A pair of Democratic lawmakers are asking for Gov. JB Pritzker’s help to ensure Chicago Mayor Brandon Johnson follows a new state law helping to start a new Chicago police district. And the Illinois Department of Transportation received new money from the federal government for Chicago-area projects.  

The House Judiciary- Criminal Committee meets on the final day of session in May. [Ben Szalinski/The Daily Line]   

Plans to make a series of reforms to the Prisoner Review Board remain on hold after a bill was held up late in the session following opposition from Gov. JB Pritzker.  

The Illinois Supreme Court   

Plaintiffs seeking to invalidate Illinois gun owner identification law lacked standing on their case, the Illinois Supreme Court ruled on Thursday as they tossed out the challenge while declining to rule on the merits of the law.  

Lake County Board Chair Sandy Hart. [Lake County, IL Government/Facebook]

While many suburban officials have pushed back on plans to consolidate Chicago-area public transportation agencies in a governing structure that includes more Cook County representatives, Lake County Board Chair Sandy Hart said she believes it makes sense to defer most representation to the state’s largest county and user of public transit. 

Supporters of the Pretrial Fairness Act gather outside the Cook County criminal court in Chicago on Sept. 18, 2023. [Ben Szalinski/The Daily Line] 

Wednesday marked one year since Illinois became the first state to completely abolish cash bail and those who led the law’s passage in Springfield took a victory lap as dire predictions about the law’s success have been proven wrong. 

Guaranteed Rate Field is pictured during a White Sox game in 2018. [Ben Szalinski/The Daily Line]

A city version of the Field of Dreams came to life on Monday when Related Midwest invited state lawmakers to a makeshift baseball field at The 78 where the Chicago White Sox hope state lawmakers will help the team build a new stadium.  

House Speaker Chris Welch (D-Hillside) discussed veto session at a City Club of Chicago luncheon on Tuesday. And Sen. Tammy Duckworth’s bill in the U.S. Senate to protect access to in vitro fertilization was blocked by Senate Republicans for the second time.  

A map shows the geographic boundaries of the Mahomet Aquifer across Central Illinois. [City of Champaign]   

Lawmakers in Central Illinois are calling for new restrictions on carbon storage after a leak was found at a major agriculture facility located near a drinking water source for hundreds of thousands of Illinoisans.  

The Illinois Capitol   

Illinois lawmakers gathered another round of feedback last week on the role of pharmacy benefit managers (PBM) and the challenges consumers face getting necessary and affordable medications.  

Illinois State Police Director Brendan Kelly speaks at a City Club of Chicago event on Wednesday. [City Club of Chicago] 

Illinois lawmakers have passed several bills in recent years designed to combat the proliferation of illegal firearms used in crimes in Illinois. Those laws are having an effect, Illinois State Police (ISP) Director Brendan Kelly said.