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End of veto session news coverage roundup (Updated)
Thursday, Oct 30, 2025 - Posted by Rich Miller
* Transit is a done deal…
* Click here for some background. This was final passage…
* Press release…
* Transit… 
* Crain’s | Illinois lawmakers bring forth latest plan to overhaul Chicago-area public transit as deadline looms: Legislators are considering a last-minute $1.5 billion transit-rescue package that will rely mainly on transportation-related revenue sources. The potential deal, which also includes a steep increase in highway tolls, was hammered out during late-night negotiations that carried into today on the final day of the fall veto session, but still faces the hurdle of being approved by both the House and Senate. The deal would authorize over $860 million from a motor fuel sales tax. Theannual interest that is generated from the state’s road fund would also flow towards mass transit. The revenue split from the motor fuel sales tax would be 85% to the Chicago region and 15% to downstate transit. The road fund interest would be a 90% to 10% split. * Tribune | Illinois lawmakers bring forth latest plan to overhaul Chicago-area public transit as deadline looms: During the hearing Thursday evening, the proposed measure faced pushback from lawmakers who suggested the bill would fund Chicago-area transit at the expense of downstate infrastructure. Opponents also expressed frustration that they were asked to debate the proposal without a version of the bill ready to read. … The bill introduced Thursday would hike tolls collected by the Illinois State Toll Highway Authority for commercial and passenger vehicles. It would increase the tolls for commercial vehicles by 30% and raise the toll for passenger cars by about 45 cents per toll. The revenue from the toll hike would generate between $750 million and $1 billion annually and be put back into the tollway and not be used directly for mass transit. But the move was intended to offset the money being diverted from highway projects and appeared to have won the blessing of the International Union of Operating Engineers Local 150, which opposed a springtime effort to use a toll hike to fund transit. * Sun-Times | Illinois Democrats wrangle over ways to pay for $1.5B legislative package to buoy mass transit: But some downstate representatives said the amended bill took them by surprise, that it doesn’t allocate enough money outside of the Chicago area, and that the bill should be held for another day. * CNI | Latest Chicago transit funding plan appears to avoid statewide tax increases: Downstate lawmakers in both parties worried they drew the short straw in the bill, however, as only $129 million would go toward operational expenses at downstate public transit agencies. The agencies and advocates hoped to receive $200 million. “This is a devastating and extensive change for the district I represent,” Rep. Ryan Spain, R-Peoria, said. The downstate lawmakers also worried the bill tapping into Road Fund money removed a critical funding source for road construction projects. Illinois AFL-CIO President Tim Drea, who led a coalition of labor unions in negotiations over the bill, spoke in support of the proposal on Thursday. Unions have typically fiercely opposed any measure that diverts from the Road Fund but support this measure because of its importance to union employees at transit agencies. * Homeowners’ insurance reform passed the Senate and then unexpectedly failed in the House, even after an internal roll call was taken…
Concurrence is a renewable motion, so she can call it again. We’ll see. * Immigration…
* Bears…
This post will be updated. …Adding… Energy…
* CSI | Lawmakers OK sweeping energy reform package that governor pledges to sign: Battery storage. The core of the bill is a new incentive structure for energy storage projects. The incentives are broadly similar to how the state funds renewable developments like wind and solar power. They will result in new charges to ratepayers, although proponents say that savings from more storage on the grid will offset costs. Energy efficiency. The bill adds new requirements for energy efficiency programs at natural gas and electric utilities. These are aimed at reducing energy demand and proponents of the measure say they will lower prices for consumers. Nuclear power. The bill lifts a longstanding moratorium on large-scale nuclear power plants, but it also hikes fees for nuclear plant operators. New authority for regulators. The Illinois Commerce Commission, the state’s utility regulator, would gain new authority for “integrated resource planning,” a way of setting long-term plans to control both supply-side issues, like plans for electric generation, as well as managing demand. Labor protections. New requirements for community solar projects would close a loophole that some developers were using to avoid hiring union labor. This was a major priority for organized labor groups during negotiations. Data centers air regulations. The bill places new requirements on the backup generators used by data centers, which require always-on power to operate. Virtual power plants and time-of-use. The bill requires large utilities to create “virtual power plant” programs and time-of-use rate plans. This allows utilities to use small-scale residential solar and battery projects to deliver energy throughout the day. Geothermal energy. The bill outlines a program to fund geothermal heating, a technology which uses naturally occurring heat from underground to offset the need for electric or fossil fuel-based heating. Thermal energy networks. A new state-backed loan program would fund thermal energy network projects. These use water-filled pipes to transfer heat between energy-intensive buildings, wastewater systems and bodies of water. They can also use geothermal energy to manage heat. * Center Square | Energy bill opponents say increases IL electric bills by $8 billion passes: Republicans protested that SB 25 did not include price caps to protect consumers. “Katy bar the door! You took the caps off!” State Sen. Chapin Rose, R-Mahomet, shouted. State Sen. Sue Rezin, R-Morris, questioned why battery storage developer BlackRock could not finance the project with low-interest loans as it did in other states, instead of adding another line item to Illinois ratepayers’ bills. * WAND | IL Senate Democrats pass Clean & Reliable Grid Affordability Act, send bill to Pritzker: “We’ll incentivize an estimated 1.8 gigawatts for virtual powerplants, which is energy storage, demand response and other technology at homes and businesses,” Rep. Jay Hoffman (D-Swansea) said. “This will be about 5% of our peak load.” The Illinois Manufacturers’ Association stressed their members need reliable and affordable energy to produce goods consumers rely on, including food, pharmaceuticals, machinery and household products. IMA President and CEO Mark Denzler said this proposal repeats mistakes of the past by raising costs on manufacturers and working families without addressing underlying capacity and supply issues that are projected to lead to energy shortfalls. “While there are some provisions of the legislation we support, including lifting the moratorium on nuclear facilities, more work needs to be done to strengthen our state’s energy marketplace, protect consumers and encourage long-term economic investment,” Denzler said.
