Craft liquor may catch on quicker if Illinois changes law

04/15/2019

Illinois House passes bill to open up opportunities for the craft distillery industry, freeing entrepreneurs to grow to meet growing demand.

TAGS: jobs, Jonathan Carroll, Liquor Control Act, Michael Zalewski, Tom Demmer

5 things you should know about putting students ahead of administration

By Mailee Smith

04/10/2019

The Illinois House of Representatives passed the Classrooms First Act by a unanimous vote March 28. If it becomes law, students, teachers and taxpayers will benefit.

TAGS: consolidation, education, local government consolidation, property taxes, school district consolidation, taxes

Parents could get more say about leaving preteens home alone after Illinois House passes bill

By Vincent Caruso

04/08/2019

Illinois parents can face neglect charges for leaving a 13-year-old home alone. The Illinois House just took a step toward relaxing the nation’s strictest law on unattended children.

TAGS: DCFS: Department of Children and Family Services, home alone, Joe Sosnowski, Jonathan Carroll, Terri Bryant

Illinois Senate unanimously votes to help wrongfully accused clear their name

04/05/2019

Illinois state senators voted 53-0 to extend a pilot program that would waive the fee to expunge or seal records for those wrongfully arrested or charged with a crime in Cook County.

TAGS: criminal justice reform, expungement, Jacqueline Collins

Illinois House passes bill making it easier for Chicago teachers to strike

By Mailee Smith

04/03/2019

Two of the nation’s largest government union strikes in the past decade happened in Illinois – both by the Chicago Teachers Union. And now a bill in the General Assembly would give Chicago teachers more chances to go on strike.

TAGS: Chicago, collective bargaining, CPS: Chicago Public Schools, CTU: Chicago Teachers Union, strike, unions

Illinois voters could eliminate townships that share city limits under bill

By Ben Paoletti

04/02/2019

Illinois townships often spend more on administration than services when they cover the same territory as a local municipality. One bill would make it easier for voters to change that.

TAGS: consolidation, local government consolidation, Tom Demmer, townships

Illinois House unanimously passes education efficiency bill

By Adam Schuster

03/28/2019

By reducing administrative bloat in Illinois school districts, the bill would enable property tax relief while ensuring education dollars reach students and classrooms first, rather than bureaucrats.

TAGS: education, municipal pensions, pension guarantee, pensions, property taxes, Rita Mayfield, school district consolidation, school district efficiency, taxes

House bill would bring more transparency to Illinois sales taxes

03/22/2019

Illinoisans face the highest average combined sales tax in the Midwest. A new bill would show consumers exactly where those dollars are going on every purchase receipt.

TAGS: Fred Crespo, sales tax, taxes

Education efficiency bill would prioritize classroom spending

By Vincent Caruso

03/11/2019

A bill in the Illinois House would empower voters to reform the funding priorities of their local school districts.

TAGS: budget, municipal pensions, pension guarantee, pensions, property taxes, Rita Mayfield, school district consolidation, taxes

Illinois taxpayers could cut back local governments under bipartisan bill

By Vincent Caruso

03/06/2019

The Citizens Empowerment Act would let taxpayers cut local government at the ballot box. Illinois lawmakers from both parties are backing it.

TAGS: Citizens Empowerment Act, consolidation, David McSweeney, Jonathan Carroll, local government consolidation, property taxes, Sam Yingling, taxes

Illinois House of Representatives

Craft liquor may catch on quicker if Illinois changes law

5 things you should know about putting students ahead of administration

Parents could get more say about leaving preteens home alone after Illinois House passes bill

Illinois Senate unanimously votes to help wrongfully accused clear their name

Illinois House passes bill making it easier for Chicago teachers to strike

Illinois voters could eliminate townships that share city limits under bill

Illinois House unanimously passes education efficiency bill

House bill would bring more transparency to Illinois sales taxes

Education efficiency bill would prioritize classroom spending

Illinois taxpayers could cut back local governments under bipartisan bill

Chicago Forward 2026: A pro-growth plan to end city budget deficits

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