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Capitol News Illinois Illinois lawmakers kicked off their spring legislative session roughly three weeks ago, but lawmakers in the House have already filed more than 1,800 bills that could be acted on before the General Assembly adjourns in May. The vast majority of the ideas won’t make it to the desk of Gov. JB Pritzker…

Capitol News Illinois CHICAGO – As former Illinois House Speaker Michael Madigan’s defense lawyers began their closing arguments last week, attorney Dan Collins pointed to something the former speaker said when he took the witness stand earlier this month. “When people ask for help, if possible, I try to help them,” Collins said, quoting his…

Capitol News Illinois SPRINGFIELD – For two decades, Dave Joens has led the Illinois State Archives, the government agency tasked with preserving official government documents with historic value. The job of caring for historic records has been a natural fit for Joens, he said, who has been interested in history since reading Abraham Lincoln biographies…

Capitol News Illinois CHICAGO – After watching prosecutors spend more than 10 hours over three days dissecting every element of the racketeering and bribery case against former Illinois House Speaker Michael Madigan, the defense on Friday acknowledged the government’s presentation seemed “very polished.” “But it’s incomplete,” Madigan attorney Dan Collins said as he began his…

Capitol News Illinois Over 5,000 preschool seats have opened for low-income families in Illinois through Smart Start Illinois in the past year. Smart Start Illinois is an initiative of Gov. JB Pritzker that’s designed to expand publicly funded preschool programs and increase the number of preschool seats available to 80% of all working families in…

Capitol News Illinois For the first time in more than a decade, a Republican will chair an Illinois House committee. Rep. Dan Swanson, R-Alpha, received the call from Democratic House Speaker Emanuel “Chris” Welch, D-Hillside, earlier this month that he was tapped to head the House Veterans’ Affairs Committee. Swanson said the appointment was a…

Capitol News Illinois CHICAGO – Federal prosecutors continued their closing arguments Wednesday in the trial of former Illinois House Speaker Michael Madigan, accusing the longtime Democratic powerbroker of using Chicago Ald. Danny Solis’ positions of power “to gain private benefits.” Read more: In closing arguments, prosecutor alleges Madigan was driven by ‘power and profit’ It…

Capitol News Illinois SPRINGFIELD – The Illinois State Board of Education is encouraging local school districts to adopt clear policies spelling out how and when their staff should cooperate with federal immigration officials carrying out enforcement actions or seeking information from school officials. The “non-regulatory guidance” on immigration enforcement actions was issued Wednesday, Jan. 22,…

Capitol News Illinois Phillip Brown called his motorcycle Elvira: Mistress of the Night – the custom 2000 Harley Davidson he built with flames licking the black tank and fenders, plenty of chrome and a $5,000 motor. That motorcycle is now at the center of a two-count federal indictment in the southern district of Illinois in…