Universal licensing bill would help professionals move to Illinois

By Patrick Andriesen

04/03/2024

House Bill 5608 would allow professionals with out-of-state licenses or experience to work in Illinois and help residents with certifications from other states to work. Universal licensing was already adopted by 22 other states.

TAGS: occupational licensing

5 jobs Illinois imposes heaviest licensing burdens on

By Joe Tabor

12/04/2023

Employment is the clearest path out of poverty, but these five low-income professions face more occupational licensing burdens than others in Illinois.

Illinois licensing makes escaping poverty harder than in other Midwestern states

By Joe Tabor

11/27/2023

Illinois could make it easier to escape poverty by letting more people work without first getting a license. Six neighboring states do a better job of easing occupational licensing on low-income professions.

Midwest states expand school choice while Illinois fights to save scholarships for low-income students

By Hannah Schmid

08/22/2023

Five Midwest states have enacted or expanded school choice programs since the Invest in Kids Act was enacted in 2017. Now Illinois’ scholarships are set to expire while other programs thrive.

TAGS: Invest in Kids, school choice

Tyson Foods 6th company to leave Illinois in 2022

By Dylan Sharkey

10/06/2022

Tyson Foods is relocating 500 employees from Chicago and Downers Grove offices to the corporate headquarters in Arkansas. The meat processor is the sixth company to leave Illinois this year.

TAGS: Chicago, Tyson Foods

Illinois’ leisure, hospitality industry suffering 3rd-worst recovery in U.S.

By Bryce Hill

03/30/2022

Illinois is still missing 77,000 jobs from its restaurants, bars, hotels and other leisure industries since COVID-19 shutdowns. That Illinois jobs sector has recovered only 72% of what it lost in the pandemic – one of the nation’s worst recoveries.

TAGS: COVID-19, economic recovery, Illinois, jobs, unemployment

After two years of COVID-19, Illinois jobs growth seriously lags nation

By Bryce Hill

03/17/2022

Employment in nearly all of Illinois’ major industries are still lagging other states two years after the initial COVID-19 shutdowns rocked the economy.

Illinois last in Midwest to lift statewide mask mandate

By Patrick Andriesen

02/14/2022

Gov. J.B. Pritzker will end the statewide indoor mask mandate for most Illinoisans Feb. 28, joining the 39 other states who have already lifted COVID-19 restrictions on residents. Illinois will be the only state in the Midwest still mandating masks in schools at the state level.

TAGS: JB Pritzker, mask mandate

Illinois 1 of 7 states to see residents move out faster in 2021

By Bryce Hill

01/14/2022

Illinoisans fled at a record pace in 2021. The state lost 122,460 residents on net because of moves to other states.

TAGS: Illinois, outmigration, population

Illinois is home to most seriously delinquent mortgages in Midwest

By Orphe Divounguy, Bryce Hill

05/14/2021

Data reveals 5.7% of Illinois homeowners are at least 90 days behind on their payments.

TAGS: COVID-19, homeownership, Illinois, mortgage, real estate

South Dakota

Universal licensing bill would help professionals move to Illinois

5 jobs Illinois imposes heaviest licensing burdens on

Illinois licensing makes escaping poverty harder than in other Midwestern states

Midwest states expand school choice while Illinois fights to save scholarships for low-income students

Tyson Foods 6th company to leave Illinois in 2022

Illinois’ leisure, hospitality industry suffering 3rd-worst recovery in U.S.

After two years of COVID-19, Illinois jobs growth seriously lags nation

Illinois last in Midwest to lift statewide mask mandate

Illinois 1 of 7 states to see residents move out faster in 2021

Illinois is home to most seriously delinquent mortgages in Midwest

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

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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