Get the latest news from around Illinois.
News Nation: Chicago mayoral race may signal 2024 political trends
On Tuesday, Chicagoans will decide whether to reelect Mayor Lori Lightfoot or choose a new leader of the Windy City, which has historically served as a bellwether for national politics.
“Chicago was always the epitome of American politics,” said Dick Simpson, professor emeritus of political science at the University of Illinois Chicago and a former city alderman. “It both reflects the broader American politics and often is leading the way either in a good or a bad direction.”
The Center Square: Illinois responds to state's attorneys attempt to throw out provision to end cash bail
Saying the plaintiffs’ “grab-bag of constitutional theories” should be rejected, the state of Illinois has responded to a lawsuit challenging the constitutionality of ending cash bail.
Dozens of state’s attorneys from around Illinois joined together to file a lawsuit to have the provision thrown out, stating that the Illinois Constitution requires the state to maintain a system of monetary bail, because that system is mandated by the bail clause, the crime victims’ rights clause, and the separation-of-powers clause.
Chicago Sun-Times: With the Chicago mayoral race in voters' hands, the outcome might not be known for days
After months of campaigning and more than $24 million in spending, the decision on who will lead Chicago for the next four years is finally in the hands of voters.
An April 4 mayoral runoff is virtually guaranteed. A nine-candidate field is almost certain to prevent any one candidate from receiving more than 50% of the vote.
Chicago Tribune: As many as 700,000 Illinois residents could lose Medicaid health coverage this year
Jose Salmeron doesn’t want to think about what would happen if he lost his Medicaid coverage.
The 70-year-old Cicero resident has been on the state and federally funded health insurance program, which is for people with low incomes and disabilities, for years. It covered him when he had heart surgery in 2015 and helps to pay for his ongoing care.
WCIA: Comptroller Mendoza pushes for passage of Fallen First Responders and Armed Forces Support Act
Tammy and Brian Pierce were promised death and burial benefits under Illinois’s Line of Duty Compensation Act after their son Brian Jr. died while working as a police officer, but nine months after his death, they hadn’t gotten a cent.
They went to the person in charge of writing the checks for the state, Comptroller Susana Mendoza. Now, she is pushing a bill that would make sure no other families have to wait.