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The Democrat-controlled Legislature began piecing together a new state budget Tuesday that avoids the steep cuts of recent years and also gave final approval to a historic expansion of Medicaid, as Republicans accused their colleagues across the aisle of having "an insatiable appetite to spend money we don't have."
Majority Democrats on the committee drove the 10-6 vote in favor of the bill by Sen. Kwame Raoul Raoul said he doesn't know how many votes he has on the floor or when he'll call it.
Gun owners could carry concealed weapons in Illinois, the last state in the nation to prohibit it, under legislation that swept through the House Friday with the backing of the powerful Democratic speaker from Chicago, a city torn by violence despite what critics claim are the nation's toughest firearms restrictions.
A concealed-carry gun deal brokered by House Speaker Michael Madigan cleared a House committee Thursday, but its prospects were unclear across the Capitol in the Senate because of the way it would curb existing local gun laws.
The longtime backer of a push to expand gambling in Illinois has dropped his name from a pending bill over "perceived conflict of interest" with a law firm where he's counsel.
Public school administrators told lawmakers Thursday that some local districts would have to raise property taxes if legislators vote to have them cover the cost of teacher pensions.
The Illinois Senate voted Thursday to send a union-supported pension reform bill to the House, leaving lawmakers with two competing proposals for dealing with the nation's worst state pension crisis just weeks before the Legislature is scheduled to adjourn.
The Illinois House has approved a comprehensive pension-reform plan for the first time after years of talks.
Labor leaders threatened a lawsuit Wednesday over House Speaker Michael Madigan's pension-reform proposal to lower the retirement benefits of public employees in Illinois, but a committee advanced the plan anyway.
Illinois House Speaker Michael Madigan sought Tuesday to tackle the pension crisis through a single piece of legislation that would require government employees and teachers to contribute more toward their retirement but receive fewer benefits in return.
Illinois lawmakers from both parties celebrated a possible breakthrough Thursday in their struggle to solve the multibillion-dollar pension crisis after voting to reduce and delay cost-of-living increases in state employees' retirement pay — a step the House Republican leader heralded as "the meat and potatoes of pension reform."
A day after Gov. Pat Quinn upbraided lawmakers for inaction on the state's multibillion-dollar pension mess, House members found a proposal they could get behind, backing a measure to limit the salary on which a public employee's retirement benefits could be based.
Illinois lawmakers are trying to keep a lid on spending, but a drafting error in a budget plan they approved would allow only $35,000 to run the entire state government for a year.
The firestorm over concealed weapons moved to the Illinois House floor Tuesday, sparking Republican complaints that an extraordinary legislative process set up by majority Democrats would restrict the right to carry guns in public rather than allow it, as a federal court has ordered.
A breakthrough measure to address Illinois' $96 billion pension crisis progressed Monday in the Illinois House, but odds of a final deal before this week's deadline grew slimmer as lawmakers left the Capitol without taking a floor vote.
A downstate lawmaker screamed, yelled and threw papers Tuesday, as he expressed frustration about the Democrat-led plan to overhaul the state pension system.
A plan to cut government pensions and shift some retirement costs to schools has cleared its first hurdle in the Illinois Legislature.
Illinois House Speaker Michael Madigan said Tuesday that he's not sure casino legislation will be going very far in Springfield this spring.
Illinois House Speaker Michael Madigan says local school districts haven't been paying into their teachers' retirement systems, and he thinks it may be high time that they did.
Illinois lawmakers rebuked Gov. Pat Quinn on Tuesday as senators took a step toward overriding his veto on high-profile electricity legislation and House Speaker Michael Madigan criticized his no-layoff agreement with a major union.
Illinois House Speaker Michael Madigan said he is open to reallocating state budget money to avoid numerous layoffs and facility closures proposed last week by Gov. Pat Quinn.
