“The questions of the accuracy and the reliability of that data and also the process,” Sen. Jason Barickman said. “Hundreds of thousands of Illinoisans have asked for this General Assembly to provide for an independent commission for drawing maps. They want, and millions of Illinoisans want, a redistricting process that results from citizens drawing maps, not politicians picking voters.”

Illinois sports books took in nearly $600 million in January, becoming only the fourth state to take in more than $500 million in sports bets in a single month. The state’s tax coffers received nearly $7.2 million in receipts, while Cook County collected nearly $480,000.

House Bill 2877, known as the Federal Emergency Rental Assistance Act, would create a process for allocating funding for rental support that was made available in federal stimulus packages since December. It would also expand the sealing of eviction records in the state through July of 2022.

Rep. Avery Bourne, the ranking Republican on the committee, opposed the bill, arguing that imposing such a mandate on schools should require a longer discussion. “This is a really drastic departure from our current sex education requirements,” she said.

“The guy pulls a gun out. He pulls a gun out and says ‘let’s go,’” Sims said of the Springfield incident. “He starts pointing a gun at me. So I pull off and drive away. After January 6, there was heightened concern for these attacks on elected officials.”

“They just decided I couldn’t do anything, and they were correct,” said Robin Polanco, who recalled that five months into the moratorium, the renters living inside her Bartlett home suddenly decided to stop paying. “I mean you just feel so violated, not just by the renter, but by I hate to say it, the government.”

The four pillars of the Illinois House Republican caucus’s “Reimagine Illinois” platform include addressing corruption, fiscal responsibility, creating jobs, and ensuring public safety. “Illinois used to be a powerhouse. We were not only a powerhouse in the Midwest, but in the entire nation,” said Rep. Mike Murphy. “We have lost our way. It is time to refind our way and that will come with Reimagine Illinois.”

The Illinois Policy Institute said in a statement “insiders believe (SB217) will be the vehicle for the $1 billion small business tax hike the governor has championed since January.”

Monroe County Coroner Bob Hill agave one example from several cases he is reviewing: One case in January was an accidental drug overdose, but the decedent had tested positive for COVID-19 in October. “As soon as that death came across to the state they went ahead and classified and put a statistic as a COVID death,” Hill said.

Justice Mary Jane Theis questioned attorney Raoul Cantero about the consequences of voiding the borrowing. “Your complaint asks the court to order the state to default on billions of dollars of debt,” she said. “Is that reasonable?”

Supporters of the plan argue that it could incentivize young people to buy homes and pay property and income taxes in the state. Critics argue that the plan is not a sustainable, long-term solution to help ease the burden of student loans and encourage first-time homebuyers.

Illinois Gov. J.B. Pritzker tried once to cancel federal tax relief for small businesses – and failed. Now, state lawmakers are using a shell bill to advance the governor’s unpopular idea once more, even as small businesses continue to struggle and many Illinoisans remain out of work.

Senate President Don Harmon said, in part, “I think that the current maps are remarkably fair. If you look at the election results, for instance, I think [former GOP Gov.] Bruce Rauner won 37 of the 59 Senate districts in his gubernatorial race. Clearly, voters express their preferences for the best candidate in any given race, and we’re willing to compete for the hearts and votes of people based on our ideas and our ideals.

The proposed Clean Energy Jobs Act would set closure dates for all coal plants in Illinois, including the troubled Prairie State Energy Campus. But it wouldn’t guarantee financial relief for customers locked into long-term contracts.

“Why are we even attempting to subject the entirety of the US population to isolation and ineffectual mask-wearing, instead of supporting voluntary focused protection for those who actually need it? And why do we continue to deny all groups the opportunity to enjoy and celebrate life when, after one year, deaths from and with Covid — number 520,000 — and are barely equivalent to 0.16% of the population?”

That money could go a long way to providing cash flow for businesses that are in danger of closing permanently. However, state lawmakers may again consider taking away this relief from struggling small businesses, which are Illinois’ most prolific job creators.

Senate President Don Harmon: “Failure to meet deadlines would upend the democratic process and turn map-making over to a small commission of appointed political insiders and, as history has shown, ultimately yield a more partisan result. That would be a disservice to our citizens and counter to everyone’s stated goals.”