House Majority Leader Greg Harris introduced an 87-page amendment on the final night of the lame duck session that provides insights of the direction lawmakers might go in terms of ethics reform.

When a late-night effort to revamp Illinois’ ethics and lobbying laws was among the many bills that failed to reach a vote during the waning hours of the 101^st General Assembly, advocacy groups, which have long pushed for change, had a surprising reaction.

They welcomed the bill’s failure.

Rep. Ann Gillespie (D-Arlington Heights) introduced an amendment to a Senate bill on Wednesday that would overhaul ethics in Illinois.

Meeting for the first time this year, the Senate Ethics Committee on Wednesday unanimously approved a 95-page ethics overhaul.

Initially introduced by Senate President Don Harmon (D-Oak Park) in January, SB 4 was amended by the committee on Wednesday to adopt changes proposed by Sen. Ann Gillespie (D-Arlington Heights).

Rep. Will Guzzardi (D-Chicago) introduced an amendment to his previously proposed bill seeking to repeal the state’s ban on rent control.

A House committee on Wednesday approved a scaled-back version of a bill that initially sought to repeal Illinois’ prohibition on rent control.

Introduced by Rep. Will Guzzardi (D-Chicago), HB 116 was approved by the House Housing Committee last month. The bill initially sought to repeal the 1997 Rent Control Preemption Act, which prohibits municipalities across the state from enacting any ordinance or resolution that would place rent controls on residential or commercial properties.

A bipartisan group of local elected officials throughout Illinois on Tuesday called on Gov. JB Pritzker and members of the legislature to avoid taking away additional revenue the state allocates to cities and villages.

Speaking during a virtual news conference, leaders from Elmhurst, Hazel Crest, Highland Park, Palos Hills, Bartlett, Geneva, Fox Lake and Cary challenged a plan proposed by Pritzker earlier this year to reduce the Local Government Distributive Fund.

Top state leaders welcomed the conviction of Derek Chauvin in the murder of George Floyd. And state health officials announced an expansion of their rural vaccination program.

Speaking during recent redistricting hearings, Stephanie Taylor and Wayne Williams offered support for Democrats’ plan to move forward with remapping before June 30.

Since mid-March, Illinois lawmakers have held nearly 40 hearings to seek input from members of the public about their ongoing redistricting process.

Witnesses have offered up recommendations, called to boost representation of the state’s Latino and Muslim populations and criticized the sharply partisan approaches legislators have taken during the redistricting process.

Rep. Dan Brady (R-Bloomington) criticized Democrats last week for failing to follow through on a promise to continue working on the House rules.

When the House of Representatives approved a series of rule changes in February allowing them to conduct remote meetings, Democrats touted their adoption as historic.

Then-newly elected House Speaker Chris Welch (D-Hillside) and House Majority Leader Greg Harris (D-Chicago) indicated the chamber’s new rules were a work in progress that could be further refined in the coming weeks.

Five employees at the Manteno Veterans’ Home recently tested positive for COVID-19, Illinois Department of Veterans’ Affairs acting director Terry Prince told lawmakers on Friday.

Six employees at Illinois Department of Veterans’ Affairs veterans’ homes recently tested positive for COVID-19, the agency’s new acting director told lawmakers on Friday.

The positive tests come nearly four months after vaccines were first offered to residents and employees, many of whom have refused to be vaccinated.

Chicago elected school board bill clears House as negotiations continue over ‘hybrid’ alternative 

Even as lawmakers engage in ongoing discussions with Chicago Mayor Lori Lightfoot, the House of Representatives on Thursday voted largely along party lines to approve its version of a bill that would create an elected school board in Chicago.  

Introduced by Rep. Delia Ramirez (D-Chicago),  HB 2908 cleared the chamber in a 71-39 vote.   

Republicans criticize Democrats for inaction on ethics bills: ‘Just more of the same’  

Republican lawmakers on Thursday pumped up the pressure on their Democratic counterparts to pass ethics reform bills that legislators have proposed in the aftermath of recent federal indictments.  

Speaking at a news conference in Springfield, Rep. Mark Batinick (R-Plainfield), Rep. Amy Elik (R-Alton) and Rep. David Welter (R-Morris) pointed to a lack of substantive action on what they viewed as significant issues, ranging from property tax reform to an ethics overhaul.