Lawmakers To Consider House Plan To Fill State Budget Hole
The Legislature faces a fast-approaching deadline to act as money runs out for subsidized childcare programs, prisons, and court reporters.
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The Legislature faces a fast-approaching deadline to act as money runs out for subsidized childcare programs, prisons, and court reporters.
State lawmakers have begun a new effort to figure out strategies for heading off school shootings, like the 2012 massacre at Sandy Hook in Connecticut, when a gunman killed 20 students and 6 staff.
Delivering his first budget address since winning office last fall, Gov. Bruce Rauner said his plan would end "the irresponsible and reckless practices of the past." He said lawmakers must be willing to make politically unpopular decisions to close a more than $6 billion budget hole next year.
House and Senate Democrats will seek to protect their own interests and constituencies in eventual negotiations with Rauner. While he speaks of the need for steep budget cuts, they'll likely seek to protect social services, state workers and Medicaid recipients.
Illinois Attorney General Lisa Madigan urged lawmakers Monday to let voters choose a replacement for the late Comptroller Judy Baar Topinka in 2016 after outgoing Gov. Pat Quinn and Gov.-elect Bruce Rauner make separate appointments to fill the job in the interim.
Illinois lawmakers face a number of issues as they wind down their fall veto session but won't consider increasing the state's minimum wage. Votes could come Wednesday on an expanded election law and a state health-insurance exchange.
Republican Governor-elect Bruce Rauner has met with top Democratic legislative leaders House Speaker Michael Madigan and Senate President John Cullerton. The trio met for roughly two hours Thursday at the private Chicago Club.
Governor-elect Bruce Rauner remained mum Wednesday when it came to specifics for his short-term economic plans for Illinois, ahead of a meeting with the state's top lawmakers.
State lawmakers on Wednesday discussed the future of the Abraham Presidential Library and Museum, amid a proposal by House Speaker Michael Madigan to split it off from the Illinois Historic Preservation Agency.
Illinois voters will get a chance in November to weigh in on whether millionaires should pay an additional income tax to help fund schools after Gov. Pat Quinn signed legislation Tuesday adding a nonbinding resolution to the ballot.
A key subcontractor working on the campaign to promote President Barack Obama's health care law in Illinois is a Chicago political strategy consulting firm owned by three former aides to some of the state's most-powerful Democrats.
Illinois lawmakers continued to grapple Wednesday with a new state budget, as Republicans ripped majority Democrats for spending beyond their means with a plan even Democrats acknowledge leaves "big unanswered questions" about the state's finances.
Having given up on extending Illinois' temporary income tax increase -- at least for now -- the Illinois Legislature is moving forward with a scaled-back budget that could lead to layoffs, further delays in paying the state's bills and a post-election vote to make the tax hike permanent or generate some other source of revenue.
House Speaker Michael Madigan emerged from a Memorial Day caucus meeting and told reporters that he was dropping the idea of making the 5 percent income tax permanent -- and crafting a budget blueprint that holds the line on spending but is not the "doomsday" plan the House overwhelmingly rejected on Friday.
The proposal would place a non-binding resolution on the November ballot asking voters if the Illinois Constitution should be amended to add a 3 percent surcharge to incomes of more than $1 million.
Rep. Derrick Smith is a Chicago Democrat who's charged with accepting a $7,000 bribe. He is scheduled to go to trial May 28, but the Legislature isn't scheduled to adjourn until May 31.
Illinois Gov. Pat Quinn tried Monday to persuade House Democrats to extend the state's temporary income tax increase to avoid what he says would be "savage" budget cuts, but emerged from a roughly three-hour meeting with lawmakers still well short of the votes he needs for approval.
Weeks after it became clear Illinois Democrats were struggling to find the necessary votes for legislation to increase the state's minimum wage, House Speaker Michael Madigan began advancing the issue by another route, in a move laced with political calculation.
House Speaker Michael Madigan said Wednesday that his chamber's effort to pass a budget without first securing all the needed revenue would aid a push to make an income tax hike permanent, but his colleagues in the Senate were not happy with the unusual move.
