Illinoisans could see a new line item on their electric bills under a bill passed Wednesday night by the Illinois House. Under the proposal, contained in an amendment to Senate Bill 25, ratepayers will subsidize energy storage projects like large battery installations. Environmental groups and the renewable energy industry often tout batteries as a way to […]
Andrew Adams
A civics nerd from childhood, Andrew joined CNI in February 2023 and brings a unique blend of data-driven and traditional reporting to the newsroom. He loves numbers, statistics and visual reporting – things that scare off most journalists. He’s legitimately pumped about helping CNI expand its digital reporting.
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Nuclear power, battery storage funding at center of energy policy debate
After twice failing to pass an energy reform package this year, lawmakers and renewable energy advocates are aiming to reach a deal in time for a brief legislative session in October. The bill, in its current form, would create a surcharge on electric bills to incentivize battery storage developments, loosen state-level nuclear regulations, institute new […]
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Illinois bet on solar to meet its climate goals. Trump has the industry in his crosshairs.
President Donald Trump and congressional Republicans earlier this month curtailed federal tax incentives for the solar energy industry and for individuals and companies that purchase solar panels. The move sent shockwaves through the industry nationwide, pulling key incentives for major projects and residential rooftop solar alike. But in Illinois, members of the industry say state […]
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Comptroller Mendoza won’t run for reelection, opening up statewide office
After almost a decade, Illinois State Comptroller Susana Mendoza will not seek another term as the state’s chief financial officer. Mendoza, who took office in December 2016 after beating an ally of Republican Gov. Bruce Rauner in a special election, has overseen the state’s financial systems through both the COVID-19 pandemic and the worst budget […]
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Lawmakers pitch public transit and funding reform
With two days left in the legislative session, lawmakers in Springfield announced a pair of plans for how to reform Chicagoland transit agencies after two years of debate, one of which would come with a spate of new taxes. The proposals give new power to the agency that oversees the Chicago Transit Authority, Metra commuter […]
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Black, Latino lawmakers criticize Pritzkers budget
Majority Party Democrats had mixed reactions to Gov. JB Pritzker’s budget address, with leadership in the General Assembly offering praise amid criticisms from members of the legislature’s Black and Latino caucuses. The governor’s budget speech – which outlined a $2 billion spending increase without new taxes on everyday Illinoisans – also drew immediate criticism from […]
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Lawmakers weigh whether to legalize ‘medical aid in dying’
Lawmakers are considering legalizing a controversial medical practice that proponents say could ease suffering for the terminally ill. It’s sometimes called “assisted suicide,” although physicians and advocates for the practice prefer the term “medical aid in dying,” or MAID. While Compassion & Choices — a group that advocates for medical aid in dying policies — […]
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Lawmakers give small boost to renewable developments, delay broader reform
Lawmakers last week passed a bill aimed at boosting the development of renewable energy generation, but its proponents said the final measure was a “skinny” version of what they had hoped to pass. The bill comes as several state officials warn that Illinois is falling behind on its clean energy goals. The state’s main funding […]
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New federal lawsuit challenges Illinois abortion protections
A conservative Catholic legal group is suing Illinois over a landmark state law enshrining a “fundamental right” to abortion care and requiring insurance companies to cover abortion and other reproductive health care. The lawsuit, filed Nov. 21 in federal court in Chicago by the Thomas More Society, seeks to prevent the state from requiring insurers […]
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Unions lead the way on funding state elections in Illinois
This year in Illinois, there are no statewide elections. There are no fights over a Supreme Court seat. There are no constitutional amendments. At the Statehouse, more than half of general election races are uncontested. And yet, political campaigns in Illinois raised about $600 million in itemized individual contributions, according to a Capitol News Illinois […]
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Three advisory questions on November ballot
Lawmakers in Illinois are asking voters to weigh in on three hot-button issues on their ballots this year: election interference, income taxes and reproductive health care. Voters in Illinois are being posed three “advisory” questions that ask voters whether they support a specific policy but aren’t legally binding. Lawmakers may take the results into account […]
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ADM carbon sequestration project violated Safe Drinking Water Act, per EPA
Agribusiness giant ADM violated federal regulations, a federal permit and the Safe Drinking Water Act earlier this year when a monitoring well at its carbon sequestration site in Decatur leaked liquified carbon dioxide into “unauthorized zones,” according to the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency. In an August notice, the federal regulatory agency also alleged the company […]
