Sen. Darren Bailey’s (R-Xenia) running mate Stephanie Trussell, left, and Lt. Gov. Juliana Stratton, right. [Ben Szalinski/The Daily Line]

The governor’s race features a match up between a Chicago billionaire in Gov. JB Pritzker and a downstate state farmer Sen. Darren Bailey (R-Xenia). While on the surface their running mates appear to be more similar as they are both Black women from Chicago, their views are as far apart as Bailey’s and Pritzker’s.

House Minority Leader Jim Durkin (R-Western Springs) speaks during a news conference Wednesday. [Blue Room Stream] 

Republicans have raised many concerns about public safety and the SAFE-T Act, but are now pointing to potential property tax increases as another reason the law should be repealed.

Rep. Jehan Gordon-Booth (D-Peoria) speaks during the Crime Reduction Task Force meeting Tuesday. [Illinois Criminal Justice Information Authority]

Illinois leaders held the first meeting Tuesday of the Crime Reduction Task Force that was created by a bill passed in the spring as lawmakers sought to come up with solutions to violent crime in Illinois and Chicago. 

From left to right, Health News Illinois reporter Ryan Voyles, University of Chicago Medicine infectious disease expert Dr. Emily Landon, Chicago Department of Public Health Commissioner Dr. Allison Arwady, Cook County health department Chief Operating officer Dr. LaMar Hasbrouck, and Illinois Department of Public Health Director Dr. Sameer Vohra during a Health News Illinois presentation Tuesday. [Ben Szalinski/The Daily Line]

The biggest challenge facing public health departments is misinformation not unlike the kinds of hoaxes and half-truths that spread rampantly during the pandemic, Illinois’ top health officials said Tuesday.

The Illinois Supreme Court.  

Despite opposition, including from many state’s attorneys, the SAFE-T Act’s Pretrial Fairness Act is set to take effect Jan. 1, overhauling the state’s criminal justice system by eliminating cash bail.

An Illinois Supreme Court task force is enlisting the help of independent experts to help counties prepare to make changes to their pretrial processes.

Gov. JB Pritzker makes a bus tour stop in Chicago. [Ben Szalinski/The Daily Line]

There’s only about one month left in the 2022 campaign and despite few signs of momentum for Republican candidates, Gov. JB Pritzker is boosting support for Democrats in races up and down the ballot, including his own, with millions of dollars in contributions to Democratic candidates or organizations at the end of September.

SAFER Foundation senior director of external affairs and community partnerships Kevin Brown, left, and Live Free Illinois Executive Director Ciera Bates-Chamberlin, right, speak to the House Public Safety and Violence Prevention Task Force Thursday. [Blue Room Steam]

The next step to improve public safety should be improving help for people recently released from prison so they can return to society as productive members, advocates told members of the House Public Safety and Violence Prevention Task Force Thursday.

House Speaker Chris Welch (D-Hillside) speaks at the City Club of Chicago Wednesday. [City Club of Chicago]

With about six weeks before Election Day, House Speaker Chris Welch (D-Hillside) is calling for politicians to tone down their rhetoric and focus more on having civil and productive political discussions rather than spreading misinformation about policies they disagree with.

A poll commissioned by WGN News and conducted by Emerson College found Gov. JB Pritzker holds a 15-point lead on Republican challenger Sen. Darren Bailey (R-Xenia) and shed light on which issues are most important to voters this November. And a protestor interrupted a news conference by Republican attorney general nominee Tom DeVore in an altercation that turned physical.

Gov. JB Pritzker speaks to reporters in Chicago Tuesday. [Blue Room Steam]

Illinois’ unemployment insurance trust fund deficit is now a little lighter as stakeholders continue to work out an agreement to pay down the remaining balance before a Jan. 1 deadline.