The board of the State Universities Retirement System voted Thursday to accept an interpretation of last year's state-pension reform law that says the law won't inadvertently cut university retirees' pensions.
With the help of wealthy donors and a bipartisan group of politicians, a petition to end the gerrymandering of Illinois election districts was presented Thursday, but it faces a stiff constitutional challenge that could keep the question off the November ballot.
An Illinois House committee has voted a second time to approve $100 million in state funding to bring Barack Obama's presidential library and museum to Illinois.
Illinois voters will consider a constitutional amendment this fall aimed at scuttling attempts at voter suppression after Senate action Thursday.
The legislation sponsored by House Speaker Michael Madigan overcame earlier resistance after the Chicago Democrat removed language mentioning the tax increase. Opponents feared they'd be blamed for a Chicago tax increase.
A fast-tracked plan to overhaul two Chicago city-pension programs slowed in the Illinois House Thursday, as nervous lawmakers said they fear backlash for a massive property-tax increase even if they don't directly approve it.
The Will County Sheriff's Office responded to a call of a person in the roadway just after 6 p.m. on 159th Avenue between Gougar and Cedar Roads.
The ages of the victims range from 13 to 79, according to Chicago police.
Police said the victims were approached by the suspect, who allegedly participated with others in taking one person's belongings, and tried to rob another minutes apart.
The Blackhawks announced on Saturday that Murray had died earlier in the day, without specifying where.
At least three tornadoes touched down in southern Michigan during Friday's severe storms, according to the National Weather Service.
In July, Prasad was briefly forced from his job, but was reinstated less than two weeks later.
Activists and immigrant advocacy groups who came face-to-face with federal agents during "Operation Midway Blitz" welcomed the removal of Kristi Noem as Secretary of Homeland Security, but remain wary about the department's future.
Former President Barack Obama, speaking at the funeral services for Rev. Jesse Jackson Friday afternoon, credited Jackson's presidential runs in the 1980s with setting the stage for other Black leaders, including his own successful 2009 presidency and re-election.
Gov. Pritzker told mourners that, while Rev. Jesse Jackson "was an ambassador of hope for the oppressed, who met with kings and queens and presidents and dictators and clergy of all the great religions," in Chicago "he was our neighbor."
From midnight raids to shootings, Kristi Noem, who was ousted as DHS secretary by Trump today, was at the center of many of the controversies of Operation Midway Blitz in Chicago.
There's no relief in sight for drivers at the pump as the war in Iran is directly driving up the cost of gas. Analysts expect more of the same unless something changes soon.
Drivers in the Chicago area can expect to start paying more at the pump this week, as oil prices have spiked amid the U.S.-Israeli war on Iran.
Palatine, Illinois-based Weber has issued a recall of more than 3.2 million metal wire bristle grill brushes because you could ingest the bristles.
This is after Mayor Brandon Johnson vetoed an ordinance that would have banned most hemp-derived products this weekend.
This week marks Identity Theft Awareness Week, and Illinois Comptroller Susana Mendoza emphasized some safety tips Monday for avoiding and dealing with identity theft.
When a doctor was told there was no cure for his daughter's condition, he was motivated to transform not only her health, but the lives of thousands of others.
Ann & Robert H. Lurie Children's Hospital announced this week that it is planning to open a new pediatric hospital in the west Chicago suburb of Downers Grove.
It has been nearly six years since the start of the COVID-19 pandemic, and one of the many questions doctors are still working to answer concerns the long-term effects.
Leaders from Cook County, the Illinois Department of Human Services, and the Greater Chicago Food Depository denounced changes to the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program on Wednesday.
The University of Chicago Medicine Comprehensive Cancer Center has received a grant from The Ralph Lauren Corporate Foundation for a new cancer center.
Capital One is laying off more than 1,100 workers at the former Discover headquarters in north suburban Riverwoods.
A new development at the southeast corner of Chicago's East Lakeview community would clear away a medical office building and replace it with a residential high-rise.
The City of Aurora, Illinois, is seeking input from residents about data center development.
Not one, but two hotels are now planned or proposed for Chicago's Northalsted LGBTQ+ nightlife district.