Gov. Pat Quinn flexed his veto power Wednesday by rewriting legislation in a way that would end the long practice of letting Illinois legislators hand out scholarships to state universities.
Local Democrats have tapped Bridgeview Mayor Steve Landek to replace retiring state Sen. Lou Viverito, who just voted for a controversial state income tax hike.
Gov. Pat Quinn is defending his support for a massive income tax increase, saying the state was facing a crisis and "we had to take decisive action."
A ticket from Michael Jordan's first home game with the Chicago Bulls 41 years ago sold for more than $7,600 at auction.
A Chicago police officer was shot in the protective vest in the city's Morgan Park neighborhood, while officers also shot a suspected gunman, and police said a teen was shot twice.
Brandt Clarke scored twice to help Los Angeles break out of an offensive funk, Darcy Kuemper made 23 saves and the Kings beat the Chicago Blackhawks 6-0 on Saturday night to split a two-game set.
His father, Rod, is an NHL great who is currently the head coach of the Wolves' affiliate, the Carolina Hurricanes.
Families who have lost loved ones serving in the U.S. military were treated to a trip to Walt Disney World.
Two people who survived an early September U.S. attack on an alleged drug boat were waving overhead before they were killed in a now-controversial second strike, according to two sources.
The Supreme Court said Friday it will decide the legality of President Trump's executive order that seeks to end birthright citizenship.
President Trump has led the charge to create more GOP-friendly congressional districts in the 2026 midterm elections.
Illinois Senator Dick Durbin is set to retire in 2026, but before he leaves Congress he is making one last attempt to pass the DREAM Act.
Former Chicago Tribune publisher and editor-in-chief R. Bruce Dold passed away this week.
A condo owner in Country Club Hills says he's forced to sell his home after his condo association failed to reimburse him for repairs to his leaking roof. Edward Hadnott's condo has sat empty since a major roof leak in 2022.
The U.S. stopped minting pennies this week, and some groups have issued a warning about the headaches that can create for some businesses and consumers.
Why is one school in the west Chicago suburb of Lisle paying a water bill three times higher than another? The answer has to do with a private utility company.
The Food and Drug Administration is warning about additional cookware brands that could be leaching lead into your food.
Walgreens said it will close its office space in Chicago's Old Post Office building.
The newest measles vaccination numbers released by Chicago Public Schools shows immunizations are finally moving in the right direction.
Two pregnant Black women recently faced alarming neglect at hospitals in Indiana and Texas, highlighting racial disparities in maternal care.
Illinois Gov. JB Pritzker on Tuesday signed a bill aimed at protecting vaccine access in Illinois.
Roseland Community Hospital on Monday celebrated the opening of a new sickle cell treatment clinic.
Consumers with the imported pans should throw them away due to the severe health risks posed by lead, the agency warns.
U.S. Steel says it'll resume making steel slabs at its Granite City Works plant in Illinois amid strengthening demand.
Traffic at O'Hare International Airport is growing faster than expected, and this has Chicago city leaders wanting to make big changes to future construction plans at the airport.
Small Business Saturday was disrupted by the winter storm for many business owners in Chicago, but in the Rogers Park neighborhood, a group of business owners came together to draw customers.
Three different times over the past year, popular and longstanding Chicago stage theater spaces have made headlines for their demise. But it's not all bad news by any stretch.
A federal judge has called out an immigration enforcement agent for using artificial intelligence to write the narrative of a use-of-force report as just a small part of a scathing opinion that rebutted federal officials' narratives about appropriate force used against protesters and others during an ongoing immigration crackdown in Chicago.
Frank Gehry was known for designing the Guggenheim Museum Bilbao in Spain and the Walt Disney Concert Hall in Los Angeles.
Netflix on Friday said it will acquire Warner Bros., including its film and television studios, HBO Max and HBO.
Starting Wednesday, riders on the Chicago Transit Authority system will hear a recognizable Chicago voice during their commutes.
