Category: State News

By JERRY NOWICKI Capitol News Illinois jnowicki@capitolnewsillinois.com SPRINGFIELD – The state’s highest court heard arguments Tuesday in a case that could drastically alter the legal landscape for criminal defendants who are incarcerated as they await trial. It’s the latest development in the ongoing legal challenge to the pretrial detention provisions of the SAFE-T Act criminal […]

By NIKA SCHOONOVER Capitol News Illinois nschoonover@capitolnewsillinois.com SPRINGFIELD – Gov. JB Pritzker signed Senate Bill 208 into law Monday, ensuring at least 40 hours of paid leave for Illinois workers. Effective Jan. 1, 2024, workers will begin to earn paid leave on their first day at a rate of one hour of leave for every […]

By NIKA SCHOONOVER Capitol News Illinois nschoonover@capitolnewsillinois.com SPRINGFIELD – Illinois lawmakers advanced a bill last week that would effectively abolish life sentences for any incarcerated individual who was under the age of 21 when they received their sentence.   In January, Gov. JB Pritzker signed a law that makes any individual who was under the age […]

By PETER HANCOCK  Capitol News Illinois  phancock@capitolnewsillinois.com  SPRINGFIELD – Parents who make money posting videos of their children on social media channels may soon be legally required to share that revenue with their kids.  The Illinois Senate Labor Committee this week unanimously approved a bill that would guarantee children a right to a percentage of […]

By ANDREW ADAMS Capitol News Illinois aadams@capitolnewsillinois.com CHICAGO – Religious and environmental ideals are at odds for some in the ongoing debate around what to do with human remains. A proposal at the Illinois Statehouse would legalize and regulate “natural organic reduction,” a process in which human remains are rapidly decomposed into compost. The process […]

By BETH HUNDSDORFER Capitol News Illinois & MOLLY PARKER Lee Enterprises Midwest News@capitolnewsillinois.com SPRINGFIELD – Families of patients at Choate Mental Health and Developmental Center, along with workers and community leaders, reacted with concern after the state’s announcement this week that it plans to relocate more than 120 residents from the troubled state-run facility in […]

By BETH HUNDSDORFER Capitol News Illinois & MOLLY PARKER Lee Enterprises Midwest News@capitolnewsillinois.com SPRINGFIELD – Families of patients at Choate Mental Health and Developmental Center, along with workers and community leaders, reacted with concern after the state’s announcement this week that it plans to relocate more than 120 residents from the troubled state-run facility in […]

By PETER HANCOCK Capitol News Illinois phancock@capitolnewsillinois.com SPRINGFIELD – The Illinois Supreme Court agreed this week to fast-track the state’s appeal of a Macon County judge’s ruling against parts of a recently passed state ban on assault weapons and high-capacity magazines. Lawmakers passed the ban during a lame duck session in January and Gov. JB […]

By NIKA SCHOONOVER Capitol News Illinois nschoonover@capitolnewsillinois.com SPRINGFIELD – A bill that would create a clear legal avenue for victims of “doxing” to seek damages and protections against their perpetrators passed unanimously out of a House committee Wednesday. Doxing, as defined by House Bill 2954, occurs when an individual intentionally publishes another person’s private information, […]