Illinois Attorney General Kwame Raoul and Massachusetts Attorney General Andrea Campbell are leading a coalition of 16 attorneys general in issuing guidance to “help businesses, nonprofits, and other organizations understand the viability and importance of diversity, equity, inclusion and accessibility policies and practices in creating and maintaining legally compliant and thriving workplaces.”

According to the report dubbed the State of Illinois FY2026 Budget Roadmap, “By applying the sales tax only to goods and a small number of services, Illinois is missing the ability to tax much of the spending within its borders. Broadening the sales tax base would yield several notable benefits for the State and its residents and customers.”

A new poll shows President Donald Trump’s approval rating in Illinois at 45 percent in his third week in office, reflecting a slight increase from his election day numbers.

Former House Speaker Mike Madigan’s pension contributions were $352,345 over the course of his legislative career. His lifetime benefit was estimated at about $1.65 million before Wednesday’s conviction.

It is the first time in 10 years Illinois didn’t lead the country in outbound moves.

Republicans say Illinoisans have been taxed enough, but Democrats are talking about new revenue ahead of Gov. J.B. Pritzker’s scheduled budget address next Tuesday.

Illinois collects nearly a half billion dollars in sports betting tax revenue yearly, the fourth highest total of any state, but handicapper Raphael Esparza said other tax revenue is generated by sports gambling. “Not only is that helping the state tax on the app, DraftKings, MGM or whatever, that’s also helping the bar that you are at watching games,” said Esparza.

Illinois is an exception when it comes to allowing teacher strikes. At least 37 other states, including all of Illinois’ neighbors, have laws prohibiting teacher strikes.

The Illinois Grown logo will soon appear on products across the state, signaling that items are either grown in Illinois or contain at least one ingredient sourced from the state.

In the first of two phone messages, he allegedly said, “Quit filling my mailbox with your f***ing b******t every other day you buck-toothed, ugly b**** and now you’re gonna start f***ing harassing me on the telephone. F*** you. I’ll come to your f***ing office and f***ing blow you up.”

Under state law, the board should permanently suspend former House Speaker Mike Madigan’s pension benefits. Since retiring in 2021, he’s received nearly $600,000. The law calls for him to return that money to taxpayers. If the board does not act, taxpayers could be responsible for paying another $1.65 million to a man convicted of abusing his public office for personal gain.

“By carving up and sapping Republican power systematically, he helped turn Illinois decade over decade into the ironclad “blue state” it is, hoovering all political power away from the state’s hinterlands into the Chicagoland area and leaving downstate as a sandbox for impotent and unelectable hard-right cranks.”

Under House Bill 3773, effective January 1, 2026, Illinois will protect prospective and current employees from discriminatory AI practices during recruitment, hiring, promotion, renewal of employment, selection for training or apprenticeship, discharge, discipline, and tenure as well as the terms, privileges, and conditions of employment. The amendment also prohibits the use of zip codes as a proxy for protected classes.

“Chicago is home to O’Hare International Airport, the second busiest airport in the United States and a primary point of entry for international travelers,” said Dr. Sameer Vohra, Director of the Illinois Department of Public Health. “Public health teams at O’Hare, including those from the CDC, the Chicago Department of Public Health, and IDPH, could face incomplete data on infectious travelers, inconsistent health screenings, and greater risk of disease spread through one of the nation’s key transit hubs.”

“This is a crisis. If Gov. JB Pritzker, Mayor Brandon Johnson, Cook County Board President Toni Preckwinkle and the Illinois General Assembly exerted the same zeal toward making sure our children can read and do basic math as they have to protecting migrants, our children and communities would be in a better place.”