Illinois General Assembly
State Government: Elected Officials | State Legislative Bodies
Recent News About Illinois General Assembly
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Illinois employers should prepare now to track paid leave benefits under new law, attorney says
Illinois employers should prepare for the state's new Employee Sick Leave Act, which allows employees to use paid personal sick leave benefits to take care of family members, a labor and employment attorney said in a recent interview. -
IL Supreme Court strikes remap effort; dissenters say redistricting reform now all but impossible
By a 4-3 decision, the Illinois Supreme Court declared unconstitutional a proposed constitutional amendment to change the way Illinois draws its legislative districts. The decision prompted dissenting justices to declare 'meaningful reform' of the redistricting process all but impossible under the legal reasoning of the majority. -
State Supreme Court: Unmarried couples still don't get same property rights as divorcing married couples
Despite changing societal views on marriage romantic relationships, and particularly the acceptance of same-sex marriage and domestic partnerships, the Illinois Supreme Court said cohabiting domestic partners still should not enjoy the same rights as divorcing married partners under existing law when dividing up property and assets at the end of the relationship. -
TIF revenue up in Chicago, but it may not be helping where needed most, clerk's report says
Revenue collected in the city of Chicago's Tax Increment Financing (TIF) districts will increase 23.9 percent this year, according to a report recently issued by Cook County Clerk David Orr. But it appears that failing neighborhoods that need revitalization the most are not seeing as much benefit from TIF, relative to areas that are already thriving. -
Congressional candidate, Liberty Justice Center challenge IL Election Day voter registration program
A Western Illinois Republican Congressional candidate has partnered with a Chicago-based public-interest litigation group to challenge Illinois’ Election Day voter registration program, saying the state’s system is unfairly slanted to favor counties with the biggest populations and, by extension, to boost the likelihood of Democratic candidates succeeding at the polls. -
Ideas to reduce Cook County elected officials to save money, boost effectiveness, not going away
While some ideas are moving ahead and others are on the backburner, the concept of reducing the number of the county's elected offices remains a hot topic in Cook County, as supporters believe the reforms could both save money and make the local government more effective by installing the best people for the job, rather than the most popular. -
Rauner forms panel to study reform of school funding formula
SPRINGFIELD – Illinois Gov. Bruce Rauner recently announced the creation of a bipartisan commission to study the state’s controversial school funding formula. -
Cook Co. judge blocks redistricting amendment from Nov. ballot; case headed to IL Supreme Court
A Cook County judge has, for now, blocked voters from having the chance to decide whether the state should rewrite the rules by which state lawmakers’ districts are drawn. And supporters of the proposed Independent Map Amendment said they intended to immediately take the matter to the Illinois Supreme Court. -
IL legislation to update disability access laws not likely to harm businesses, chamber says
Updates to accessibility guidelines won’t have much of an effect on businesses but will bring regulations up to date with federal law, said a spokesperson from the Illinois Chamber of Commerce. -
IL Supreme Court takes down law granting special tax break to Moline aviation business
The Illinois Supreme Court has taken down a special tax break for a western Illinois aviation service, declaring state lawmakers lacked the constitutional authority to extend to the business a property tax exemption held by a public airport authority, costing the local school district and other local governments a tidy sum in unpaid property taxes. -
New IL legislation updates data breach law to cover more tech, speed required consumer notifications
Gov. Bruce Rauner last month signed House Bill 1260, a law supporters say would update Illinois’ data breach notice law to make it more consistent with state-of-the-art technology. -
Independent Maps supporters' filing: Redistricting amendment fits IL constitution
Supporters of a proposed amendment that would reform how state legislative districts are laid out, have struck back at a lawsuit to block a referendum on the amendment, which was filed by a group aligned with Illinois House Speaker Michael Madigan, saying the amendment – contrary to what opponents claim – would comply with the state constitution. -
Appeals court: Cook County has lawful power to regulate trash, recycling transfer stations
A state appellate court has ruled that Cook County has the authority to regulate solid waste and recycling facilities, upholding a summary judgment by the Cook County Circuit Court against the National Waste and Recycling Association. -
No movement on bill to reinstate lawsuit protections for paramedics, police, firefighters
With just days left in the Illinois General Assembly's spring legislative session, there has been almost no movement on a bill that would reinstate the so-called public duty rule, a legal principle protecting police, firefighters, paramedics and other emergency responders from lawsuits brought by people who may believe those responders didn't provide the level of care the accusers thought was appropriate. -
IL Supreme Court to hear arguments in special evening session May 17, in Lisle May 19
SPRINGFIELD – The Illinois Supreme Court has again invited the state's lawmakers and chief executive to a special evening session to observe the court in action. And two days later, the court will convene before an auditorium filled with students, teachers and other members of the public in Chicago's western suburbs during a rare session outside of Springfield, offering many a chance to see the court in action who may not otherwise get the chance. -
Group connected to Madigan, Emanuel sues to block redistricting amendment from ballot
An attorney connected to powerful Democratic Illinois House Speaker Michael J. Madigan has filed suit in Cook County Circuit Court to block a referendum from landing on the ballot, which would ask Illinois voters to reform the way Illinois creates the legislative districts from which state lawmakers are elected. -
Appellate justices: Reform state hospital permitting process 'corruption tax' jacking up Illinois health care costs
While unanimous in their support of a state permit granted to build a new hospital in McHenry County, two of the three members of an Illinois appellate panel have called on state lawmakers to reform or end the hospital permitting process one of the three justices called “nothing more than an additional corruption tax added to the cost of healthcare in Illinois.” -
Some pushing bankruptcy as solution to troubled Illinois public budgets
In Illinois, increasing pension obligations are consuming more of its taxpayers’ dollars, pushing cities and towns to cut core services and raise property taxes just to keep up with the payments, policy experts say. -
Appeals court rules posting records to a government website may not be enough to justify FOIA rejection
A recent ruling in Illinois appellate court could challenge just how free governments are to deny public records requests simply because those records are available on a website. -
Judge: Chicago red light cameras, enabling state law valid, constitutional
The city of Chicago will be allowed to continue to hand out tickets to motorists caught on camera running red lights after a Cook County judge garaged another legal challenge arguing both the city’s ordinance and a state law enabling cities, villages and counties within the Chicago and St. Louis metropolitan areas to set up red light camera systems were valid and constitutional.