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2025 veto session cheat sheet
Thursday, Oct 30, 2025 - Posted by Rich Miller * HB1843 - Zoning reform - In Senate * HB3564 - Rental regulation - In House * HB3799 - Homeowners’ insurance reform [Failed in House with 56 votes] * HB2724 - Decatur Racino - In House * HB1085 - Insurance mental health coverage * SB1911 - Decoupling/STAR Bonds/Film tax credit * SB1950 - End-of-Life Options for Terminally Ill Patients Act You can see press releases about bills as the evening progresses by clicking here.
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End of session starts to take shape
Thursday, Oct 30, 2025 - Posted by Rich Miller * They’re also apparently working on a tollway capital component…
The RTA tax is a sales tax. Unlike current law, local governments will not be allowed to divert that new money for first responders, etc. There’s also word that some of the interest on the Road Fund might be used for transit. This was a Republican idea. …Adding… Keep in mind that nothing is set in stone until the three tops make the final decision. …Adding… The 2019 capital bill gradually phased-out transferring sales tax on motor fuels to the General Revenue Fund. By now, it was supposed to be all heading to the Road Fund. But this budget (again) delayed that final phase-out and used the money for transit. That practice was supposed to end, but apparently, they’re gonna use that cash for transit going forward. …Adding… The plan is actually to transfer all sales tax revenues on gas/diesel to transit, for a total of roughly $750 million a year. Add that to the quarter point increase of the RTA tax and the annual interest on the Road Fund for transit capital ($175 million a year right now) and you’re at about $1.5 billion for transit. I’ll have more for subscribers in the morning.
* Sales tax on motor fuel and redirect that to transit operations. * Road fund interest for transit capital, shared statewide (about $200 million, with a 90-10 split between RTA and downstate). * RTA sales tax increase of 0.25 percent ($478 million). …Adding… Downstate Laborers’ union is opposed because the plan reduces overall money for road projects. Rep. Maurice West (D-Rockford) wants Downstate’s sales tax share bumped up to $150 million per year. Rep. Delgado says that can’t be done without additional revenues. * Rep. Ryan Spain (R-Peoria) is justifiably complaining that they’re debating a bill without any actual language. …Adding… As I noted above, Rep. Delgado says there will be a tollway hike of 45 cents for passenger vehicles and 30 percent for commercial vehicles, with CPI increase capped at 4 percent a year. That money will only be used for roads. Local 150 says this will generate up to about a billion a year in revenues to fund a $10 billion ten-year capital program, but with CPI it could be significantly higher. …Adding… Not mentioned yet in the committee debate is that, according to Local 150 of the Operating Engineers, the split in the state’s road/bridges spending has been about 65-35 favoring downstate. It’s only supposed to be 55-45, but the state has been working on a ton of downstate roads and bridges. And it’s projected to remain 65-35 during the next five years. …Adding: 7:47 pm… House Exec has finished debating the transit bill. Recessed until call of the chair. * Meanwhile, the House Revenue Committee has approved an amendment to create a sales tax and revenue (STAR) bonds program (SB1911 HA3). A similar bill passed the House last spring with 100 votes, but it wasn’t called in the Senate. The bill prohibits sports teams from using STAR bonds. The proposal allows developers to use sales tax money to finance big projects. Unlike the old STAR bonds program, this one has a lot of state oversight. The amendment is part of a larger revenue package, which includes the decoupling from recent federal tax code changes. This post will be updated. …Adding… The House Executive Committee is holding a subject matter hearing on HB3799, which is the insurance regulation bill currently in the Senate. The insurance industry is hotly opposed, with one testifier claiming that it will increase homeowner insurance rates higher than California’s. …Adding… House Exec could also hold a subject matter hearing on the immigration bill that’s still in the Senate: HB1312 SA2. As subscribers know, the language was changed a bit from yesterday. Some background is here. …Adding: 5:56 pm… House Speaker Welch is now testifying in favor of the immigration-related bill. Click here. …Adding: 6:20 pm… The insurance regulation bill is being heard on the Senate floor. It’s expected to pass. …Adding: 6:44 pm… The Senate has approved the insurance regulation bill. HB3799 now goes to the House for consideration. …Adding: 8:09 pm… The Senate has passed the Energy bill. SB25 now heads to Gov. Pritzker. …Adding… Press release…
[We’re moving over to our usual format of an end of session cheat sheet. Click here. Also, you can see press releases as the evening progresses by clicking here.]
