A circuit court judge in Sangamon County threatened Tuesday to begin assessing daily fines against the Illinois Department of Children and Family Services for its repeated failure to appear in court or comply with orders to hand over documents related to the death of a teenager who was in the agency’s care. Judge Jack Davis […]
Peter Hancock
Posted inNews
Judge denies Trump administration access to Illinois voter data
A federal judge ruled late Friday that Illinois is not required to hand over its complete, unredacted voter registration data, including sensitive personal information, to the Trump administration. In a 14-page opinion, Judge Colleen Lawless reached the same conclusion as judges in 18 other federal districts and one appellate circuit who have ruled in nearly […]
Posted inNews
Pritzker signs school cellphone ban to avoid student distractions
Students in all Illinois public schools will soon have to abide by rules barring them from using cellphones or other personal electronic communication devices during school hours unless they have been given specific permission to use them. Although many districts already have similar policies in place, Gov. JB Pritzker signed legislation Tuesday that will require all districts […]
Posted inNews
Lawmakers at the end of session try to appease both sides in drug pricing controversy
Illinois lawmakers gave hospitals and community health centers much of what they wanted this session by passing a bill that prohibits drug manufacturers from interfering with their access to discounted medications through a federal drug pricing program. But they also gave drug companies what they wanted by passing another piece of legislation that calls on […]
Posted inNews
Federal drug discount expansion proposal may cost Illinois millions, agency head says
A proposal that would expand access to a federal program that discounts the price of prescription drugs could end up costing Illinois employers an additional $89 million a year, including more than $12 million a year for the state of Illinois itself. That’s according to a memo, dated May 12, from the Department of Central […]
Posted inNews
DOJ seeking Illinois voter data to purge suspected noncitizens, documents suggest
The Trump administration’s lawsuits seeking access to sensitive voter registration data in Illinois and dozens of other states is one part of a broader effort to purge state voter rolls of suspected noncitizens, according to documents filed recently in federal court in Springfield. Those documents were filed April 30 by attorneys representing the Illinois AFL-CIO […]
Posted inNews
Insurance industry blames inflation, climate change for rate hikes
Insurance industry officials defended recent homeowners insurance rate spikes this week, blaming such factors as inflation and climate change while warning that attempts to regulate their ability to set rates would be bad for consumers. In testimony during a virtual meeting Wednesday of the Senate Insurance Committee, officials pushed back against criticisms by Gov. JB […]
Posted inNews
Advocates await action on bill protecting rights of immigrant students in Illinois
Immigration rights advocates in Illinois are anxiously awaiting the governor’s signature on legislation aimed at protecting K-12 students who may be in the country without legal authorization from being denied access to a free public education. House Bill 3247, known as the “Safe Schools for All Act,” passed both chambers of the General Assembly in […]
Posted inNews
Major higher education policy bills stall in General Assembly
Gov. JB Pritzker got some of what he requested from the General Assembly in the area of higher education, but his biggest requests fell short. Pritzker’s wins include a $10 million increase in need-based student financial aid and passage of a direct admission program to make it easier for eligible Illinois high school and community […]
Posted inNews
State to end health coverage program for immigrant adults
State officials are on track to shut down a program at the end of June that provides publicly funded health care coverage to more than 30,000 non-U.S. citizens in Illinois, including many who are in the country without legal authorization. A legislative oversight committee took no action May 13 on a set of administrative rules […]
Posted inNews
Illinois nursing homes seek Medicaid rate hike
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, and it’s actually happening now, […]
Posted inNews
Kwame Raoul rules out bid for U.S. Senate
While many Illinois Democrats wait anxiously to hear whether U.S. Sen. Dick Durbin will run for reelection in 2026 or step down after five terms in the Senate, at least one incumbent officeholder appears to be ruling himself out as a potential successor. Illinois Attorney General Kwame Raoul said Tuesday he is not interested in […]
