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Drawing new district lines for state and federal elections is the main focus for lawmakers when they begin the redistricting process every 10 years. But Illinois Democrats, who control all three branches of government, have some incentive to redraw the boundaries for the five Illinois Supreme Court districts this year as well after a Democratic justice was defeated in a retention bid in the 3rd Judicial District in November. House Minority Leader Jim Durkin, of Western Springs...
Lawmakers representing the LaSalle Veterans' Home, including Sen. Sue Rezin, R-Morris, unveiled new legislation that would allow inspectors general of state agencies to subpoena former state employees. The legislation was prompted by an investigation into the COVID-19 outbreak last year at the LaSalle home that killed 36 veterans. The former director of the Illinois Department of Veterans' Affairs, Linda Chapa LaVia, and the former LaSalle home administrator, Angela...
Republican Rep. Tim Butler on Thursday accused the new Democratic leadership in the state House of Representatives of preserving practices from previous leadership which Republicans say unfairly benefits the majority party. “So, what the speaker said back in January about this place being different and running in a different manner is a bunch of BS right now,” Butler said in a Thursday night floor speech during which he threw a paper calendar and pounded his desk out of anger. Butler said Democrats have “ignored” importa...
A bill to expand the use of vote-by-mail and curbside voting in future elections passed the Illinois Senate Thursday, meaning it needs only a signature from the governor to become law. House Bill 1871, which was approved by the House last week, would revise the state election code to make permanent some of the changes that were widely adopted across Illinois for the 2020 general election in response to the COVID-19 pandemic. If the bill is sent to the governor and signed...
Former House Speaker Michael J. Madigan, 78, announced Thursday he will step down from the state House of Representatives after 50 years in office. "I leave office at peace with my decision and proud of the many contributions I've made to the state of Illinois, and I do so knowing I've made a difference," Madigan wrote in a lengthy emailed statement. His initial statement said he plans to retire by the end of the month, but by the end of Thursday the letter he submitted to...
Dangerous sub-zero temperatures and massive snow accumulation across Illinois prompted Gov. JB Pritzker to issue a disaster proclamation for the entire state on Tuesday. "I have directed my administration to use all resources at our disposal to keep our communities safe amid dangerous and ongoing winter weather," Pritzker said in the news release. "I urge all Illinoisans to take this extreme weather seriously, avoid all unnecessary travel and check in on your neighbors."...
Gov. JB Pritzker said Thursday his administration has requested the help of the Illinois National Guard at three of four state-run veterans homes, including two homes that are dealing with COVID-19 outbreaks. Pritzker said the National Guard members were sent to the LaSalle Veterans’ Home on Thursday, and will arrive on Monday at state-run homes in Quincy and Manteno to provide “staff support for screening and handling testing data tracking so that medical staff can focus on direct patient support.” The LaSalle Veter...
The private organization that governs high school sports in the state voted Wednesday to begin the basketball season next month - defying the new guidance for winter sports that Gov. J.B. Pritzker and the Illinois Department of Public Health outlined a day earlier. The winter sports guidelines from Pritzker and the IDPH - which divides activities into low-, medium- and high-risk categories - upgraded basketball to a high-risk sport. Basketball was originally classified as...
SPRINGFIELD – For the first time since Illinois adopted judicial retention elections in 1964, an Illinois Supreme Court justice lost a retention bid to stay on the state's highest court. Justice Thomas Kilbride failed to win at least 60 percent of the 'yes' vote in his district, earning only 56.4 percent of the vote, according to unofficial results. Kilbride conceded from the race in an email statement issued around 11:30 p.m. on Tuesday night. "Though votes continue to be c...