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Isabel’s afternoon roundup
Thursday, Oct 30, 2025 - Posted by Isabel Miller * CNN…
 Illinois families can’t afford a new delivery tax. Delivery services are a lifeline for millions of Illinois residents helping seniors, families, and those with limited mobility get the essentials they need, when they need them. Delivery isn’t a luxury — it’s a necessity. Learn how a delivery tax could affect your household and why we must STOP THIS TAX today. * Chalkbeat Chicago | More Illinois students are proficient, new test scores show. But the cut scores changed.: State officials unveiled the new cut scores in August after gathering input from teachers, school leaders, and advocates. They then applied the new benchmarks to tests students took this past spring. But in releasing a trove of data known as the state report card, the Illinois State Board of Education did not provide data allowing the public to compare proficiency rates from previous years when the cut scores were different. * Capitol News Illinois | Illinois school report card continues to show wide achievement gaps: The 2025 report card shows more than half of all students (52.4%) scored proficient or better on English language arts exams, but only 38% met grade-level proficiency standards for math. Those numbers are based on standardized tests that students from third grade through high school took in the spring 2025 semester. They reflect a new scoring system the Illinois State Board of Education approved in August that established new benchmarks for proficiency. * Press release | Illinois State Treasurer Michael Frerichs Announces $50 Million Loan Program to Help Federal Workers During Shutdown: The loans will be issued through participating banks and credit unions across Illinois with money made available through the Treasurer’s linked-deposit program. An estimated 153,000 federal employees live and work in Illinois. It is uncertain how many are not receiving their salaries since Oct. 1, when the shutdown began. * Press Release | Peters measure to create state-run labor mediation program: Peters’ measure would create the Labor Mediation Services Pilot Program to be used in place of the Federal Mediation and Conciliation Service when the federal program is not available. The FMCS is a small, independent federal agency that provides mediation, training and facilitation to resolve labor-management disputes – disagreements between unions and employers. These efforts help avoid costly disruptions in production, services and supply chains, ensuring economic stability and growth. * Crain’s | Pritzker signals transit bailout hasn’t gone off the rails — yet: “The transit bill is not dead,” the governor said this morning. “There’s a whole lot of conversation that’s still going on. The work continues.” Pritzker said he met with leaders of the House and Senate yesterday to talk about ways to shore up funding for mass transit, including rail and bus services operated by Metra, the Chicago Transit Authority and Pace. * Crain’s | Aldermen balk at Johnson’s head tax but stop short of outright revolt: The letter signed by 27 aldermen sounds the alarm about the head tax as well as a plan to borrow to pay for operational efficiencies and calls on representatives from Ernst & Young to testify on the firm’s audit of city spending. […] “We are gravely concerned that reinstating the ‘head tax’ would discourage hiring, push employers outside city limits and make Chicago less competitive. We ask your administration to model alternative budget scenarios that exclude the jobs tax,” the letter says. * Block Club | Judge Orders Release Of Cancer Patient’s Father Arrested By ICE, Citing No Criminal Record: During a bond hearing Thursday morning, Immigration Judge Eva S. Saltzman set a $2,000 bond for Torres Maldonado, saying she saw “nothing in the record” indicating he posed a danger to the community. Saltzman cited Torres Maldonado’s strong family and community ties, lack of criminal history and eligibility to apply for cancellation of removal based on hardship to his U.S. citizen family members. * Sun-Times | Bovino’s Fox News interview leaves judge ’surprised’ at feds’ opposition to daily check-ins: “I did see Mr. Bovino’s interview on Fox News today, where he did state that he was excited to come to court and that this would not impede his activities or his ability to manage the operation at all,” Ellis said. “So I was a little surprised just to see that the government’s position … was directly contradicted by Mr. Bovino.” * Chicago Reader | The gravediggers of Rosehill Cemetery: Reyes tells me he recently bought the grounds team new shovels, but Sanchez turned down the offer, opting instead for his old, all-steel shovel. He prefers it; it’s more precise. “It’s important,” Sanchez says, “because we’re trying to do it perfect and not make mistakes. We have to do right for the family.” * Crain’s | Cook County tax bill delays cause headaches for homebuyers: The roughly 17,000 people in Cook County who’ve bought homes since July 1 may all be feeling the same minor headache, sparked by a months-long delay in property tax bills that could stretch into the new year. The buyers are waiting for reimbursements that, although typically small, usually come three weeks or less after the date the sale closes. Because Cook County officials have yet to announce when the latest tax bills — which were to be mailed July 1, with an Aug. 1 payment deadline — will finally be mailed, there’s no telling when the reimbursements will come. * CBS Chicago | Scuffle between federal agents, adults spills into Warren Township High School in Gurnee, officials say: Woestman said that he believes the incident happened with an off-campus encounter between federal agents and adults who are not related to the school district. He said the adults then came onto WTHS’s O’Plaine campus, with federal agents following. The agents followed one of the adults through a door into an O’Plaine campus building. The door was open as it was being “used appropriately” by students and staff coming as part of a normal school day, Woestman said. * ABC Chicago | Rich Township employee stranded in Jamaica without life-saving medication after Hurricane Melissa: Trinette Britt-Johnson is chief of staff to Rich Township Supervisor Calvin Jordan. In 2024, Britt-Johnson was the recipient of a successful kidney transplant after being diagnosed with a rare kidney disease years earlier. Officials say Britt-Johnson’s trip to Jamaica a week ago for vacation was the first time she was allowed to really travel due to doctor’s orders. Britt-Johnson is currently stuck in Montego Bay after Hurricane Melissa hit, and is without critical medicine that supports kidney function * Illinois Times | “It doesn’t look like justice”: “Sean Grayson should be able to get out of jail when my daughter can get out of that burial vault,” Massey’s father, James Wilburn of Pine Bluff, Arkansas, said at a news conference after the