News in brief: Senate set for virtual return; Pritzker announces central Illinois youth facility.

Illinois Department of Public Health director Ngozi Ezike on Tuesday encouraged members of Congress to widen the federal supply chain of COVID-19 vaccines to states and said the federal response to the pandemic under former President Donald Trump “hampered” states’ efforts to fight the virus.

Ezike was one of five public health experts to testify before the House Committee on Energy and Commerce in a virtual hearing, with members of the panel peppering the witnesses on a variety of topics with the aim of finding solutions to accelerate COVID-19 vaccinations.

A handful of Illinois lawmakers are calling for state officials to create a new database aimed at preventing COVID-19 vaccine doses from being wasted.

On Jan. 22, 15 state senators, all Democrats, urged Gov. JB Pritzker and Illinois Department of Public Health director Ngozi Ezike to create such a database due to concerns that local health departments may not be able to use all the vaccine doses they are given.

State tax collections surpassed expectations during pandemic, report shows 

The financial impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on Illinois’ revenue was not as bad as once anticipated, according to new report from the University of Illinois’ Institute of Government and Public Affairs.  

While the state saw significant losses in revenue last year because of the COVID-19 pandemic, residents “began to adapt their behavior,” which generated higher-than-anticipated spending, according to the report, which was released Tuesday. As a result, Illinois’ finances were more stable during the second half of 2020 than in the early months of the year.  

News in brief: State buys West Loop property; House lawmakers urge Pritzker to veto criminal justice bill; Illinois Gaming Board lobs warning on illegal Super Bowl bets 

Welch announces House committee chairs, new committees tackling ethics, restorative justice 

Making one of his first major decisions since being voted into leadership, House Speaker Chris Welch (D-Hillside) named the chairs of 43 committees Thursday while creating a few new ones aimed at reflecting his priorities.  

In an interview with The Daily Line, Welch said the committee assignments highlighted the “talented bench” of the House Democratic Caucus.   

News in brief: House set to delay return; Peters to chair new permanent Sente committee Via @joelebert29

Madigan raised more than $1M after string of ComEd indictments, records show 

In the weeks after four former Commonwealth Edison executives and lobbyists were charged in an alleged bribery conspiracy and before former House Speaker Mike Madigan (D-Chicago) halted his bid for a 19th term, the powerful South Side Democrat continued to rake in money, campaign finance records show.  

Last month, Madigan’s personal campaign committee, known as Friends of Michael J. Madigan, received more than $1 million, according to his most recent financial disclosure.  

News in brief: Turner appointed to Senate; Durkin announces House GOP leadership team; State launches vaccination website  

Pritzker defends state’s vaccine distribution efforts as Illinois falls behind other states 

Marking the start of Illinois’ next phase of COVID-19 vaccine distribution, Gov. JB Pritzker on Monday celebrated the opening of a new mass vaccination site in a southwest suburb of Chicago while defending the state’s approach to coordinating immunizations. 

Appearing at the new vaccination site at the Tinley Park Convention Center, Pritzker heralded the state’s early vaccination efforts. “Nearly three-quarters of a million doses of vaccine have been administered in Illinois already,” he said, calling the start of Phase 1B, which began Monday, “an exciting development.”