A lame-duck session has outgoing lawmakers voting on measures with simple majorities necessary to pass a bill, something that can happen following a scheduled veto session and before the next session of lawmakers takes the oath in January. … MORE
Category Archives: State News
State House fails to override Rauner vetoes on voter registration, prevailing wage bills
Lawmakers in the Illinois House failed to override the Gov. Bruce Rauner’s veto on several measures today, including a measure to automatically register people to vote any time they interact with state government.… MORE
Madigan skips leaders meeting due to scheduling conflict
Gov. Bruce Rauner met with most of the legislative leaders, but not House Speaker Michael Madigan, Tuesday morning, with another meeting expected later in the day to work on a deal for a balanced budget and reforms to grow the economy.
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Durbin: Recount could answer questions about Russian involvement
U.S. Sen. Dick Durbin said its ‘highly likely’ a recount of the presidential election will change the outcome, but if Green Party candidate Jill Stein is willing to put up the money, where’s the harm?… MORE
Little movement in latest budget meeting between Rauner, Democrats
Illinois’ leading statehouse Democrats differ on the way forward to find a balanced budget with reforms to grow the economy.… MORE
Illinois soon to pay for newly-eligible Medicaid patients
Regardless of what a new Congress does with Obamacare, states will start to pick up part of the cost for their ‘newly eligible’ Medicaid patients next year.… MORE
Illinois sees drop in deer harvest in first week of firearm season
Hunters in Illinois fought off high winds for a solid first weekend in the state’s firearm deer season.… MORE
Energy-rate restructuring bill to save nuclear plants elicits concerns from both sides
Legislation that would give two Illinois nuclear power plants a secure future has elicited support from those who want to save the thousands of jobs created by the facilities, but also warnings of proposed changes in how residents’ electric bills would be structured.… MORE
Chances for a white Christmas
Are you dreaming of a white Christmas already?… MORE
3 Illinois universities get emergency payments
State universities are picking up a few extra dollars before the end of the year. … MORE
Blogs
Labor Day – Expanding voting rights for all
By Mike Matejka Because of COVID, there is no Labor Day Parade this year. It’s always a great event for our everyday workers to march proudly down the street and enjoys the festive crowd. If there had been a parade, this year’s Labor Day theme was to be “150 years of struggle: your right to vote.” …
Is federal mobilization the answer?
By Mike Matejka As President Donald Trump threatens to send federal marshals into Chicago, over the objections of Illinois Governor J.B. Pritzker, recall another Illinois Governor who protested the incursion of armed federal personnel into the city. Those federal troops, rather than calming, escalated the situation, leading to deaths and violence. Illinois poet Vachel Lindsay…
In these troubled times, to my fellow white Americans
By Mike Matejka Our nation is at a unique watershed in human relations. African-Americans have been killed too many times in the past before George Floyd, but the response to this man’s death is international and all-encompassing. I was a grade-schooler during the Civil Rights 1960s. I watched Birmingham demonstrators hosed and the Selma – Montgomery…
Workers’ Memorial Day – Remember those whose job took their life
Looking around our community, when we say employer, most will respond to State Farm, Country, or Illinois State University. We too often forget those who are building our roads, serving our food, or our public employees. COVID-19 has made us more aware of the risk. Going to work every day for some people means…