Capitol News Illinois SPRINGFIELD – Illinois lawmakers passed two bills this week that aim to support mothers in the state. One bill requires employers to give paid time off to employees who pump breastmilk at work. The second allows midwives to help with home births, which is the latest attempt by Illinois lawmakers to restore…

Capitol News Illinois SPRINGFIELD – Illinois lawmakers are seeking to extend lawsuit protections to regular news reports following a recent ruling by the state’s Supreme Court that allowed a defamation suit against the Chicago Sun-Times to progress. The measure, Senate Bill 1181, would explicitly name the press in an existing state law that aims to…

Capitol News Illinois SPRINGFIELD – Illinois lawmakers have one week to pass a new state budget with little room for new spending and Congress presenting further challenges and uncertainty. Revenue projections had already been declining as the spring session has progressed. Now, lawmakers who have long feared further federal cuts, are grappling with the U.S…

Capitol News Illinois SPRINGFIELD – A bill unanimously passed by the Senate on Thursday and on its way to Gov. JB Pritzker’s desk will increase the age that senior drivers in Illinois are required to take an annual driver’s test. Currently, if a driver renews their driver’s license between the ages of 79 and 80,…

Capitol News Illinois Customers around Illinois will see significantly higher prices on their electric bills next month. The average residential customer of northern Illinois’ Commonwealth Edison will pay about $10.60 per month more this summer, according to a company statement. Downstate Ameren Illinois customers, meanwhile, can expect an 18% to 22% increase in their monthly…

Capitol News Illinois SPRINGFIELD — A bill creating an interdisciplinary commission to study the interplay between animals, the environment and infectious disease within the Illinois Department of Public Health passed the House unanimously Wednesday. Senate Bill 291 aims to establish the One Health Commission to aid in communication and collaboration between the state’s physicians, veterinarians,…

Capitol News Illinois SPRINGFIELD — Lawmakers approved measures limiting AI instruction at community colleges, requiring seat belts on school buses, and mandating food handlers receive certain allergen training among dozens of bills Wednesday. The Illinois Senate gave its approval to a bill that would prohibit community colleges from using artificial intelligence programs instead of human…

Capitol News Illinois SPRINGFIELD — The Senate passed a bill on Wednesday that adds new anti-bias education requirements for providers of maternal health services. The measure is aimed at combating maternal mortality in marginalized groups. If signed into law, it would mandate providers receive one hour of training prior to renewing a state license, starting…

Capitol News Illinois By Jennifer Bamberg, Investigate Midwest M.J. Kellner’s royal blue and golden yellow semi-trucks are a common sight throughout central Illinois. Every week, the wholesale food company delivers thousands of pounds of grocery items to state-owned facilities, including prisons, mental health centers, rehabilitation institutions and veterans homes. The company boasts that many of…

Capitol News Illinois SPRINGFIELD — A bill that bans carbon sequestration over, under or through portions of the Mahomet Aquifer passed out of the Illinois General Assembly on Tuesday. The bill has been a point of contention in the Statehouse during this year’s legislative session, after it was found that a leak occurred during carbon…