verdict. The law would allow the presiding judge, Sangamon County Circuit Court Judge Ryan Cadagin, to release Grayson and only sentence him to probation, though one of the lawyers representing the Massey family, Antonio Romanucci, said that is unlikely. * STL PR | Cost of marketplace health plans to soar in 2026, will hit some in southern Illinois especially hard: “Southern rural communities will see much higher increases,” said state Department of Insurance Director Ann Gillespie. “Some [consumers] are going to lose their coverage entirely,” she said. “But everybody is going to be hit by this.” According to data from the nonprofit health organization KFF, a 60-year-old couple making $85,000 annually in southern or western Illinois could see monthly premiums for a benchmark plan increase anywhere from 300% to 535%. * WJBD | Two more candidates file for Marion County Board seats: Two candidates have filed to run in the Republican primary for Marion County Board seats. Harvey Evans V has filed to run in District One and Jack Riley is running for re-election in District Two. Candidate filing continues through four Monday afternoon at the Marion County Clerk’s office. * WCIA | State Police squad car struck in ‘Scott’s Law’ accident on I-57 in Arcola: At around 5:50 a.m., a State Police trooper was parked across the northbound lanes of I-57 conducting traffic control for a different crash that involved a commercial motor vehicle, according to a news release from ISP. The trooper had turned on the squad car’s emergency lights and was directing traffic to exit at milepost 203 onto IL 133. The driver of a Chevrolet Trailblazer failed to move over and exit, and it struck the front passenger side of the trooper’s squad car. The trooper was outside of the squad car at the time of the crash, but no one was hurt. * Ahmir “Questlove” Thompson | The burial of Black genius (A.K.A. D’Angelo lives!): Then came Voodoo. Then came everything. That album remade Black music. There’s a before and an after. Its tour was the greatest soul revue since prime Prince — we spent four years studying him; naturally, we wrote our love letter back. […] I have to say, the last weeks with him were probably the best for our friendship. Music was always the template for our communication. Now here we were in the hospital — no soundproof separation booths, no drums, no keys, no instruments, no musicians. Nothing but just the two of us talking. * ProPublica | Details of DHS Agreement Reveal Risks of Trump Administration’s Use of Social Security Data for Voter Citizenship Checks: Instead, experts say, the sweeping data-sharing agreement authorizing DHS to merge Social Security data into SAVE could threaten Americans’ privacy and lead to errors that disenfranchise legitimate voters The details of the agreement, which haven’t previously been reported, show it contains alarmingly few guardrails to ensure accuracy and scant specifics on how the data will be kept secure, election and privacy lawyers who have reviewed it say. Further, it explicitly does not bar DHS from deploying the SSA data for other purposes, including immigration enforcement. * NYT | Candy Companies Are Quietly Cutting Down on Cocoa to Save Money: Almost no one noticed when, sometime over the last few years, the packaging on Almond Joy, Mr. Goodbar and Rolo was updated to remove the words “milk chocolate.” The edits were easy to miss: The description on the front of the Mr. Goodbar wrapper changed from “milk chocolate with peanuts” to “chocolate candy with peanuts.” Almond Joy is now marketed as a “coconut and almond chocolate candy bar.” Rolos are now wrapped in “rich chocolate candy” instead of “milk chocolate.”
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Keep ROFR And Anti-Competitive Language Out Of The Energy Bill
Thursday, Oct 30, 2025 - Posted by Advertising Department [The following is a paid advertisement.] Voters and the Governor already rejected lawmakers’ push for anti-competitive “Right of First Refusal” (ROFR) bills that handed transmission contracts to incumbent utilities. Now, the same principles that would raise costs on ratepayers are back. They are trying to rebrand ROFR and pretend it’s about protecting Illinois. As energy legislation is finalized in Springfield this month, let’s keep ROFR and anti-competitive language out of bill. Let’s remember Illinois voters:
• 76% say anti-competition laws only strengthen utilities, not citizens. • 75% say ending competition drives up prices and kills savings. The message is clear: voters want more competition, not less. Voters’ concerns about higher energy prices are only on the rise. Since this poll, they’ve endured a sizzling summer with skyrocketing prices, and a new report says the cost of heating a home this winter is expected to jump nearly 8%. Voters have made their voice clear: Say no to energy inflation. Don’t hand more power and control to ComEd and Ameren. Say no to ending cost-cutting competition. And say yes to policies that provide lower cost to consumers.
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Pritzker on Tier 2 pension bill: ‘whole lot more work that needs to be done’
Thursday, Oct 30, 2025 - Posted by Rich Miller * We Are One Illinois press release from yesterday…
* Gov. Pritzker was asked about the bill today…
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Protected: SUBSCRIBERS ONLY - Quick session updates
Thursday, Oct 30, 2025 - Posted by Rich Miller
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Credit Unions Step Up During Government Shutdown
Thursday, Oct 30, 2025 - Posted by Advertising Department [The following is a paid advertisement.] When the federal government shuts down, thousands of workers face missed paychecks and mounting stress. Illinois credit unions are stepping in to help. During the shutdown, credit unions across the state offer emergency relief to impacted federal employees - proving once again that they put people before profit. From skip-a-payment programs and low-interest emergency loans to waived fees and financial counseling, credit unions provide a lifeline to those caught in the crossfire of political gridlock. These not-for-profit financial cooperatives are owned by their members, not shareholders, which means their focus is on service - not earnings. The Illinois Credit Union League (ICUL) coordinates these efforts statewide, ensuring that federal workers - from TSA agents to postal employees - have access to compassionate, practical support. This response reflects the credit union philosophy of “people helping people,” especially in times of crisis. As policymakers debate financial regulations, remember that credit unions are more than lenders - they’re community partners. Their proactive support during the shutdown is a powerful example of how member-owned institutions can respond swiftly and humanely when their communities need them most. Learn more at: https://www.icul.com/advocacy/2025-government-shutdown/ Paid for by Illinois Credit Union League. 
