General Assembly passes occupational-licensing reform

By Bryant Jackson-Green

06/01/2016

HB 5973 would remove significant occupational-licensing barriers, thereby making it easier for former offenders to support themselves and their families – and making it less likely ex-offenders will commit crimes in the future.

TAGS: criminal justice reform, occupational licensing

Removing barriers for ex-offenders: Occupational-licensing expansion bill passes Illinois Senate

By Hilary Gowins

05/27/2016

House Bill 5973 would help ex-offenders support themselves and their families by removing barriers for nonviolent ex-offenders who want to work in barbering, cosmetology, esthetics, hair braiding, nail services, roofing and funeral service.

TAGS: criminal justice reform, occupational licensing, reentry

Illinois soda tax would hit low-income households hardest

By Michael Lucci

05/22/2016

A soda tax would fall upon those who can afford it least, and would serve only as another tax hike “solution” for a state that has a spending problem.

TAGS: sugar tax

Illinois gets $3.5M windfall as motorists rack up fees for late vehicle registration

By Amy Korte

05/09/2016

Illinois motorists have paid more than $6.5 million this year for failing to renew vehicle license plates on time, more than double the amount collected in the same four-month span last year.

TAGS: license plate

Progressive tax would introduce marriage penalty into Illinois tax code

By Michael Lucci

04/27/2016

Replacing Illinois’ fair, flat income tax with a progressive tax would mean that some married couples with both spouses working would pay more in state income taxes than if they remained single.

TAGS: graduated income tax, income tax, progressive income tax

Local government transparency bill clears Illinois House

04/18/2016

House Bill 5522 would require local governments and school districts in Illinois to maintain websites with links to vital public information such as budgets, expenditures and officials’ names and numbers.

TAGS: corruption, local government, transparency

Cullerton backs away from proposal to tax Illinois drivers by the mile

By Hilary Gowins

04/17/2016

Cullerton proposes Illlinois per-mile driving tax

SB 3267 would introduce electronic driver tracking, and create a behemoth bureaucracy to keep tabs on Illinois drivers and figure out how to process tax credits.

TAGS: gas tax

Illinois House passes bill to suspend fines for late license-plate renewal

By Amy Korte

04/14/2016

The Illinois House has passed a bill to prohibit charging late fees to vehicle owners who renew their registration late due to the secretary of state’s suspension of mailed reminders.

TAGS: license plate

Bill to ban sale of bobcat pelts heads to Illinois Senate

By Amy Korte

04/08/2016

In the midst of the state’s budget, pension and out-migration crises, an Illinois politician has introduced SB 2143 to ban the sale of bobcat pelts, as well as the trapping of these animals.

TAGS: criminal justice reform, overcriminalization

Illinois’ gubernatorial veto procedures

By Matt Paprocki

03/24/2016

The governor can exercise the veto power in four different ways: a total veto, an amendatory veto, an item veto and a reduction veto.

Illinois Senate

General Assembly passes occupational-licensing reform

Removing barriers for ex-offenders: Occupational-licensing expansion bill passes Illinois Senate

Illinois soda tax would hit low-income households hardest

Illinois gets $3.5M windfall as motorists rack up fees for late vehicle registration

Progressive tax would introduce marriage penalty into Illinois tax code

Local government transparency bill clears Illinois House

Cullerton backs away from proposal to tax Illinois drivers by the mile

Illinois House passes bill to suspend fines for late license-plate renewal

Bill to ban sale of bobcat pelts heads to Illinois Senate

Illinois’ gubernatorial veto procedures

FAQ: How the federal scholarship program would help Illinois students

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