Capitol News Illinois

Gov. JB Pritzker on Monday announced the creation of a $40 million grant program to incentivize the creation of large development-ready areas known as “megasites” across the state. Megasites are large swaths of land, developed to attract businesses such as manufacturing plants, warehouses and distribution centers. Pritzker said developing these sites will help make Illinois […]

A bill that would ban the sale and manufacture of assault weapons in Illinois advanced out of the state House on Thursday, Jan. 5, and now awaits action in the Senate. The bill was prompted in large part by the July 4 mass shooting in Highland Park during an Independence Day parade which left seven […]

An appeal to the Illinois Supreme Court regarding the constitutionality of a state law that would end cash bail appears to be at least three months away from resolution under a new timeline approved by the court Thursday. Attorney General Kwame Raoul filed the agreed motion setting the timeline for the high court’s appeal of […]

Some of the state’s leading law enforcement officials on Tuesday, Dec. 20, urged lawmakers to pass a statewide ban on high-power, high-capacity weapons, which they say are growing in prevalence in Illinois. “What the public asks members of the law enforcement community to do each and every day is stunning, knowing full well that the […]

For Illinois’ homeless populations and those that serve them, the COVID-19 pandemic accelerated a crisis – the volunteer, mostly faith-based shelters that had long been the backbone of the state’s emergency housing system were closing their doors. But with the crisis – and a sudden influx of temporary federal, state and philanthropic funding – came […]

A legislative committee on Thursday, Dec. 15, heard more witnesses call for a ban on high-power, semi-automatic rifles and large-capacity magazines, but some experts said that alone won’t solve the problem of violent crime in Illinois. During its second hearing on a proposed assault weapon ban, an Illinois House committee, meeting in Chicago, heard from […]

Lawmakers on Thursday passed a long-awaited amendment to the SAFE-T Act criminal justice reform’s provisions that will eliminate cash bail when the calendar hits 2023. The measure expands the list of crimes for which a judge can order pretrial detention, adds to what a judge can consider when determining if a defendant is a risk […]

Illinois House Speaker Emanuel “Chris” Welch, who recently announced he has the support for another term as House speaker, says he looks forward to governing with an even larger supermajority than he had during his first two years. “Expanding our caucus was definitely a priority of mine,” he said during an interview with Capitol News […]