IDOT announces it may halt construction if no budget is passed

By Brendan Bakala

06/19/2017

Roadwork will cease at the end of June unless lawmakers appropriate funds for IDOT.

Illinois lawmakers pass legislation to create state-based workers’ compensation insurance company

By Madelyn Harwood

06/16/2017

House Bill 2622 would create a state-run workers’ compensation insurance company using a $10M loan from the Illinois Workers’ Compensation Commission Operations Fund.

TAGS: Illinois Workers’ Compensation Commission Operations Fund, workers compensation

Illinois lawmakers pass legislation requiring financial impact statements on executive orders, ignore cost of bills they pass

06/08/2017

House Bill 2379 would require fiscal impact statements on every executive order. However, less than 3 percent of bills enacted into law in the 99th General Assembly had fiscal notes.

TAGS: budget, Fiscal Notes

Illinois budget deficit projected to hit $6.2B by June 30, grow to $7.7B by June 2018

By Eric Kohn

06/08/2017

The state’s bill backlog is expected to hit $22.7 billion and pension costs are predicted to grow 14 percent by fiscal year 2018.

TAGS: budget, credit rating, David McSweeney, debt, Moody's Investor Service, Standard & Poor's, unpaid bills

A taxpayer bill of rights would protect residents and encourage lawmakers to budget responsibly

By Madelyn Harwood

06/07/2017

Illinois needs a taxpayer bill of rights to urge policymakers to budget based on available revenue — or be prepared to subject tax increases to direct voter approval.

TAGS: housing, income tax, property taxes, sales tax, TABOR: Taxpayer Bill of Rights

Illinois has the worst personal income growth in the U.S.

By Michael Lucci

06/07/2017

Lawmakers’ proposed new and higher taxes would only make things harder for struggling Illinoisans.

TAGS: household income, personal income

Negligent hiring liability reforms stall in Illinois

By Hilary Gowins

06/05/2017

With the right liability reforms, Illinois can protect businesses and make them more likely to give ex-offenders a chance at employment. Unfortunately, a bill that would have made this reform a reality stalled in the Illinois House of Representatives this session.

TAGS: criminal justice reform, jobs

Bill regulating school buses heads to Rauner’s desk

By Brendan Bakala

06/03/2017

House Bill 3293, which would force any person or group that is not a school district, religious organization or transportation company, but that possesses a school bus, to change the appearance of the school bus, passed the Illinois General Assembly on the last day of spring session.

TAGS: Dan McConchie, education, ILGA: Illinois General Assembly, Kyle McCarter

Lawsuit seeks back pay for Illinois lawmakers

By Austin Berg

06/02/2017

Former state Sen. Michael Noland is suing for back pay after the General Assembly nixed cost-of-living adjustments and forced furlough days.

TAGS: lawmaker pay, Michael Noland

Illinois Senate’s education finance bill bails out Chicago, fails at reform

By John Klingner, Ted Dabrowski

06/02/2017

Senate Bill 1 provides a $215 million annual pension bailout and other carve-outs worth hundreds of millions of dollars to CPS.

TAGS: budget, CPS: Chicago Public Schools, education

Illinois General Assembly

IDOT announces it may halt construction if no budget is passed

Illinois lawmakers pass legislation to create state-based workers’ compensation insurance company

Illinois lawmakers pass legislation requiring financial impact statements on executive orders, ignore cost of bills they pass

Illinois budget deficit projected to hit $6.2B by June 30, grow to $7.7B by June 2018

A taxpayer bill of rights would protect residents and encourage lawmakers to budget responsibly

Illinois has the worst personal income growth in the U.S.

Negligent hiring liability reforms stall in Illinois

Bill regulating school buses heads to Rauner’s desk

Lawsuit seeks back pay for Illinois lawmakers

Illinois Senate’s education finance bill bails out Chicago, fails at reform

4 ways to break out of Illinois’ pension trap

Report Archive

Diana Graham

Process for unionizing non-state workers raises red flags

CBS Chicago: Illinois’ highest-paid superintendent receives $400K per year to oversee 1,200 students