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Noem to Pritzker: No
Thursday, Oct 30, 2025 - Posted by Rich Miller * Sun-Times…
* Response…
* Full transcript…
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US Supreme Court requests more information regarding Trump’s deployment of National Guard in Illinois
Thursday, Oct 30, 2025 - Posted by Isabel Miller
* SCOTUSblog…
* Reuters…
* Related… * The Guardian | Revealed: Pentagon orders states’ national guards to form ‘quick reaction forces’ for ‘crowd control’: The memo, signed on 8 October by Maj Gen Ronald Burkett, the director of operations for the Pentagon’s national guard bureau, sets thresholds for the size of the quick reaction force to be trained in each state, with most states required to train 500 national guard members, for a total of 23,500 troops nationwide. As authority, Burkett cited Donald Trump’s August executive order that deployed the guard to fight crime in Washington DC. The same order required the secretary of defense to create “a standing National Guard quick reaction force … available for rapid nationwide deployment” in “quelling civil disturbances”. * Politico | Trump’s National Guard DC deployment extended into 2026: National Guard troops patrolling the streets of Washington, D.C., will stay in place until at least February, a defense official said — but the extension is open-ended until the mission is considered complete. The orders to stay in Washington were likely to lapse in November, but Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth ordered the extension this week, said the official, who was granted anonymity to discuss the orders. * The Hill | DOJ admits National Guard was briefly sent to Portland despite court order: “We’ll discuss later whether that’s contempt and in direct violation of my TRO, but we’re moving on,” the judge said. It was not clear how many soldiers were sent or what they were tasked to do. Lin said they “completed the shift.” U.S. Northern Command, which oversees the National Guard troops who have been federalized, declined to provide additional information or comment, citing the ongoing litigation. * The Texas Tribune | Majority of Texans oppose National Guard deployment to cities out of state, poll finds: The survey, conducted by the Texas Politics Project at the University of Texas, Austin between Oct. 10 and Oct. 20, found that 43% of Texans “strongly oppose” the move and 8% “somewhat oppose” it. Forty-one percent of Texans supported the move.
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Clean And Reliable Grid Affordability Act (SB25) Is The Only Bill This Veto Session That Can Slash Skyrocketing Electric Rate Increases
Thursday, Oct 30, 2025 - Posted by Advertising Department [The following is a paid advertisement.]  This fall veto session, only one bill can reduce spiking electric rates – the Clean and Reliable Grid Affordability (CRGA) Act. If enacted, CRGA would direct the state to procure battery energy storage and finally implement the kind of long-range planning that will help stabilize the grid and lower costs for ratepayers. Government (Illinois Power Agency) and private sector (The Power Bureau) studies agree CRGA will save consumers on monthly bills and slash tens of billions in costs. Want more proof? Look to Texas where consumers saved an estimated $750 million in 2024, sheltering them from demand-induced price spikes and preventing blackouts in the process. These are benefits Texas saw from storage even as the state reduced its gas generation capacity by 166 MW last year. The solutions offered in CRGA are nimble enough to address growing data center power demands and meet other electrification-related power needs. It’s the only bill in Veto that can lower rates for consumers and ensure economic development efforts are set up for success. After all, if we lack power and capacity, we can’t add the jobs that come with new data centers and other large power users. Without action, prices will continue to rise with no end in sight. It’s time for the General Assembly to pass the Clean and Reliable Grid Affordability Act.
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Pritzker leaves door open for RTA sales tax hike
Thursday, Oct 30, 2025 - Posted by Isabel Miller * Governor Pritzker was asked about the House transit bill during an unrelated press conference this morning…
* On if the bill can get done during veto session…
* On what qualifies as a broad-base tax increase…
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Big Pharma’s Greed Is On Full Display — And Illinois Patients Are Paying The Price
Thursday, Oct 30, 2025 - Posted by Advertising Department [The following is a paid advertisement.] When pharmaceutical giants worth hundreds of billions of dollars go after hospitals that serve low-income families, it isn’t compassion driving them—it’s greed. These companies, earning over $112 billion in profits in just one year, are running a multimillion-dollar misinformation campaign in Illinois to block hospitals from accessing federal drug discounts, just so they can keep overcharging hospitals and patients. The federal 340B program allows hospitals caring for large numbers of Medicaid and uninsured patients to purchase outpatient drugs at a discount—savings they reinvest into patient care. As Congress enacts deep Medicaid cuts threatening healthcare for nearly 500,000 Illinoisans, Big Pharma is doubling down on deception. Drugmakers are misleading lawmakers about Illinois’ 340B legislation. Let’s be clear: Illinois hospitals aren’t asking for anything new. • HB 2371 SA 2 preserves the status quo requiring drug discounts that hospitals pass onto patients and use for essential new service lines. For Safety Net and Critical Access Hospitals, 340B savings are lifelines funding free and discounted prescriptions, mental-health and substance-use treatment, cancer care, maternity services, and clinics. Reject Big Pharma’s lies and stand with Illinois hospitals, who deliver care, create jobs, and strengthen communities. Learn more.
