A republication of our Wirepoints article.

U.S. District Court Judge Christopher R. Cooper ruled that Pruitt, a former Oklahoma attorney general, violated the Clean Air Act by allowing Illinois, Alabama and Mississippi to omit ethical standards from each state’s federally mandated plans to reduce lung-damaging smog and soot pollution.

Other states have laws on the books intended to ensure front-line enforcers of clean air regulations represent the public interest rather than industry priorities. But Illinois has repeatedly failed to ensure similar conflict-of-interest rules apply to top officials at the state EPA, according to documents filed by three environmental groups behind the lawsuit that prompted Cooper’s ruling.

Presented without comment.

A bill that would keep insurance providers from adding or removing a drug from a customer’s coverage plan mid-year is now on Gov. Bruce Rauner’s desk.

The 50 cities where the most people are moving away from can primarily be found in the Northeast, Midwest, and West Coast, particularly in states like Illinois, Michigan, Ohio, and New York. Among the cities where people are leaving in droves are places such as Chicago, Detroit, St. Louis, New York, and Los Angeles. Chicago No. 1.

By State Senator David McSweeney.