Pritzker signs $1.5B plan to overhaul public transportation, avoid service cuts
Law raises money to allow Chicago-area transit agencies to avert financial disaster.
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Government | Health | Politics
Republicans defy Speaker Johnson to force House vote on extending ACA subsidies
Four centrist Republicans broke with Speaker Mike Johnson on Wednesday and signed onto a Democratic-led petition that will force a House vote on extending for three years an enhanced pandemic-era subsidy that lowers health insurance costs for millions of Americans.
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Illinois leaders ‘won’t back down’ following Trump’s order limiting AI regulation
Trump’s order targets state regulations, including several in Illinois, that he said are inconsistent with national policy on AI. Critics said Illinois will not be swayed by the influence of “Big Tech.”
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New laws: Gun storage, police background check changes take effect in 2026
Gun owners in Illinois must take new steps in 2026 to secure their firearms in their homes, particularly when children are present.
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Competing health care plans fail in the Senate as ACA premium hikes loom
Both bills needed 60 votes to advance, but neither succeeded.
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Pritzker signs bill enacting immigrant protections in courthouses
The law allows residents to sue immigration agents for violating constitutional rights.
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Illinois Supreme Court in ‘wait and see’ posture as new public defense policy takes shape
During a recent visit to McLean County, Illinois Supreme Court Justice Mary K. O’Brien said there are geographic disparities in public defense, in addition to equity gaps between prosecutors and public defenders.
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Urbana City Council appoints interim fire chief
Tal Prendergast has served the Urbana Fire Department for 17 years and the Danville Fire Department for five years.
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Rep. Sorensen calls for Defense Secretary Hegseth to resign after Pentagon watchdog report
A summary of the inspector general’s report provided to NPR finds that had a foreign adversary intercepted the intelligence discussed in the chat, it would have endangered both U.S. servicemembers and the mission at large.
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Champaign City Council rejects public encampment ban
The measure would’ve prohibited people from camping on public and city property while requiring city staff to make an effort to connect people with social services.
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Pritzker signs bill allowing Illinois to issue state-specific vaccine guidelines
The new law will allow the state to publish guidelines that differ from the CDC.
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Nonpartisan think tank identifies Illinois’ most effective state legislators
Because of their legislative supermajorities, Democrats in the Illinois House and Senate ranked the highest on the researchers’ list of legislators’ deemed to be the most effective.
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Trump cuts could shrink Illinois economy by $10B: report
The report offers a detailed looked at the effects of cuts enacted by Trump through executive order or legislation, directives by federal agency leaders or through Elon Musk’s so-called “Department of Government Efficiency.”
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U.S. Rep. Sorensen pushes for extension of Obamacare subsidies during visit to Normal
Sorensen dismissed an idea raised by the chair of the U.S. Senate Health Committee, Republican Bill Cassidy, to shift the money from the subsidies to health savings accounts for consumers.
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Budzinski intervenes in local housing dispute on behalf of low-income residents
In late August, after months of conversations with residents, Budzinski approached HUD with concerns, requesting information about the frequency of inspections and compliance with HUD standards.