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Appeals court pauses order requiring CBP Chief Bovino to meet with judge daily
Thursday, Oct 30, 2025 - Posted by Isabel Miller * The Sun-Times…
* Tribune…
* The AP…
* WTTW…
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Lawmakers Must Reject HB 3799 Before It Raises Costs And Drives Insurers Out Of Illinois
Thursday, Oct 30, 2025 - Posted by Advertising Department [The following is a paid advertisement.] SPRINGFIELD, IL — [Oct. 30] — The National Association of Mutual Insurance Companies today called on members of the Illinois House to vote “NO” on HB 3799. The bill would hand the Illinois Department of Insurance unchecked power to retroactively and artificially suppress insurance rates, which will create chaos in the marketplace, drive up premiums, and jeopardize coverage for Illinois families. If this bill passes, Illinois will walk straight into the same crisis we’ve seen play out in states like California and possibly worse because HB 3799 goes beyond every other state in price control.” Hammer continued. “The bill gives regulators unlimited authority to pull back approved rates at any time with no deadlines, no appeal process, and no accountability. That kind of uncertainty will force insurers to raise prices or stop writing business in Illinois altogether.” Today, Illinois’ insurance market is a national success story where consumers benefit from competition, stability, and affordability of rates. More than 200 companies currently offer coverage, and auto insurance rates remain well below the national average. HB 3799 would undo decades of progress and send a chilling message to insurers: Illinois is no longer open for business. “Governor J.B. Pritzker touted Illinois’ rise to 13th in CNBC’s Top States for Business this summer,” said Erin Collins, senior vice president of state and policy affairs for NAMIC. “But if HB 3799 passes, those gains will vanish fast. You can’t claim to be pro-business while advancing policies that drive investment and jobs out of the state. I hope the governor tells the legislature that HB 3799 is not in concert with his desire to continue Illinois’ rise in the rankings.” NAMIC urges lawmakers to reject HB 3799 and instead work toward policies that preserve affordability, stability, and consumer choice in Illinois’ insurance market. 
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Isabel’s morning briefing
Thursday, Oct 30, 2025 - Posted by Isabel Miller * ICYMI: House passes energy bill amid debate over costs to consumers. Capitol News Illinois…
- The bill, which passed the House 70-37, has been in the works for more than a year. Much of the back-and-forth between lawmakers, business groups, environmentalists and organized labor centered on the balance between reliability and consumer costs. - The Illinois Power Agency, which manages Illinois’ electricity market and oversees renewable energy procurement in the state, conducted an analysis of the bill. The agency found that while the programs in the proposal will increase customer bills slightly, those increases will be entirely offset by 2029. * More veto session stories… Sponsored by Ameren Illinois
* Gov. JB Pritzker will hold a 9:30 am press conference highlighting the “worst of the worst” Trump administration actions affecting Illinoisans amid federal deployments. At 1:30 pm, he’ll announce the next round of Regional Site Readiness Program grants. Watch live here. * Crain’s | As SNAP shutdown looms, Illinois will provide $20M for food: Illinois plans to provide $20 million to food banks across the state as federal supplemental nutrition assistance funds are set to end Oct. 31 because of the government shutdown. Gov. JB Pritzker is expected to sign an executive order tomorrow to mobilize state resources and work with food banks and food pantries, grocers, universities and other community organizations to help limit the impact of the end of SNAP benefits, which help low-income residents purchase food. * Sun-Times | Gov. Pritzker asks Noem to pause ICE enforcement for Halloween: ‘Please let children be children’: Gov. JB Pritzker is asking Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem and top ICE officials to suspend immigration enforcement operations throughout Chicago for three days so children can safely celebrate Halloween. The request, obtained by the Chicago Sun-Times, comes four days after ICE agents fired tear gas in the Old Irving Park neighborhood as families and children walked to a Halloween parade. And it came a day after U.S. District Judge Sara Ellis told Border Patrol commander-in-chief Gregory Bovino on the stand that a “sense of safety was shattered” for children who witnessed the deployment. * Chalkbeat Chicago | Teachers union pushes Illinois lawmakers for more school funding: Davis Gates said lawmakers and Gov. JB Pritzker should do more than hold press conferences denouncing President Donald Trump’s policies and she repeated the union’s push to “tax the rich.” “We’re going to spend a lot of time in Springfield creating the lesson plans, the pathways for elected officials to honor the working people, the public servants, and the educators of the state of Illinois,” Davis Gates told a crowd of union members outside the capitol building. * Crain’s | Lollapalooza ‘at risk’ if state entertainment tax is approved, organizer says: “Events like Lollapalooza and Sueños fuel Illinois’ economy, creating jobs and boosting local businesses,” a spokesperson for the concert organizer said in a statement. “A new statewide event tax and higher amusement tax would drive up ticket prices, putting these events at risk and adding a nearly 20% total tax burden on fans in a city that already has the highest amusement tax in the nation.” * Tribune | Mayor Brandon Johnson tries to beat state to taxing hemp with plan that adds age limit: Johnson argued that Chicago “did not get its fair share” of revenue when the state legalized the sale of marijuana in 2019. This time, the mayor, who has aired his frustrated belief that Gov. JB Pritzker has repeatedly boxed him out of securing new tax revenue, is trying to beat Springfield to the punch. “I don’t want what happened to the city of Chicago during the cannabis debate to happen around hemp,” Johnson said. * Tribune | Illinois officials should investigate, charge federal immigration agents for state violations, group says: In letters sent this week to Gov. JB Pritzker, Attorney General Kwame Raoul and Cook County State’s Attorney Eileen O’Neill Burke, all three of whom are Democrats, and Chicago police Superintendent Larry Snelling, the Free Speech for People campaign contends “federal agents have repeatedly committed criminal acts that are not immunized