After the Double Door closed in Wicker Park, there was reassurance that the Double Door would return, at a new location in the city's Uptown neighborhood. Now that is not happening anymore.
Actor and filmmaker Bruce Campbell told fans that he is in treatment for cancer and will cancel some upcoming public appearances.
Singer-songwriter Neil Sedaka, known for his hits like "Laughter in the Rain," "Breaking Up is Hard to Do" and "Calendar Girl," has died.
A 19th-century George Méliès film, thought to be long lost, has been found among a box of brittle movie reels that a Michigan donor brought to the Library of Congress, officials said.
Streaming giant Netflix declined to match Paramount Skydance's $31 per share offer for Warner Bros. Discovery.
After the Double Door closed in Wicker Park, there was reassurance that the Double Door would return, at a new location in the city's Uptown neighborhood. Now that is not happening anymore.
Both incidents occurred after 7 a.m. on Feb. 21 near the Cermak-Chinatown stop in the 100 block of West Cermak Road, and close to the 47th Street stop in the 200 block of West 47th Street.
Metra said that they received multiple calls about the horn going off at the train yard near California and Chicago Avenue in Humboldt Park.
A procession will be followed by a private burial at the Oakwood Cemetery.
Actor and comedian Chris Tucker spoke at Rev. Jesse Jackson's private service on Saturday at the Rainbow PUSH Coalition.
Jesse Jackson Jr. gave a heartfelt and deeply emotional eulogy for his father Rev. Jesse Jackson at his private homegoing at Rainbow PUSH headquarters.
The final celebration of life services for Rev. Jesse Jackson was at Rainbow PUSH Coalition headquarters Saturday.
An EF-3 tornado moved through Union City, Michigan, during Friday night's severe storms in the southwest part of the state, according to the National Weather Service.
The Will County Sheriff's Office responded to a call of a person in the roadway just after 6 p.m. on 159th Avenue between Gougar and Cedar Roads.
The ages of the victims range from 13 to 79, according to Chicago police.
At least four people have died, and several others were injured after multiple tornadoes ripped through Southwest Michigan on Friday, authorities say.
A Chicago senior citizen said his phone has been ringing off the hook with hundreds of unwanted spam calls that have made his beloved landline virtually unusable. New efforts in Springfield could bring real relief.
A proposed Illinois law hopes to create more oversight on private companies to protect consumers from skyrocketing utility prices.
The three women said they are working to make their way back home, but without any help from the U.S. State Department.
If you feel like you're drowning in a sea of text alerts and desperate email pleas for "just $5" this election season, you are far from alone.
A north suburban school bus driver became a victim of sophisticated scammers who are targeting more people and more vulnerable populations to make more money.
The Blackhawks announced on Saturday that Murray had died earlier in the day, without specifying where.
Brock Boeser batted the puck in to break a tie at 2:40 of the third period and the NHL-worst Vancouver Canucks beat the Chicago Blackhawks 6-3 on Friday night to end a seven-game losing streak that started in January.
Chicago's sports scene has endured decades of heartache offset by pockets of championship glory, and some of the most pivotal figures in American sports history.
Just three days after losing Pro Bowl center Drew Dalman to a stunning early retirement, the Bears have found his successor, acquiring Garrett Bradbury from the Patriots for a 2027 fifth-round pick, according to CBS Sports lead NFL insider Jonathan Jones.
Nick Foligno is joining his brother Marcus with the Minnesota Wild, who made several moves on NHL trade deadline day Friday.
At least five people are in serious condition, an official said. Three minors - a 16-year-old and two 17-year-olds - are among the wounded.
Ian Huntley, 52, had been on life support after being hit repeatedly over the head with a metal bar in a U.K. prison on Feb. 26.
A Chicago man has been charged with a string of burglaries targeting video gambling terminals at businesses in Chicago's southwest suburbs.
An 11-year-old girl was sexually assaulted by three juveniles on Chicago's Near South Side this week.
A woman was held up by gun-wielding robbers in Chicago's Lincoln Park neighborhood early Thursday morning.
