Some Illinois communities see regulating any mischief on Halloween as a real treat. One town fines trick-or-treaters up to $750 if they don’t know the Halloween laws.

Illinois leads the nation in local government bloat, with over 6,000 taxing bodies. The Citizen’s Empowerment Act, sponsored by Illinois House Rep. Jonathan Carroll, would make it easier for Illinois taxpayers to dissolve unnecessary layers of government.

Put on a costume, grab a bag and get free treats? It’s not so simple in Illinois, where cities’ Halloween rules restrict the simple fun.

The Illinois State Board of Education might have overstepped its authority by yanking recognition of schools that defied a statewide mask mandate. State lawmakers have asked the board to clarify those rules.

Illinois made an important first step in its break with the corrupt practices that defined the legislative process under former Illinois House Speaker Mike Madigan. New ethics rules about lobbying, financial disclosures and the legislative watchdog were passed in the final hours of the session.