Three different times over the past year, popular and longstanding Chicago stage theater spaces have made headlines for their demise. But it's not all bad news by any stretch.
Joe Colborn, better known as Joe "JoBo" Bohannon on Chicago radio, died this week.
Barb’s Precious Rescue is holding its annual Whiskers and Wishes event in Palatine, where visitors can make lasting holiday memories with their cats or kittens. Joining us is Barb Weber, the founder of Barb’s Precious Rescue and Adoption Center.
Kierra J. Turpin, the Project Homegrown coordinator for the Berwyn Development Corporation, joins Suzanne Le Mignot to talk about the event.
A Chicago police officer was shot in the protective vest in the city's Morgan Park neighborhood, while officers also shot a suspected gunman, and police said a teen was shot twice. Asal Rezaei reports.
Meteorologist Mary Kay Kleist has your 6 a.m. First Alert Weather forecast for Sunday, Dec. 7, 2025.
The village's tree lighting event brought plenty of holiday spirit and a Christmas parade.
A Chicago police officer was shot in the protective vest in Morgan Park, while officers also shot a suspected gunman, and police said a teen was shot twice.
A winter weather system dropped 6 inches of fresh snow in some parts of the greater Chicago area Sunday morning, and prompted a ground stop at O'Hare International Airport.
Elgin police officers were told by the agent that the crash occurred while they were conducting an enforcement activity.
Des Plaines police said the USPS driver claimed that he temporarily lost control of his vehicle, leading to the crash.
A man and a woman were charged after authorities said they buried an infant child at a home in Wilmington, Illinois, last year.
A Chicago woman battling ALS said she's been struggling just to get a disabled parking space in front of her Bridgeport home.
Days after new Cook County Chief Judge Charles Beach ordered an urgent review of the county's electronic monitoring program, Sheriff Tom Dart said this crisis isn't new, and that he's been warning lawmakers of problems for years.
Charles Beach was sworn in on Monday as Cook County's first new chief judge in 24 years, and takes over amid a political firestorm over what appears to be systemic issues with how accused criminals are being monitored before trial.
Some Chicagoans found out the hard way on Monday that the overnight winter parking ban is in effect.
The electronic monitoring system in Cook County has come under increased scrutiny, after a woman was set on fire in a horrific arson attack on the Blue Line, with critics demanding answers as to why the suspect wasn't already behind bars.
A ticket from Michael Jordan's first home game with the Chicago Bulls 41 years ago sold for more than $7,600 at auction.
Brandt Clarke scored twice to help Los Angeles break out of an offensive funk, Darcy Kuemper made 23 saves and the Kings beat the Chicago Blackhawks 6-0 on Saturday night to split a two-game set.
His father, Rod, is an NHL great who is currently the head coach of the Wolves' affiliate, the Carolina Hurricanes.
Pascal Siakam scored a season-high 36 points, Bennedict Mathurin added 28 and the Indiana Pacers beat the struggling Chicago Bulls 120-105 on Friday night.
Sitting in 1st-place in the NFC standings isn't the only feel-good story for the Bears, as cornerback Nahshon Wright was named the conference's Defensive Player of the Month.
A Chicago police officer was shot in the protective vest in the city's Morgan Park neighborhood, while officers also shot a suspected gunman, and police said a teen was shot twice.
The special edition locket was inspired by the James Bond film "Octopussy," which revolves around a plot to steal a rare Faberge egg.
Authorities say the FBI has arrested a man suspected of placing pipe bombs outside RNC and DNC headquarters on the eve of the Jan. 6, 2021, Capitol riot.
A woman from Chicago's northwest suburbs appeared in court Thursday for a shooting that killed another woman in the South Loop in September.
The man charged with pushing a CTA passenger onto the tracks at a Blue Line station in Chicago's western suburbs on Monday was ordered held in jail, after repeatedly interrupting the judge and prosecutors during his first court appearance on Wednesday.
