Prohibition on book bans, right to sue for ‘deepfake porn’ among new laws taking effect Jan. 1
More than 300 statutes will become law in the new year.
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Congress passed so few laws this year that we explained them all in 1,000 words
Much of the news in Congress this year had little to do with actual legislation, but lawmakers did manage to send 27 bills to President Biden’s desk for a signature. That’s a dramatic productivity decline relative to previous years, even when compared to other eras of divided government. But they’re set to start next year…
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Longtime Chicago Alderman Ed Burke found guilty of corruption
A federal jury convicted former Alderman Ed Burke on 13 corruption counts Thursday after hearing allegations the longest-serving City Council member in Chicago history with a 54-year tenure had used his power to win private law business from developers.
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Palestinian UIUC student reflects on the loss of her family in Gaza
Palestinian Americans are grieving the loss of tens of thousands of people in Gaza, including their own family members and loved ones. One young woman in Champaign, who attends the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, shared her story with the student newsroom at Illinois Public Media. She asked that we not use her name out…
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A judge declined to put the ComEd bribery case fully on hold Monday despite a Supreme Court review of a key corruption law. But a similar request is expected to be made of Madigan’s judge.
The sentencings of four people convicted of a lengthy conspiracy to bribe then-Illinois House Speaker Michael Madigan for ComEd will not go forward as planned next month, but a judge declined Monday to put all proceedings on hold as defense attorneys hoped.
Meanwhile, a defense attorney for Madigan’s co-defendant said he will be making a similar request to stay proceedings in Madigan’s case, which is set for trial in less than four months.
The developments come in the wake of the Supreme Court’s decision to take up a corruption case out of Northwest Indiana, in which questions revolve around a law at play in the ComEd and Madigan cases.
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LIVE: Governor Pritzker visits Champaign to discuss infrastructure improvements
CHAMPAIGN — Governor JB Pritzker is scheduled to visit the Construction Technology Applications Center at Parkland College Champaign, tomorrow, December 15, 2023 at 10:00am CST. The Governor has been actively involved in the reconstruction of I-57, which is a major focus of the Rebuild Illinois capital program. The program has invested $82.1 million in multiyear…
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For at least 6 months, state failed to act on Carlinville funeral director that mishandled remains
State regulators allowed a Carlinville funeral director to operate for months despite a complaint filed by a local coroner who found a decomposing body in his funeral home and alleged the care of the remains was “unacceptable and criminal in nature.” While trying to assist a local family with retrieving cremated remains in March, Morgan…
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What to know about Illinois’ assault weapons ban
Gun owners face a Jan. 1 deadline to register their assault weapons with the state under Illinois’ assault weapons law. But between lawsuits and ongoing policymaking, the exact guns, accessories and ammunition covered under the Protect Illinois Communities Act remain unclear to many gun rights advocates, who point out that the ban includes some of the most…
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Illinois Supreme Court: FOID records exempt from public disclosure
The Illinois Supreme Court ruled Thursday that people may obtain records about their own Firearm Owners Identification cards, but they may not use the state’s Freedom of Information Act to do so. In a 7-0 ruling, the court said the Illinois State Police acted properly when it denied FOIA requests from individuals who sought copies…
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House expels New York Rep. George Santos. It’s just the sixth expulsion in the chamber’s history
On Friday, most of the Illinois delegation voted to Rep. George Santos (R-NY) from Congress. However, Republicans Mike Bost and Mary Miller vote no. Rep. Jonathan Jackson (D-IL) voted present.
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Illinois Supreme Court: FOID records exempt from public disclosure
Individuals can obtain their own records through other means.
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Candidates for 2024 primary brave cold for potential ballot advantage
Hundreds of hopefuls aim to claim top spot on ballot
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Trans Americans are fleeing to Illinois. Here’s why:
While Illinois has moved to protect access to gender-affirming care and enshrined civil rights for the LGBTQ+ community overall, four of the five states that border Illinois have all seen a massive rise in bills that target the queer community, especially transgender youth. According to the ACLU’s anti-LGBTQ legislation tracker, Missouri’s state legislature has considered 48 bills in 2023 alone that would negatively impact the queer community in areas ranging from healthcare to education to free speech and expression.
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Alana Banks made history as the first Black, transgender woman on a school board in the United States. How is she doing now?
Alana Banks made history two years ago, becoming the first Black and transgender woman elected to a school board in the country. Still, she has found balancing the demands of the communities she represents challenging.
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Averting government shutdown, Congress approves temporary funding through the holidays
The Senate worked into the night to pass the bill with days to spare before government funding expires Saturday.