by federal law.” “We applaud you for establishing the Illinois Accountability Commission and empowering it to refer” violations to agencies empowered to investigate and enforce such laws, the group’s letter to Pritzker says about the governor’s creation of the new panel last week. “Although the executive order establishing the commission requires it to create an initial status report by Jan. 16, we encourage the commission to immediately refer serious incidents for further investigation by relevant law enforcement officers.” * WCIA | Governor Pritzker signs new executive order to assist struggling farmers: Pritzker’s new executive order does two things. First, it orders the state to identify and promote domestic markets for Illinois Ag products. It also orders the Department of Agriculture to invest further into the Farm Family Resource Initiative that provides access to mental health resources for farmers. Neither effort will put money in farmer’s pockets right away but Pritzker hopes it is enough to hold them over until trade policy stabilizes. * WCIA | Darren Bailey announces funeral arrangements for family members killed in Montana helicopter crash: A visitation will be held from 1-5 p.m. on Sunday, Nov. 2 at Oil Belt Christian Service Camp in Flora. A Celebration of Life for the Bailey family will start at 9 a.m. on Monday, Nov. 3, also at Oil Belt. Private burial will take place in Oskaloosa Cemetery. * Sun-Times | Trump taps big City Hall contractors for ICE operation Brandon Johnson opposes: Ald. Rossana Rodriguez (33rd) is calling for a city review to determine whether Chicago taxpayer dollars should be going to firms working with the Department of Homeland Security and its on-the-ground agencies, Immigration and Customs Enforcement and Customs and Border Protection. “We do have to take this seriously and make sure that we are not collaborating by hiring or benefiting companies that are acting against us,” says Rodriguez, who was born in Puerto Rico and represents one of the city’s most diverse wards. * Tribune | Former aide admits helping Ald. Carrie Austin get home improvement perks from developers: Chester Wilson, 59, pleaded guilty only to one misdemeanor count involving the unrelated theft of “SNAP” state food subsidies, for which he faces up to a year behind bars. But in his plea agreement with prosecutors, Wilson, who served as Austin’s chief of staff admitted that for a three-year period beginning in 2016, he helped facilitate benefits from three people seeking to influence Austin in her official capacity. * Crain’s | Bears offer $25M to benefit Chicago as team pushes bill for Arlington Heights move: Team officials and their lobbyists are circulating a letter among the Chicago delegation that was previously sent to Rep. Kam Buckner and Sen. Bill Cunningham. The letter commits $25 million to benefit the city and Chicago Park District if the Bears move to Arlington Heights. Buckner has been among the most vocal critics of the Bears’ potential move, introducing a bill this month that would require extensive public review of stadium deals and potentially force a team to repay subsidies if it relocates before the contract ends. * Tribune | Grant Park Music Festival president Paul Winberg steps down: The Grant Park Music Festival announced Wednesday that its president, Paul Winberg, will step down in the spring of 2026. Winberg has served as president and CEO since 2011. The festival, which puts on Chicago’s free outdoor classical music series every summer at Jay Pritzker Pavilion in Millennium Park, said in the announcement that its board of directors has begun a national search for his replacement. * Daily Southtown | Immigration enforcement officers arrest at least 7 people in Crete, Chicago Heights: ICE officers detained at least three people, including two customers and one employee, in the parking lot outside of Heights Fresh Market on Chicago Road at about 11 a.m. Monday, according to a store manager, who cited store footage. Yadira Banuelos, a store employee, said officers arrested her coworker as he arrived for his shift Monday. Another man who regularly sold Sabritsa chips outside the store was detained then released, according to a statement the market, posted on Facebook at 11:17 a.m. Tuesday. * Daily Herald | Batavia moves toward ban on ICE using city property: And while some aldermen were passionate about the idea, some questioned whether the city could actually enforce a ban. Alderman Christopher Solfa also questioned the need for an ordinance, saying it would just be a symbolic gesture. He noted that Batavia already complies with the Illinois TRUST Act, which prohibits local police and governments from aiding immigration agents in civil cases, including use of city property. * Daily Herald | ‘More challenging’: Naperville budget plan includes fewer new programs: During preparations for the upcoming fiscal year, city departments were told to hold the line on operating budgets because of budgetary pressure from increased personnel and health insurance costs. Officials expect to see an 18.5% spike in health insurance premiums. “To be clear, this was a more challenging budget year than we’ve seen in recent memory,” Finance Director Ray Munch said during the second of three city council budget workshops. Among the few new budget requests? An estimated $150,000 that would allow Naperville police to pilot a “Drone as a First Responder” program. * Shaw Local | DeKalb County administrator issued rodeo permit to man who pleaded guilty to animal abuse: Records: “I permitted an event to an animal abuser. I did,” interim DeKalb County Administrator Derek Hiland said of an Aug. 2 rodeo in Kirkland. It’s the third time that Hiland signed off on a rodeo permit for Cristofer Perez, and the second time that footage of the event is being investigated by the DeKalb County Sheriff’s Office. * Daily Southtown | Dolton board prematurely settled sexual assault lawsuit, attorney says: Attorney Eric White, who is representing the plaintiffs said Wednesday the village mischaracterized the status of the lawsuit that is still pending. The plaintiffs include a former village and Thornton Township employee who claims Holmes drugged and sexually assaulted her on a 2023 work trip to Las Vegas, The village declined to provide details of the settlement agreements after they were approved Oct. 6, saying they had not yet been finalized or signed. The lawsuit names Holmes, the village, Thornton Township, and former Dolton Mayor and Thornton Township Supervisor Tiffany Henyard as defendants. * WCIA | Massey family reacts to Sean Grayson verdict: After nearly a week of hearing testimony and 11 hours of deliberations across two days, the jury convicted Grayson of