Gov. JB Pritzker signed a bill Friday that officially recognizes gambling disorder as an addiction in Illinois. The legislation, Senate Bill 2749, updates the state’s existing Substance Use Disorder Act to codify gambling addiction under the same framework as alcohol and drug use disorders, allowing the Illinois Department of Human Services’ behavioral health division to offer […]
Maggie Dougherty
Maggie Dougherty is Chicago-based state government and politics reporter for Capitol News Illinois. She previously served as a summer intern with Illinois Times while finishing her master's degree with Northwestern University's Medill School of Journalism.
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These 9 Illinois communities say they’re interested in new nuclear facilities
Illinois has opened the door to a new era of nuclear energy generation, but a question remains: Where would new nuclear power plants go? It’s an issue that Gov. JB Pritzker directed state agencies to explore this spring, when he signed his first executive order of the year and as the state seeks to stave off projected energy shortfalls that could […]
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Pritzker signs landmark AI regulation bill that aims to mitigate risks
Gov. JB Pritzker signed artificial intelligence legislation modeled after similar bills in California and New York on Monday, furthering a push for a state-driven national framework in lieu of federal regulations. “Congress and the president ought to be passing similar legislation, but they’ve so far been unwilling, because many are captive to special interests that […]
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Gov. JB Pritzker suspends tax breaks for data centers, urges more discussion
CHICAGO — In a surprise move, Gov. JB Pritzker announced Friday that he is putting a pause on all new state tax incentives for data centers and calling on lawmakers to pass new data center reforms during the fall veto session. The governor has directed the Illinois Department of Commerce and Economic Opportunity to pause […]
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What does Gov. JB Pritzker’s nuclear energy executive order do?
During his recent State of the State and budget address, Gov. JB Pritzker announced a new direction for nuclear energy in Illinois, aimed at staving off predicted energy shortages as the state moves toward carbon-free power generation. Pritzker signed an executive order the morning of the address, saying it “sets a new nuclear energy framework for Illinois — […]
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Oversight panel OKs rule on digitized prison mail in Illinois with new changes
A state legislative oversight committee Friday permitted the Illinois Department of Corrections to formally adopt permanent rules that allow it to scan and digitize mail of those in custody, in a blow to prison reform advocates. The rule was originally introduced under pressure from Republican legislators and the IDOC workers’ union after a series of substance exposures […]
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Illinois maternal mortality report finds rise in pregnancy-related deaths
Preventable pregnancy-related deaths rose and stark racial disparities remained in the Illinois Department of Public Health’s most recent maternal mortality report. The report studied 219 deaths that occurred in Illinois in 2021 and 2022 during or within one year of pregnancy. The two committees that reviewed the deaths determined 94 to be related to pregnancy. This […]
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Illinois Accountability Commission hears testimony about excessive force by ICE agents
A newly formed commission heard sobering testimony about federal agents’ excessive use of force, just days after Border Patrol chief Gregory Bovino was spotted back in the city. The Illinois Accountability Commission held its first public meeting Dec. 18 in the city’s Little Village neighborhood to compile an official public record of misconduct by federal agents during […]
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Illinois leaders ‘won’t back down’ following Trump’s order limiting AI regulation
Illinois lawmakers vowed to keep fighting for protections against artificial intelligence after President Donald Trump signed an executive order Dec. 11 to shield tech companies from state laws. Trump’s order targets state regulations, including several in Illinois, that he said are inconsistent with national policy on AI. Critics said Illinois will not be swayed by the influence […]
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Pritzker signs ‘medical aid in dying’ bill amid religious opposition
Gov. JB Pritzker signed a law Dec. 12 that will allow terminally ill adults in Illinois to take life-ending medication prescribed by physicians. The controversial bill overcame strong opposition from religious groups and some disability rights advocates who feared it could endanger Illinoisians with disabilities. Critics call the practice “assisted suicide,” while those who support the law […]
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Budzinski intervenes in local housing dispute
U.S. Rep. Nikki Budzinski is demanding to know why a building management company accused of failing to provide safe and clean living conditions in one of its Springfield-based apartment buildings has not taken action. Budzinski, a Democrat who represents Illinois’ 13th congressional district, sent a letter Nov. 24 to Pacific Management Inc., seeking answers about […]
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Seniors struggle at Sangamon Towers
Early on a Friday morning in late August, a group of Springfield seniors sat around a table outside Sangamon Towers, the apartment building they call home. It was a cool morning, out of the norm for the month’s heavy heat, and some wore light jackets. “Everybody in this building should be able to come out […]
