“But this is going to be up to the Congress…But there are going to be layoffs across the country, not just related to state government, but when you don’t fund state and local governments you’re going to see, and you’ve already seen to some degree, layoffs,” Pritzker said. “Not to mention those who provide services to state and local governments, private companies whose contracts no doubt will be put aside because the money isn’t flowing.”

“We know that the history books that we have were written years ago, decades, centuries ago by pretty much one group of people, and that’s white men,” Ford told host Sandra Smith. “And we know that it’s not a perfect accounting [of] the contributions that women have made, that Black people have made, and it’s just not right that we continue to teach people an inaccurate history.”

State health officials blamed the outbreaks in downstate counties on “business operations and activities posing higher risk for disease spread, including school graduation ceremonies, a rise in cases among late teens and 20s, parties and social gatherings, people going to bars, long-term care outbreaks, clusters of cases associated with restaurants and churches, and big sports events including soccer, golf, and softball tournaments.”

State Rep. Dan Caulkins, R-Decatur, characterized the first meeting as a “sham,” or more of a press conference than a meeting where elected representatives could hold Pritzker administration officials accountable. “I think it was collegial. I don’t know how collaborative it was.”

Raoul and Washington, D.C. Attorney General Karl A. Racine led the group of 20 attorneys general supporting a lawsuit challenging a Florida law that prevents previously incarcerated residents from voting unless they pay all legal financial obligations tied to their sentence. Raoul called Florida’s law a “poll tax,” a Jim Crow-era policy intended to keep Black Americans from voting.

The latest revenue figures from the Illinois Department of Revenue show for adult-use cannabis taxes, the state generated $52.8 million from January through the end of June, which completed the fiscal year 2020.

Said Jim Kaitschuck, director of the Illinois Sheriffs Association. “They just can’t have that unilateral ability to suspend or stop accepting inmates or parameters for who they would accept moving forward.”

Nationally, Illinois and five other states were the only ones to move football to 2021. Illinois’ high school seniors will pay the price as spring football, volleyball and soccer come too late to matter for their college recruitment prospects.

“This budget does not take a step forward in accountability,” said Rep. Tom Demmer, a Republican from Dixon. “It further gives a longer leash to an executive branch that has not earned it.

While Chicago had a positivity rate of 4.5% as of July 25, Lake County’s rate stood at 5%, suburban Cook and McHenry each were at 5.4%, DuPage 4%, Kane 5.8%, Will 5.9% and Kendall ― the highest in the area ― was at 6.8%. Nursing homes once accounted for the majority of cases; Now, health officials say, large gatherings of young people without proper precautions are sparking outbreaks.

Pritzker announced a new $5 million public awareness campaign with the tagline “It only works if you wear it,” to encourage residents to wear face coverings. The initiative compares masks to seat belts in cars, bicycle helmets and life jackets in their life-saving capabilities.

Record-high unemployment has wreaked havoc on personal income taxes and sales taxes, two of the biggest sources of revenue for states. Florida’s Republican governor, Ron DeSantis, compared his state’s budget cuts to the Red Wedding scene in HBO’s Game of Thrones.