“A lot of smart legal folks all around the state are in disagreement over how this section of the law should be interpreted,” said Lemont Police Chief, who serves as legislative chairman for the Illinois Association of Chiefs of Police. “And if all these people can’t agree on what the law says, the law needs to be fixed, or we at least need clarification.”

“So make no mistake, Trump is on the ballot. His name is Darren Bailey. And we need to send him back to the farm,” Lightfoot said. “Trump is on the ballot in every single one of the Republicans that you are going to face when you go into the voting pool. And you must remember that we are Illinois. We are a state that believes in people’s rights and that we’re going to treat everyone with dignity and respect.”

In Sept. 14 letters to U.S. Education Secretary Miguel Cardona, U.S. Department of Education Inspector General Sandra Bruce, and education officials in New York, Illinois, and California, the Republican lawmakers claim federal relief money is being directed to initiatives for “LGBTQ+ cultural competency,” “environmental literacy,” and “racially biased curriculum and programs based on Critical Race Theory” rather than to learning recovery efforts. Illinois, the letter said, received

“Members of Illinois’ law enforcement community are united against a new law taking effect Jan. 1 that eliminates cash bail under most circumstances… Gov. J.B. Pritzker signed the bill into law last year. It will abolish cash bail on Jan. 1, making Illinois the first state in the country to do so. The bill also includes a provision that will allow most people charged with crimes, including some violent felonies, to be released without posting bail.”

As the popularity for both medical and recreational marijuana grows in Illinois, education on the manufacturing, cultivation and management of cannabis is following close behind. This fall, in addition to the University of Illinois, 11 community colleges across the state — more than ever before — will offer courses aimed at preparing students for jobs in the cannabis industry. The list of courses is increasingly sophisticated, from “cannabis and the law” at Oakton Community College to “cannabis flower production” at UIUC.