Get the latest news from around Illinois.
Capitol News Illinois: EXTRA SESSION: Lawmakers eying $41 billion budget with $5 billion in borrowing
Illinois lawmakers worked into the evening Friday and will return Saturday in hopes of passing a budget for the upcoming fiscal year.
Sen. Andy Manar, D-Bunker Hill, one of the Senate’s lead budget negotiators, said the package will look similar to the current year’s budget of a little more than $41 billion, although it will rely on borrowing up to $5 billion from the Federal Reserve to make up for a sharp loss in revenue caused by the COVID-19 pandemic.
Chicago Sun-Times: Hundreds of coronavirus deaths removed from weekly nursing homes update as state changes how tally is compiled
Illinois officials are no longer including 216 deaths and 1,727 confirmed cases in their weekly reporting of coronavirus outbreaks at long-term care facilities, according to an analysis by the Chicago Sun-Times.
The omissions are part of a revised way COVID-19 cases and deaths at nursing homes and other facilities will now be reported, officials said. A Sun-Times count of current and past numbers shows long-term care facilities now account for half of all coronavirus deaths in Illinois.
State Journal-Register: Lawmakers continue their work Saturday
It was an ambitious schedule and ultimately state lawmakers couldn’t meet it.
The House and Senate failed to conclude their business Friday after a whirlwind three day session. Both chambers will return Saturday with a still lengthy list of issues facing them, not the least of which is approving a new state budget.
Capitol News Illinois: State to notify 32,000 unemployment claimants of data breach out of ‘abundance of caution’
The Illinois Department of Employment Security announced Friday it will notify 32,483 claimants whose personal information might have been viewed because of a “glitch” in the newly-launched Pandemic Unemployment Assistance portal.
In a news release, IDES said it worked to fix the “glitch” with Deloitte, the outside firm contracted to launch the PUA system created under federal law to give benefits to independent contractors and those who are self-employed.
State Journal-Register: House puts final stamp on graduated tax language
The language of the graduated income tax ballot measure is finalized after the House joined the Senate in approving it Friday.
It will read: “The proposed amendment grants the State authority to impose higher income tax rates on higher income levels, which is how the federal government and a majority of other states do it. The amendment would remove the portion of the Revenue Article of the Illinois Constitution that is sometimes referred to as the “flat tax,” that requires all taxes on income to be at the same rate. The amendment does not itself change tax rates. It gives the State the ability to impose higher tax rates on those with higher income levels and lower income tax rates on those with middle or lower income levels. You are asked to decide whether the proposed amendment should become a part of the Illinois Constitution.”
Daily Herald: Elgin's corporation counsel, who makes $216,000 a year, is exempt from city furloughs
The second-highest paid employee of the city of Elgin, like a handful of others, is exempt from citywide furloughs implemented last week, documents show.
Corporation Counsel Bill Cogley’s salary is $216,788 per year, second only to City Manager Rick Kozal, who makes $219,384 per year. Both are eligible for additional pay such as longevity pay and car allowances.
Crain's Chicago Business: Lightfoot's casino plan gains new life in Springfield
The plan by no means is assured of passing—especially since lawmakers are rushing to get out of town by the end of the day before the holiday weekend and have little time for bargaining.
Better Government Association: Lawmakers in Hot Water With Feds Get Campaign Cash That Helps Pay Defense Lawyers
In his final days as Illinois Senate president, John Cullerton transferred $92,000 from a political account he controlled to the campaign funds of two senate colleagues under federal investigation for corruption: his distant cousin Thomas Cullerton and Martin Sandoval.
Thomas Cullerton, who got $32,000, has pleaded not guilty to federal charges accusing him of taking a salary and benefits for a no-show Teamsters job. Sandoval received $60,000 after he resigned his Senate seat and just days before he pleaded guilty to taking bribes.
Capitol News Illinois: Vote-by-mail expansion headed for governor’s signature after Senate passage
A major expansion of voting access for the 2020 general election is headed to the desk of Gov. JB Pritzker after the Illinois Senate overwhelmingly passed the measure Friday.
After more than an hour of floor debate, the upper chamber passed Senate Bill 1863 by a 37-19 party-line vote. Three Democrats – Jacqueline Collins, of Chicago, Robert Martwick, of Chicago, and Pat McGuire, of Crest Hill – did not vote. The bill, which Pritzker has said he supports, expands mail-in voting for the Nov. 3 general election in anticipation of social distancing and other restrictions related to the COVID-19 pandemic that will make in-person voting more challenging.
State Journal-Register: Restaurant, salon, gym owners who defied state reopening order get notices to comply
Springfield restaurant Fox Run opened to indoor seating Friday in violation of Gov. JB Pritzker’s executive order designed to fight the spread of COVID-19. Springfield Police served the business with a notice requesting compliance.
Two other businesses that opened this week despite the state order — Bow + Arrow Salon and FitBodies specialty gym – also were issued compliance notices from police Friday, according to city spokesperson Julia Frevert. She said the Illinois Department of Financial and Professional Regulation, which licenses cosmetologists, had informed city officials of a complaint that Bow + Arrow was operating.
Capitol News Illinois: Workers’ comp omnibus passes both houses
A compromise bill between business and labor which deals with COVID-19 and workers’ compensation passed the House on Friday with broad bipartisan support and will head to the governor.
House Bill 2455 was carried by Democrats Linda Holmes of Aurora in the Senate and Jay Hoffman of Swansea in the House. Much of the floor debate on the measure centered on the bipartisan negotiations which included business and labor interests.
Crain's Chicago Business: Lightfoot lays out next phase of reopening plan
Phase 3 would still include keeping 6 feet of space between people in public, wearing face coverings and keeping gatherings limited to fewer than 10 people. But it would allow for “limited public amenities” reopening, according to a statement from the city. Yesterday, the mayor dashed some hopes that those amenities would include restaurants and bars by May 29, when the state is on track to move into its next reopening phase. While she would not give an exact date, the mayor says these industries can open in a limited capacity in early June, likely before June 10.