Illinois first banned texting while driving in 2010, according to the press release, and banned the use of cell phones while driving in 2014, requiring drivers to get hands-free devices. Motorists would be permitted to participate in conference calls, but only if they use hands-free devices and if the video function is turned off.

Across the country, the legal communities in several other states endorsed similar rule changes to either establishing “bright line” rules concerning campaign funding and recusal. In Illinois, however, the state Supreme Court did not approve the rule, and no rules concerning the need to recuse in light of campaign contributions exists. The rule was also not included in the state’s new Code of Judicial Conduct, which took effect this year.

The Leveraging and Energizing America’s Apprenticeship Programs (LEAP) would provide $1,500 federal income tax credits for businesses offering apprenticeships and pre-apprenticeship programs. “By providing tax credits to small businesses, this bill will both address the need for more qualified workers and cut educational costs for job seekers,” U.S. Rep. Nikki Budzinski said.

“After the Cook County Circuit Court implemented a similar program to the new law, mandating unconditional releases for many crimes and severely restricting money bail, the result has been more missing defendants and more re-offending upon release. Immediately after the reforms, failure-to-appear rates climbed to 19.8% from 16.7% before the reforms.”

Effective Jan. 1, 2024, workers will begin to earn paid leave on their first day at a rate of one hour of leave for every 40 hours worked, up to 40 hours of paid leave for the year. Employees can begin using their paid leave either 90 days after their employment begins or 90 days after the act’s effective date. Ultimately, the measure received a few Republican votes in the House but passed the Senate with only Democratic support.

In January, Gov. JB Pritzker signed a law that makes any individual who was under the age of 21 when sentenced to life in prison eligible for parole review after they served 40 years or more of their sentence. But the measure only applied to those sentenced on or after June 1, 2019. Senate Bill 2073, carried by Republican Sen. Seth Lewis, would extend the measure retroactively to apply to any currently incarcerated individual who was sentenced before turning 21.

Fourteen states and Washington, D.C., require employers to offer paid sick leave via similar laws, although employees may only use it for health-related issues. What sets Illinois’ new legislation apart is workers won’t have to explain the reason for their absence as long as they provide notice in accordance with reasonable employer standards.

“The trial will feature an only-in-Illinois cast of characters that allegedly benefited from Madigan’s vaunted political machine, including precinct captains and door-knockers who hustled votes at election time, current and former state legislators who twisted arms in the General Assembly, and those who went through the golden revolving door of politics and cashed in their allegiances in the form of lucrative lobbying careers.”

Gov. JB Pritzker’s involvement is another example of how nonpartisan school board races — amid lingering discord from COVID-19 mitigations and fierce debate over sex ed curriculum and library books — are feeling the influence of party politics.

“Although wind and solar are an incredibly important part of our energy portfolio, we cannot provide the reliability and resiliency we need with only wind and solar,” state Sen. Sue Rezin said.

A recent study suggests that, for the first time in nearly 100 years, Americans’ average intelligence quotient (IQ) is declining. The professors who authored the study, including one from Northwestern, theorize that the quality of education could play a role in reversing the IQ gains enjoyed by previous generations.

Gov. J.B. Pritzker rarely passes up a chance to brag about his landmark clean energy law, which requires all fossil fuel-burning power plants in Illinois to shut down by 2045. Yet Pritzker’s signature legislative triumph could backfire if he ignores warnings about its potential impact on electricity reliability.

“The trial will give jurors a close-up view of how Springfield operated in the last decade. They’ll hear talk of an ‘old-fashioned patronage system.’ And they’ll learn how an apparent obsession with pleasing Madigan might have prompted four officials to cross a legal line as ComEd sought to pass legislation it valued at more than $150 million. But jurors will also watch as lawyers explore that line, between legal lobbying and criminal activity.”

Many startups and their investors worked around the clock, scrambling to come up with loans and other sources of capital to keep them afloat before regulators stepped in late Sunday and said SVB customers will have access to funds Monday.