“In an interview that aired Tuesday, he told a Springfield-based television reporter that his goal for the spring session, scheduled to end May 31, was to not address any of Gov. Bruce Rauner’s agenda items…. No compromise. Folks, there will be no agreement.”

Comment: Lots of detailed work went into this and it may be appropriate for many situations. However, it’s not truly a bankruptcy alternative because debts and pensions could not be forcibly reduced through it. This process would appear to be too late and too cumbersome in many situations, certainly including CPS.

A Sangamon County judge’s ruling defending Attorney General Lisa Madigan’s failure to defend the state against wrongful workers’ compensation claims could cost the state. Comment: This is a horrid decision, allowing disgraceful dereliction of duty by Madigan. The worker’s comp system is widely abused by public employees. It’s an untold scandal.

The Illinois Senate Insurance Committee approved legislation, HB 3549, on Thursday that aims at limiting the practice of step therapy, insurance protocols requiring patients to fail first with less expensive medications before receiving the treatment doctors originally prescribed, dealing a setback to cost controls embraced by the insurance industry.

We know Illinois is notorious for pension problems. But just how bad is its pension problem?

A detailed look at the numbers.

House Bill 580 would have the executive branch surrendering bargaining powers on behalf of taxpayers to unelected arbitrators when negotiations go nowhere.

In effect, anyone “owning” a home with high property taxes is leasing the property from the local government for the “right” to gamble that a new housing bubble is underway. Comment: With property taxes exceeding mortgage costs in many Illinois towns, its becoming a stretch to deny that the government is the real owner.

Much energy is being expended at the Capitol trying to forge agreements on the state budget, but several segments of Illinois’ power sector are hoping lawmakers will focus on legislation to deal with the state’s long-term electricity needs.