This legislative session members of the Illinois General Assembly passed a bill to make it easier to sue out-of-state businesses and a bill that would prevent state agencies from adopting eased workplace regulations. Illinois’ business climate is bad, but these bills could make it worse.

Chicagoland’s population has been boosted by international migrants in recent years. But 347,000 residents left for other states since April 2020.

While Illinois’ total population grew slightly last year, many areas of the state experienced population decline. People moved out of state from half the counties.

Liquor regulations written at the end of Prohibition are strangling Illinois’ craft distillers. A new bill is trying to change that.