Springfield News
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MAR 04, 2021
U.S. Rep. Robin Kelly addressed members of the Democratic Party of Illinois on Wednesday before being elected the next chair.
Members of the Democratic Party of Illinois selected their next chair on Wednesday, narrowly electing U.S. Rep. Robin Kelly (D-Ill.) despite questions about her ability to raise money due to federal laws.
Kelly bested Chicago Ald. Michelle Harris (8) during a nearly two-hour virtual committee meeting Wednesday, as Kelly secured 51 percent of the weighted votes from the 36-member State Central Committee.
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MAR 04, 2021
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Chicago Ald. Michelle Harris and U.S. Rep. Robin Kelly are vying to be the next chair of the Democratic Party of Illinois.
Like the state House of Representatives did in early January, the Democratic Party of Illinois is set to enter a new era Wednesday, when members of the party select a replacement for former chair Mike Madigan.
Madigan, who was first elected chair in 1998, resigned last month, causing a mad dash to replace him as head of the state party.
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MAR 03, 2021
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MAR 02, 2021
Republicans eye changes, audit after deadly COVID-19 outbreak at state veterans’ homes
Two Republican lawmakers have introduced measures aimed at tightening safety regulations in response to the deadly COVID-19 outbreak inside the state’s veterans’ homes.
On Monday, Sen. Sue Rezin (R-Morris) and Rep. David Welter (R-Morris) highlighted a pair of proposals during a virtual press conference that they say would prevent a similar deadly outbreak in the future. They would also require an audit to be performed to examine issues in the state’s handling of the COVID-19 outbreak at the facilities.
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MAR 02, 2021
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Gov. JB Pritzker’s call to close ‘corporate loopholes’ has been met with mixed reviews.
After Gov. JB Pritzker outlined his $41.6 billion proposed budget for Fiscal Year 2022 last month, he faced a host of criticism from Republicans and members of the business community for his call to close $932 million in what he’s dubbed “corporate loopholes.”
The so-called loopholes run the gamut from changing the cap on corporate net operating loss deductions to biodiesel exemptions.
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After 2 months, staff vaccinations at Illinois veterans’ homes still lag
Nearly two months after Illinois began vaccinating residents and staff at long-term care facilities, many employees remain unvaccinated at the state’s veterans’ homes, which have seen 77 deaths.
In late December, the Illinois Department of Veterans’ Affairs reported that 74 percent of all veterans’ home residents had been vaccinated for COVID-19. At the same time, just 40 percent of staff had been vaccinated. The agency provided a facility-by-facility summary of the percentage of residents and staff that had received doses.
