Capitol News

Capitol News Illinois SPRINGFIELD — The House passed a bill Tuesday that would ban public schools from using mascots that discriminate against people with disabilities. The bill, if signed into law, currently would affect just one high school in St. Clair County. Freeburg Community High School’s mascot, the “Midgets,” is considered a slur used against…

Capitol News Illinois SPRINGFIELD — A bill that would eliminate the statute of limitations for cases of involuntary servitude or trafficking passed the Illinois House on Tuesday. Current Illinois law only allows a victim of involuntary servitude, involuntary sexual servitude of a minor, or trafficking to pursue prosecution of their offender for up to 25…

Capitol News Illinois The trial of a former Sangamon County sheriff’s deputy accused of the murder of an unarmed Black woman in 2024 will be moved 85 miles north to Peoria County. A Sangamon County judge granted a motion Tuesday for a change of venue without an objection from prosecutors. Former deputy Sean Grayson faces…

Capitol News Illinois SPRINGFIELD — The Illinois House took its first step Monday in passing legislation responding to proposed actions by the Trump administration. The House voted 67-39 to advance House Bill 3637, which would put new protections in state law to safeguard health care licenses for providers who offer abortion cares. It also guarantees…

Capitol News Illinois SPRINGFIELD — Nursing home industry officials are urging Illinois lawmakers to increase the rates they receive from the state’s Medicaid system, arguing the current rates are outdated and are forcing many facilities around the state out of business. “We’ve expressed our concerns that closures will happen. We’ve been saying that for years,…

Capitol News Illinois CHICAGO — Tens of thousands of Illinoisans across the state took to the streets Saturday to protest President Donald Trump’s and billionaire Elon Musk’s government downsizing, foreign policy choices and actions on the economy, immigration and human rights. The protests spanned more than 30 cities in Illinois as part of a “Hands…

Capitol News Illinois CHICAGO – Jury selection is scheduled to begin Monday morning in the federal corruption trial of state Sen. Emil Jones III, D-Chicago, who stands accused of accepting alleged bribes from a red-light camera company executive whose cooperation with the feds has also brought down several other Chicago-area politicians. Jones, the son of…

Capitol News Illinois SPRINGFIELD – Outside the busy systems of buses and trains moving about a million commuters around Chicago and its suburbs every day, 54 public transit agencies provide services throughout the rest of Illinois in communities surrounded by farmland and or home to state colleges and universities. State lawmakers are spending this spring’s…

Capitol News Illinois Editor’s note: This story has been updated to clarify the name of trooper Clay Carns and to correct the number of crashes caused by drivers violating the Move Over Law. For a moment, Illinois State Trooper Alex Womack was flying, tumbling in mid-air, alternately seeing sky then ground. He doesn’t remember hitting…

Capitol News Illinois SPRINGFIELD — Illinois Senate Democrats voiced their support Thursday for a bill that would create a program to streamline high school students’ college application processes, reducing fees and making higher education more affordable. An initiative of Gov. JB Pritzker, the direct admission program is described as a “one-stop shop” for students that…