Capitol News Illinois SPRINGFIELD – Illinois House Republicans waited too long to file a lawsuit challenging legislative maps drawn in 2021, the Illinois Supreme Court ruled Wednesday. As a result, the Democrat-majority court will not hear the case. House Republican Leader Tony McCombie, R-Savanna, along with a group of individual voters, asked the court to…

Capitol News Illinois SPRINGFIELD – Gov. JB Pritzker announced the sixth annual winner of the “Makers Madness” contest Wednesday in Springfield. Chosen in a bracket-style competition from a field of more than 250 products, MTH Pumps’ aerial firefighting helicopter refill pump is the 2025 “Coolest Thing Made in Illinois.” This specific pump was designed to…

Capitol News Illinois SPRINGFIELD — Illinois has been at the forefront of the data center boom, but state lawmakers are working to gauge and mitigate the impact these centers have on climate and energy consumption. In the last two decades, data centers have multiplied due to increased demand for cloud computing, information storage and data…

Capitol News Illinois SPRINGFIELD — Gov. JB Pritzker vowed Tuesday that Illinois will remain a “stable” trading partner with nations around the world, despite President Donald Trump’s imposition of tariffs that have disrupted global markets. “Look, there are a lot of uncertainties at the moment, a lot of instability. There’s no doubt,” Pritzker said. “But…

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,…