“Following months of negotiations, the Senate earlier this month finally passeda long overdue, sweeping infrastructure bill to authorize more than $568 billion in new infrastructure spending, moving President Joe Biden’s plan closer to the finish line. Dubbed the “largest federal investment in public transit ever,” the bipartisan deal represents historic funding for America’s infrastructure, but one aspect of the plan has been left out of many recent headlines: It will help deliver safer wastewater infrastructure and cleaner drinking water to millions of families.”

A deal struck over the weekend would phase out natural gas-fired “peaker” plants before larger combined-cycle facilities. Will the decision further jack up electric bills to preserve union jobs?

The Lead Service Line Replacement Notification Act, which Gov. J.B. Pritzker signed into law Friday, also requires the state’s Department of Commerce and Economic Opportunity to create a low-income water assistance policy and program to ensure state residents have access to affordable, clean water.

State Sen. Sue Rezin, and Terry McGoldrick, of the International Brotherhood of Electrical Workers Local 15: “Illinois cannot afford to bide its time for federal funding because the funding for nuclear power contained in the U.S. Senate plan would come too little, too late, to save the Byron and Dresden plants…Sadly, Exelon’s decision to shut down these plants in September and November isn’t going to change because of potential aid that will take months or even years to materialize.”

The Temporary Restraining Order against Carlyle Community Unit School District #1 issued by Clinton County Judge Don Sheafor Monday stems from a case challenging keeping a student from in-person education over allegations the student was in contact with someone who may have tested positive.

After a series of meetings since Thursday, revised maps for the House and Senate were revealed Monday afternoon. A Monday evening hearing took up the issue. Another hearing is set for Tuesday morning.

“They are not doing anything wrong, it is what the lawmakers allow them to do,” Wirepoints President Ted Dabrowski said. “I critique the lawmakers for allowing people to be able to retire that early and get a full pension and get jobs.”

It’s unclear how long lawmakers would stay in town for the session that was originally scheduled for a one-day event to address legislative maps, which have to be redrawn to address concerns over the current maps’ constitutionality.

State Rep. Tim Butler said the bill filed Friday by Rep. Edgar Gonzalez signals to him that ISBE doesn’t have the authority to punish schools for not following the mandate. “If he’s introducing legislation to make it law, then the executive order doesn’t have the force of law.

U.S. Sen. Dick Durbin helped develop a streamlines process for refugees to gain Special Immigrant Visa status, but assures that everyone will be thoroughly checked out. The estimated 500 Afghans arriving in Illinois will be supported by resettlement agencies to provide housing, employment resources and other services.

Students who take mental health days will not be required to provide schools with a doctor’s note and will be able to make up any work they missed. After a student requests a second mental health day, a school counselor will reach out to the family to come up with a plan to get the student professional help.

While Democrats plan to address state legislative maps in Tuesday’s session, there is still no schedule for when they will present new congressional maps. “I think there’s a very real and concerning lack of trust that exists as a result of this months-long process,” State Sen. Jason Barickman said.

WalletHub compared several factors, including the average hours in a workweek, the amount of vacation time left unused and average commute time.

Anyone age 2 and older, regardless of vaccination status, is required to wear a mask indoors.

“Across Rock Island County, local governments are worried about what to do with their pension obligations….These obligations are distinct from what’s going on at the state level, where its pension systems face daunting fiscal challenges. Still, it’s the same type of hole. And cities are struggling to figure out how to climb out of it, especially because the state has told local governments to fund 90% of their police and fire pension obligations by 2040.”