campaigning with striking county workers in June, padded his considerable fundraising advantage in the Secretary of State race last quarter.

The campaign to become Illinois’ next Secretary of State is well underway, with the four Democratic candidates reporting significantly different donation totals during the latest reporting period.