Legislative Inspector General Carol Pope said Wednesday portions of the omnibus ethics bill surprised her when they were introduced during the final hours of the legislative session. 

The changes lawmakers made to the Legislative Inspector General's office in the omnibus ethics bill they approved last month don’t go far enough to expand the agency’s reach — and some parts of the bill could even erect new barriers to independent investigations, according to Carol Pope, the office’s head. 

Fitch Ratings upgraded Illinois’ outlook, citing its “fiscal resilience” as it recovers from the pandemic. The Federal Election Commission on Thursday will consider whether U.S. Rep. Robin Kelly can raise money for the Democratic Party of Illinois. And the state announced new grants for broadband plans.  

Members of the Illinois Racing Board expressed optimism Tuesday about the prospects of keeping racing at Arlington International Racecourse.  [Arlington Racecourse]

Members of the Illinois Racing Board on Tuesday expressed new interest in trying to keep horse racing at Arlington International Racecourse, despite the Chicago Bears and others’ recent bids to take over the embattled facility.  

Attorney General Kwame Raoul filed a lawsuit against Dynegy Midwest Generation for allegedly unlawfully disposing coal ash. And the Illinois Department of Transportation issued a warning about a recent phishing scam.  

Sen. Bill Cunningham (D-Chicago) said last week the ongoing disagreement over the omnibus energy bill has put Democrats in a difficult position.  

Last week, lawmakers returned to Springfield with a main goal of taking up the long-delayed and heavily altered omnibus energy bill that seeks to transform the state’s energy sector and make Illinois more climate-friendly. In a repeat of what occurred two weeks before, when the legislative session was scheduled to end, lawmakers kicked the can down the road once again. 

Sen. Celina Villanueva (D-Chicago) led a discussion on Friday in a Senate committee about a bill she’s sponsoring that would let non-citizens vote in local school board elections. 

With the legislation to make Chicago’s school board an elected body on its way to Gov. JB Pritzker’s desk, lawmakers have turned their attention to a bill that would allow non-citizens to vote for members of the new board.  

On Friday, the Senate Human Rights Committee held a subject matter hearing on SB 1565. Sponsored by Sen. Celina Villanueva (D-Chicago), the legislation would change state law to make all school board races in Illinois “non-State” elections, which would allow non-citizens to vote. Legislators have not indicated when the bill may come up for a vote.

The Illinois State Board of Elections headquarters

Members of the Illinois State Board of Elections signaled this week they will make preparations in case either of two recent lawsuits succeeds in striking down the new legislative boundaries signed into law earlier this month.

Gov. JB Pritzker signed the omnibus election bill that will delay next year’s primary to June and the state budget. Pritzker also announced a new $10 million COVID-19 vaccine lottery as he boasted 70 percent of adults have been at least partially vaccinated. And Rep. La Shawn Ford (D-Chicago) announced he has been diagnosed with prostate cancer, saying he wants to raise awareness of the issue. 

Rep. Delia Ramirez (D-Chicago) addressed the House Wednesday minutes before the chamber approved a bill that would create an elected school board for Chicago.

The House on Wednesday gave final approval to a bill that will dramatically change the makeup of the leadership of Chicago Public Schools by making it an elected board.  

House Speaker Chris Welch (D-Hillside) reflected on Wednesday’s brief one-day return to Springfield during a news conference. 

Making an abbreviated return to Springfield, the House changed its rules Wednesday to allow members to vote remotely before signing off on Gov. JB Pritzker’s changes to the state budget and a bill to update the state’s firearm owners’ identification system.