State News

Executive order establishes ‘Welcoming Illinois Office’ PETER HANCOCK Capitol News Illinois SPRINGFIELD – Gov. JB Pritzker signed four bills into law Monday aimed at protecting the state’s immigrant and refugee populations, saying they will help make Illinois “the most welcoming state in the United States” for immigrants. Among those are a requirement for local governments…

Measure creates optional fingerprints for renewals, beefs up revocation enforcement JERRY NOWICKI Capitol News Illinois SPRINGFIELD – Within five miles of the scene of a 2019 workplace mass shooting that left six people dead and five law enforcement officers injured, Gov. JB Pritzker signed a wide-ranging bill reforming the state’s gun laws Monday at the…

By MICHAEL TARM AP Legal Affairs Writer CHICAGO (AP) — Ex-con and former Gov. Rod Blagojevich sued his home state Monday for booting him from the governor’s seat after his 2008 arrest for corruption and stripping him of his right to run for elective office in Illinois. Before filing the lawsuit, an unapologetic Blagojevich addressed…

NATALIE PIERRE State Journal-Register SPRINGFIELD, Ill. (AP) — As a kid growing up on Springfield’s east side, William Bishop IV would go on bike rides with his friends. Together, they would often ride by Washington Park. When they reached Illini Country Club, Bishop — who is affectionately known as “Ham” — would tell his friends,…

CAROLYN P SMITH News-Democrat BELLEVILLE, Ill. (AP) — Shaquille Armstrong is helping young fathers learn the importance of getting involved in their children’s lives. “There are certain things boys are more comfortable talking to their father’s about rather than their moms,” Armstrong said. His passion for helping to mentor, teach, and share experiences with other…

KATHLEEN FOODY The Associated Press CHICAGO (AP) — A federal freeze on most evictions that was enacted last year is scheduled to expire Saturday, after the Biden administration extended the original date by a month. The moratorium put in place by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention in September has been the only tool…

JERRY NOWICKI Capitol News Illinois SPRINGFIELD – Masks will be required at driver’s license facilities in Illinois starting Monday, Secretary of State Jesse White announced Wednesday, and Gov. JB Pritzker said he is “looking at all the possible mitigations” amid another surge of COVID- 19 infections. The secretary of state’s announcement came one day after…

TERRE HAUTE, Ind. (AP) — An Illinois woman who oversees the estate of a slain Terre Haute police officer’s son has been arrested for allegedly stealing more than $200,000 from the boy’s estate. Josie M. Huff, 31, of Robinson, Illinois, was arrested Thursday on one felony count of theft, Indiana State Police said. She was…

Pritzker also signs bill expanding low- income energy programs JERRY NOWICKI Capitol News Illinois SPRINGFIELD – Gov. JB Pritzker on Thursday signed a measure aimed at increasing affordable housing investment in Illinois, as well as a meas- ure expanding the state’s low-income energy assistance program. House Bill 2621 aims to create incentives for building and…

New petition argues specific harms to individual plaintiffs PETER HANCOCK Capitol News Illinois SPRINGFIELD – Attorneys for the Mexican American Legal Defense and Educational Fund, or MALDEF, have filed an amended complaint in federal court in a lawsuit that seeks to block a newly- enacted legislative redistricting plan from going into effect. The amended complaint,…