Illinois state senators approved a new legislative inspector general over complaints by the Legislative Ethics Commission chair that the process and vetting were ignored for the new watchdog. House members vote next.

The former president of the Illinois Senate is now a lobbyist for a power utility. Illinois needs stronger rules on when their peers can return to sway state lawmakers.

Democratic state lawmakers were given a private look at new Illinois House district maps. Partisan legislative maps and gerrymandering seem to be surviving ‘transparency.’

A Chicago-based marijuana company is facing a federal investigation into whether it bought influence to gain state licenses, sources told the Chicago Tribune. It hired four close associates of former Illinois House Speaker Mike Madigan.

With Mike Madigan out as Illinois House speaker, state lawmakers have a unique opportunity to turn around the second-most corrupt state in the country. Ethics proposals are gaining support.