Gov. JB Pritzker said Thurdsay the state could enter its ‘bridge’ phase to reopen as early as next week.

Gov. JB Pritzker on Thursday said efforts to limit the spread of COVID-19 in Illinois have been successful enough in recent weeks that the state can begin relaxing mitigations next week with a broader goal of fully reopening by early June.

Speaking at an in-person news conference alongside Illinois Department of Public Health director Ngozi Ezike and other doctors, the governor said the state could enter the so-called “bridge” phase starting May 14.

Rep. Kelly Cassidy (D-Chicago) presented a bill that would subject Illinois private schools to more public regulation if they accepted scholarship money from the Invest in Kids program. Some of her colleagues, like Rep. Curtis Tarver (D-Chicago), vigorously defended the program, which could be cut under Gov. JB Pritzker’s proposed budget

House lawmakers scrambled partisan fault lines during a discussion of public funding for private education on Thursday, as legislators on both sides of the aisle expressed varying levels of support for the Invest in Kids program and a proposal to rein it in.

During a meeting of the House Revenue and Finance Committee, Democrats like Rep. Curtis Tarver (D-Chicago) and Rep. Maurice West (D-Rockford) joined their republican counterparts to express support for the Invest in Kids program, which provides scholarships for low-income students to attend private schools through income tax credits for donors.

Republicans blasted Democrats for holding closed-door redistricting discussions. And Gov. JB Pritzker weighed in on the Chicago elected school board bill and announced an evidence-based education funding boost.

Anita Thompson, Lori Hendren and Heidi Dalenberg were among a host of witnesses to encourage lawmakers to change the state’s long-term care facilities which were hit hard during the COVID-19 pandemic.

State leaders should widen long-term care residents’ visitation access, protect their rights to sue and replenish staff shortages to better protect Illinois’ senior and disabled populations, advocates told lawmakers on Wednesday.

They pitched the proposals during a lengthy subject matter hearing to call for improvements to long term-care in Illinois after the COVID-19 pandemic disproportionately impacted the state’s most vulnerable residents.

Sen. Ram Villivalam (D-Chicago) defended his measure on sexual education reform before the Senate Executive Committee Wednesday afternoon.

The Senate Executive Committee advanced a bill on Wednesday protecting teachers who walk off the job due to safety concerns (SB 1204) and another measure seeking to update sex education standards in Illinois (SB 818) following a contentious hearing.

Democrats encourage the public to submit remap ideas by May 10. And a new report leads to renewed calls for pension reform.

 

Sen. Michael Simmons (D-Chicago) defended his bill to update dress codes at a meeting of the Senate Committee on Education Tuesday afternoon.

The Senate Education Committee wrestled Tuesday with the best way to ensure schools will not discipline students for their hairstyles, as multiple members objected a proposal to temporarily freeze funding from schools that fail to comply with the measure.

The bill, an amendment to SB817, introduced by Sen. Michael Simmons (D-Chicago), would prohibit hairstyle-based dress requirements in schools. The measure would freeze state funding for schools that failed to update their policies and would list them on an Illinois State Board of Education registry dedicated to tracking compliance.

From left: Sen. Michael Hastings (D-Tinley Park), Chicago City Clerk Anna Valencia, Chicago Ald. Pat Dowell (3) and former Illinois treasurer Alexi Giannoulias

Three of the four main Democratic candidates vying to be the next Secretary of State participated in a forum Monday evening when one candidate said the race would be “an exciting ride.”

Ald. Pat Dowell (3), Sen. Michael Hastings (D-Tinley Park) and Chicago clerk Anna Valencia outlined their visions for the office in an attempt to garner support during a candidate forum hosted by the 36^th Ward Democrats and Committeeperson Gilbert Villegas.

Lightfoot, Pritzker expressed optimism about full reopening by July 4. A House committee anticipates holding a hearing on a recent audit about the LaSalle Veterans’ Home. And Catholic bishops expressed concern about one of Pritzker’s proposed tax changes.

Food delivery apps like DoorDash and UberEats are the subject of one of many bills recently approved by the state Senate.

Last week, the Senate hosted more floor action on legislation than the House, approving 28 bills during a two-day period. Measures that cleared the chamber included a crackdown on third-party delivery apps, restrictions on police interrogations of minors and a bipartisan push to prevent social isolation among seniors.

The following is a roundup of some of the most notable bills the Senate approved last week, including several pandemic-related measures. All legislation must be passed by both chambers before it can be sent to Gov. JB Pritzker.