Springfield News
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Plastic forks would have to be requested by patrons under a proposed law.
K J PAYNE/FLICKR
A coalition of Democratic lawmakers and environmental groups on Tuesday introduced a package of bills aimed at reducing plastic consumption and waste, including banning Styrofoam and imposing a statewide 10-cent fee on plastic bags.
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Mayor Lori Lightfoot Tuesday blasted President Donald Trump’s decision to commute the 14-year prison sentence of former Gov. Rod Blagojevich, who was convicted of trying to sell President Barack Obama’s former Senate seat as well as extorting the CEO of a Chicago’s children’s hospital and owners of racetrack.
Mayor Lori Lightfoot answers questions from reporters. [Hannah Meisel/The Daily Line]
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Gov. JB Pritzker will ask state lawmakers to boost the budget for the Department of Children and Family Services by $147 million to hire more staff members, increase the number of beds available to children in danger and track children at risk.
Department of Children and Family Services Director Marc Smith addresses reporters. [Hannah Meisel/The Daily Line]
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Illinois must change the way it draws congressional and state legislative districts to protect Democracy and return power to voters, a coalition of good government advocates and state lawmakers said Thursday.
State Sen. Melinda Bush (D-Grayslake) vowed to create a bipartisan movement to push the so-called Fair Maps Amendment. [Heather Cherone/The Daily Line]
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Lt. Gov. Juliana Stratton renewed her push to make Illinois the fourth state to end cash bail at a joint House and Senate hearing Thursday.
Brittany Williams testified Thursday that cash bail devastated her family and caused them to lose their home. [Hannah Meisel/The Daily Line]
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State Rep. Steve Reick (R-Woodstock) on Thursday filed a bill that would launch a five-year pilot program that would allow McHenry County to provide and coordinate services now handled by the Department of Children and Family Services.
State Rep. Steve Reick (R-Woodstock) [Submitted]
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An effort to unseat a Skokie lawmaker who did not vote for a bill designed to expand abortion rights has focused attention whether the Illinois Democratic Party has room for those who are reluctant to back Gov. JB Pritzker’s push to make Illinois “the most progressive state in the nation for access to reproductive health care.”
State Rep. Kelly Cassidy (D-Chicago) said she was blindsided by State Rep. Mark Kalish's (D-Skokie) decision not to vote for the Reproductive Health Act. [Hannah Meisel/The Daily Line]
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The Illinois Supreme Court will take up Auditor General Frank Mautino’s appeal in a long-running case alleging he misused campaign funds during his time as a Democratic state lawmaker — a case that prompted Republicans to question his fitness to serve as the state’s top watchdog.
Auditor General Frank Mautino. [Submitted]
Inspector General Meryl Paniak
