Illinois lawmakers only attach price tags to 10 of 3,859 bills

By Lilly Rossi

06/23/2025

For most bills filed in Springfield, taxpayers will have to guess at how much more will be demanded of them. Illinois General Assembly members only worried about costs 10 times for 3,859 of their bright ideas about how to improve the state.

TAGS: ILGA: Illinois General Assembly, taxes

Illinois General Assembly passes 3 bills boosting government union power

By Mailee Smith

06/23/2025

Government unions already hold tremendous power over taxpayers in Illinois. Three bills heading to Gov. J.B. Pritzker’s desk will give them even more power by violating worker privacy, thwarting taxpayer protections and blocking schools in emergencies.

TAGS: Amendment 1, ILGA: Illinois General Assembly, labor

Illinois lawmakers pass almost 100 bills on final day

By Lilly Rossi, Joe Tabor

06/23/2025

Illinois General Assembly members raced the clock to pass legislation. Of the 416 bills sent to Gov. J.B. Pritzker’s desk this session, 155 were passed in the final week and 96 of those were on the last day.

TAGS: budget, ILGA: Illinois General Assembly

When GOP gets just 14% of state legislation, Illinois has a legislative map problem

By Joe Tabor, Lilly Rossi

06/20/2025

6,745 bills were filed in the Illinois General Assembly this session, but only a small fraction passed both houses. Of those, 86% were introduced by Democrats. That big disparity is rooted in Democrats drawing legislative districts that shrink opposition.

TAGS: budget, ILGA: Illinois General Assembly, JB Pritzker

Illinois finds potential fix for newer employee pensions, rejects push for $64.5B boost

By LyLena Estabine

06/19/2025

Lawmakers quietly added a fund intended to comply with federal rules about pensions for newer state workers. If it works, Illinois taxpayers will have avoided costly federal mandates and a push by public employee unions to expand obligations by $64.5 billion.

Contract negotiations in 52 school districts may see Chicago Teachers Union-style radicalism

By Mailee Smith

06/18/2025

At least 52 school districts represented by the Illinois Federation of Teachers – the parent union and chief ally of the Chicago Teachers Union – are up for contract negotiations this year. CTU’s militant social agenda is being spread by IFT to other teachers unions.

TAGS: CTU: Chicago Teachers Union

Pritzker OKs $237M in partisan pork as part of record Illinois budget

By LyLena Estabine

06/18/2025

Gov. J.B. Pritzker had the power to strike $237 million in pork-barrel projects that benefit only Democratic lawmakers’ districts. He should have vetoed the pork projects to create a responsible state budget that is fair to all Illinois taxpayers.

TAGS: JB Pritzker

Yohna Hornbuckle: 50% property tax rise threatens Rantoul man’s homeownership

By Jess Plowman

06/16/2025

Illinois is No. 1 in the nation for property taxes, an uncomfortable reality for Rantoul homeowner Yohna Hornbuckle. His property taxes are up 50% in six years and threaten his ability to stay.

TAGS: outmigration, property taxes

Nearly 1 in 3 Illinois school contracts mislead teachers about fees they owe

By Mailee Smith

06/16/2025

Seven years after they were freed from being forced to pay unions, at least 267 of Illinois’ 866 school districts still have “fair share” language in their teachers union contracts. Those contracts are wrong and should be fixed so teachers get the truth about their pay.

TAGS: public schools

Madigan will see plenty of corrupt Illinois cronies during 7.5 years in federal pen

By Dylan Sharkey, Charlotte Rotkis

06/13/2025

Former Illinois House Speaker Michael Madigan will face 7.5 years in prison for a bribery scheme involving the state’s largest utility company. When it comes to public corruption, he’s Illinois’ convict of the week.

TAGS: Mike Madigan

Illinois

Illinois lawmakers only attach price tags to 10 of 3,859 bills

Illinois General Assembly passes 3 bills boosting government union power

Illinois lawmakers pass almost 100 bills on final day

When GOP gets just 14% of state legislation, Illinois has a legislative map problem

Illinois finds potential fix for newer employee pensions, rejects push for $64.5B boost

Contract negotiations in 52 school districts may see Chicago Teachers Union-style radicalism

Pritzker OKs $237M in partisan pork as part of record Illinois budget

Yohna Hornbuckle: 50% property tax rise threatens Rantoul man’s homeownership

Nearly 1 in 3 Illinois school contracts mislead teachers about fees they owe

Madigan will see plenty of corrupt Illinois cronies during 7.5 years in federal pen

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