Springfield News
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APR 26, 2018
Fostering education - Pushing out of the Illinois Senate on a 40-15 vote, Sen. Christina Castro’s (D-Elgin) SB2846 has made it to the House. It would set aside funds for the Youth in Care Last Dollar Grant. When FAFSA, Pell and student loans fall short, the Last Dollar Grant would build a funding bridge into Illinois community colleges for young adults aging out of the state’s care. Former foster kids have extraordinarily high rates of incarceration and corrections encounters compared to other 18-year-olds in Illinois. Bill proponents say it would cost the state less than $1 million to send more than 700 students to college.
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APR 25, 2018
- Active shooter drills - Yesterday, the Senate approved a bill requiring Illinois schools to hold active shooter drills with students. Meanwhile, uncertainty surrounds the legislature over whether there are enough votes to override Gov. Bruce Rauner’s veto of the Gun Dealer Licensing Bill today. SB2350 passed the Senate unanimously Tuesday.
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While the decades-awaited Equal Rights Amendment has been parked in the Illinois House Rules Committee since April 11, other pieces of legislation are gaining traction in the General Assembly this week which seek to address issues predominantly affecting women.
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APR 24, 2018
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APR 24, 2018
Double-decade bust - Twenty years after first winning his position as chair of the Democratic Party of Illinois, House Speaker Mike Madigan has been re-elected to the post. Madigan’s re-election busted previous records, making him the state party’s longest-tenured chairman. The single dissenting voice? Peter Janko of Marengo, who supports Madigan for Speaker but wants “new blood” chairing the party.
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APR 23, 2018
Crosscheck crossroads - A rough path is expected for a recently passed Illinois bill which would remove the state from the controversial Interstate Voter Registration Crosscheck Program, as Gov. Bruce Rauner’s spokesperson Rachel Bold calls the measure a “troubling vote.”
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APR 20, 2018
The Bid Heard Round the World - In case you missed the day’s top line, downstate Sen. Sam McCann (R-Plainview) announced his campaign for Illinois governor Thursday. McCann will run as a Conservative Party candidate, and is now seeking the 25,000 signatures needed to get on the ballot.
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APR 19, 2018
