The north wing of the Illinois Capitol is undergoing a major renovation project that will be completed in 2025 and feature a new visitor’s center. [Ben Szalinski/The Daily Line]

The seat of Illinois’ government has turned into a massive dust-filled construction site as workers overhaul a portion of Illinois’ capitol building that opened in 1888. The changes have forced some state offices, including the Senate, to find new homes for the next two years.  

Lawmakers are pushing for legislation during veto session to regulate the hemp industry in Illinois after a cannabis bill fell short last month. And primaries for central Illinois races are starting to take shape.  

House Speaker Chris Welch (D-Hillside) speaks on the House floor in February. [Blue Room Stream] 

The spring session may have taken a week longer than originally planned and included some internal disagreements within the House Democratic caucus, but Speaker Chris Welch (D-Hillside) is heading into summer giving glowing reviews to his 78-member caucus.  

Senate Minority Leader John Curran (R-Downers Grove) speaks on the Senate floor on the final day of session on May 25. [Blue Room Stream] 

The spring session brought new voices in leadership for General Assembly Republicans this year. For the Senate Republicans under the leadership of Minority Leader John Curran (R-Downers Grove) that meant more time discussing legislation with Democrats.  

Former Gov. Bruce Rauner, right, takes a picture with his portrait and his wife and former First Lady Diana Rauner, left. [Ben Szalinski/The Daily Line]   

Hardly a week goes by in Illinois politics without a reference to former Gov. Bruce Rauner’s administration. The former governor made a public return to the state Capitol Monday to hang his portrait in the Hall of Governors on the Capitol’s second floor.  

Gov. JB Pritzker signs a bill into law Monday banning book bans in Illinois. [Blue Room Stream] 

Gov. JB Pritzker signed a bill into law Monday that makes Illinois the first state to ban libraries from banning books or face losing grants.  

House Minority Leader Tony McCombie (R-Savanna) speaks to reporters last fall after being named House Republican leader. [Ben Szalinski/The Daily Line] 

The spring 2022 session was sort of a “rebuilding” year for House Republicans as they faced their smallest caucus ever and saw big turnover in leadership. With House Minority Leader Tony McCombie (R-Savanna) taking the helm, the caucus hit the reset button on staffing and their approach to governing.  

Secretary of State Alexi Giannoulias speaks at Planned Parenthood’s office in Chicago on Thursday. [Ben Szalinski/The Daily Line]   

A bill on Gov. JB Pritzker’s desk takes aim at states that limit abortion by prohibiting out-of-state law enforcement agencies from using automated license plate reader (ALPR) data obtained in Illinois to track women traveling to the state to have an abortion.  

Gov. JB Pritzker signs the Fiscal Year 2024 budget into law Wednesday at a non-profit school in Chicago’s Belmont Cragin neighborhood. [Ben Szalinski/The Daily Line] 

Gov. JB Pritzker signed the Fiscal Year 2024 budget into law Wednesday readying a plan to boost spending on education from childcare through college to take effect July 1 when the new fiscal year begins.  

Gov. JB Pritzker signed a bill that limits hearings on constitutional cases in state court to just two counties. And the governor sent a letter to the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency asking them to reevaluate how funding is allocated to states to replace lead pipes.