Illinois mom Jeannette Cooper warns about state efforts to change the definition of an “abused child” to include those whose parents object to “abortion services, or gender-affirming services.” She said, “Chicago is not the entire state.”

Already, the city of Kankakee, Kankakee County and the village of Manteno have approved legislation banning the migrant bus stops.

The resolution declares opposition to “sanctuary state status,” directs the county administration to “take no discretionary action” supporting sanctuary state policies, and encourages citizens to “actively advocate” for changes in state policies and federal immigration laws.

“These mascots dehumanize an entire group of people and they have no place in our schools,” said state Rep. Laura Favor Dias, who, before going into politics, was a teacher at Westinghouse College Prep. Its nickname is the Warriors. “It was an offensive mascot and a caricature of an American Indian. I saw firsthand the divisiveness that it created among our students and within our larger school community.”

“‘This year, we will be negotiating from a position of strength,’ declared Black Caucus Chair Rep. Carol Ammons. ‘Our community and our members are the value-add in the General Assembly and nothing can be passed without our members.’ Not counting the House Speaker, there are 19 Black members in the House and 13 in the Senate, according to the caucus’ website. That’s enough to block a majority vote in both chambers, if they can stick together.”

The Commission released its conclusion which reads, in part, “The Code and the Commission’s precedent provide ample grounds for removal in this case. Respondent has engaged in multiple instances of misconduct, he abused his position of power to indulge his own sense of justice while circumventing the law, he lied under oath on multiple occasions, and he has failed to acknowledge his misconduct.”

House Bill 1634 seeks to have Illinois adopt the vehicle emissions standards of California. “You cannot have a state submit itself and its laws and policies to another state agency that is over 2,000 miles away,” said Illinois Trucking Association Executive Director Matt Hart, adding that the Illinois trucking industry delivers 95% of the manufactured freight in the state.

“In 2020, we had the systems in place to handle vote by mail, early vote, all of that, we have been progressive in that,” Boone County Clerk Meg Sybert said. “In this instance, I’m not seeing what the problem is we’re trying to fix with this.”

An inflation-indexed tax credit that millions of Illinoisans receive would rise for the 2024 tax year under a $93 million proposal by Gov. JB Pritzker, but the increase is short of what current law dictates. Lawmakers doing nothing on the governor’s proposal this spring actually would be more generous for taxpayers than what Pritzker is floating.

The Health Department’s new standing order comes after a state law revision that took effect Jan. 1 of this year, requiring schools to have a supply of opioid antagonists; it states that they may obtain them without a prescription, and that trained personnel can use these medications on school property if someone shows signs of an overdose. This is a requirement for schools in only nine U.S. states, now including Illinois.

“We’re a fiscal mess,” state Rep. Blaine Wilhour said. “That’s what it says about our state. We have unsustainable spending in our budget and our taxes are going to continue to rise. Number one, we got over 7,000 units of government and they’re all taxing and they’re all taxing way too much.”

“With the COVID money running out, (Gov. JB) Pritzker told taxpayers he’s seeking $800 million in new tax revenues. The state faces many serious challenges, and it is questionable if Pritzker’s $52.7 billion budget – nearly $13 billion more than when he took office – even begins to address any of them.”

Jim Dey: “There’s no guarantee (U.S. Sen. Dick) Durbin will step aside. But if he’s re-elected to a seventh term in 2026 — as he would likely be in solid Democratic Illinois — Durbin would be within days of his 82nd birthday. That’s not an age to be making long-term plans. So it’s perfectly reasonable for Democrats coveting Durbin’s seat to be plotting for 2026. A similar thing applies regarding Gov. J.B. Pritzker’s re-election plans in 2026, as he might run for a third term and use his office as a platform for a potential White House bid in 2028.

Former state Sen. Terry Link asked a judge Wednesday to give him probation for dodging $82,000 in taxes, arguing that he has done everything in his power to make amends — including wearing a wire.

“Some time ago, I gave a speech at an area high school. A young woman raised her hand and asked, ‘Ms. Braun, were you around in slavery times?’ At first, I was surprised — but then it dawned on me that she would have no way of knowing or understanding the march of history or the relationship of one generation to another.”

The ailing local news industry in Illinois would receive compensation from Big Tech companies and benefit from state tax incentives and a new journalism scholarship program under sweeping legislation introduced in the general assembly this month.

“These ordinances, known as CFNOs, are local laws that encourage landlords to evict or exclude tenants based on their contact with the criminal legal system or calls for police help. The Community Safety through Stable Homes Act, introduced earlier this month…would prevent local governments from imposing penalties based on a tenant’s contact with police. It would also prohibit local policies that encourage or require landlords to use broad criminal background checks or to evict tenants based solely on their contact with the police or alleged criminal or nuisance behavior.”

County board Chair Corinne Pierog referenced a neutral statement crafted by members of the Metro West Council of Governments, which represents various Kane County municipalities and reads, in part, “At this time, this municipality has taken no action to regulate or prohibit buses or prevent local hotels from housing migrants.”