second-degree murder and acquitted him of first-degree murder. Emotions were high as the Massey family spoke, saying that they are not happy with Grayson being convicted of only second-degree murder, not first-degree murder. The next steps they want include Grayson receiving the maximum sentence — 20 years in prison. * WCIA | Watseka police officers on leave since July; State Police investigating: Multiple officers with the Watseka Police Department are being investigated by the Illinois State Police, officials confirmed with WCIA on Wednesday. Watseka Police Chief Eric Starkey was unable to confirm the identities of the officers under investigation, or how many are being investigated. But, Starkey was able to share that the officers under investigation have been on leave since July. * Rockford Register Star | Rockford considering use of cannabis funds to close deficit despite pleas to keep promise: The city could rescind its policy restricting recreational cannabis sales tax funding to aiding communities disproportionately impacted by marijuana laws and instead tap the funds to help close a projected $3.7 million 2026 general fund deficit. Rockford has $2.6 million in marijuana sales taxes on hand. Combined with the estimated $850,000 it expects to generate next year, it could be spent to avoid a property tax increase or cuts in city services, city officials said. * WGEM | Pike County Board debates cuts for fiscal year budget: County Chairman Rita Hoskin confirmed the total deficit was $1.8 million. When the floor opened for discussion, Vice-Chairman Tom Lewis questioned a $350,000 proposed cut to the ambulance department. “If you take $350,000 out of [the ambulance department] budget, [the department] will be broke if an incident that causes us to lose the other $250,000 we might have had saved,” Lewis said. * WGLT | McLean County rebuts agreement default allegations from Bloomington and Normal: County administrator Cassy Taylor also rebutted the town’s allegations point by point in the letter dated Oct. 24, a few days ahead of the Oct. 27 deadline to respond to the notice. The dispute centers on the accumulation of more than $21 million in the County Mental Health and Public Safety Fund [MHPSF]. That money is supposed to fund new public safety information system technology, behavioral health services in the jail and community, and bond debt incurred to pay for renovation and expansion of the McLean County jail. * WCIA | IL Extension gets $40k to improve, protect Coles Co. water months after Mattoon algae bloom: One part of the initiative, the Watershed Stewards program, will launch in Coles County in 2026. It’ll be led by Extension Program Coordinator Jenny Lee. Anyone can attend the program to learn how to protect local lakes, a spokesperson with Extension said in a release. In the second part of the initiative, participants will have the opportunity to install native plants under native trees. This will help slow stormwater runoff, benefit pollinators and keep excess nutrients from entering local waterways, according to Extension officials. They attributed the “soft landings” concept to Heather Holm and Leslie Pilgrim. * NOTUS | USDA Quietly Deletes Its Contingency Plan for Funding SNAP: The U.S. Department of Agriculture had a plan to keep the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program running during a government shutdown by using contingency funds — but the document laying out that plan has now disappeared from the agency’s website. “Congressional intent is evident that SNAP’s operations should continue since the program has been provided with multi-year contingency funds that can be used for State Administrative Expenses to ensure that the State can also continue operations during a Federal Government shutdown,” the plan that was removed, dated Sept. 30, stated. * Semafor | British newspaper spoke to the wrong de Blasio, not an ‘imposter’: “I’m Bill DeBlasio. I’ve always been Bill DeBlasio,” DeBlasio said in an interview conducted Wednesday evening through his Ring doorbell in Huntington Station, Long Island, from his current location in Florida. “I never once said I was the mayor. He never addressed me as the mayor,” DeBlasio told Semafor Wednesday evening. “So I just gave him my opinion.” * WaPo | We checked DHS’s videos of chaos and protests. Here’s what they leave out.: Some videos that purported to show the fiery chaos of Trump-targeted cities included footage from completely different states. One that claimed to show dramatic examples of past administrations’ failures instead featured border crossings and smuggling boats recorded during Trump’s first term.
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Good morning!
Thursday, Oct 30, 2025 - Posted by Rich Miller * The Kinks… There’s a rat under my bed Holding up so far?
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Protected: SUBSCRIBERS ONLY - Today’s edition of Capitol Fax (use all CAPS in password)
Thursday, Oct 30, 2025 - Posted by Rich Miller
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Selected press releases (Live updates)
Thursday, Oct 30, 2025 - Posted by Isabel Miller
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Live coverage
Thursday, Oct 30, 2025 - Posted by Isabel Miller * Click here and/or here to follow breaking news on the website formally known as Twitter. Our Bluesky feed…
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Guard What’s Good: Oppose HB3799
Wednesday, Oct 29, 2025 - Posted by Advertising Department [The following is a paid advertisement.]
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Protected: SUBSCRIBERS ONLY - Session update (Updated)
Wednesday, Oct 29, 2025 - Posted by Rich Miller
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Isabel’s afternoon roundup
Wednesday, Oct 29, 2025 - Posted by Isabel Miller * A jury has found former Sangamon County deputy Sean Grayson guilty of second degree murder for the fatal police shooting of Sonya Massey. WICS…
From the SJ-R…
…Adding… Sen. Doris Turner…
…Adding… Civil rights and personal injury attorneys Ben Crump and Antonio Romanucci…
* An update on the Illinois National Guard case from Jon Seidel…
Illinois families can’t afford a new delivery tax. Delivery services are a lifeline for millions of Illinois residents helping seniors, families, and those with limited mobility get the essentials they need, when they need them. Delivery isn’t a luxury — it’s a necessity. Learn how a delivery tax could affect your household and why we must STOP THIS TAX today. * Reuters this morning…
* Illinois Department of Agriculture Director Jerry Costello put the China purchase in perspective during a press conference earlier today…
According to the Illinois Soybean Association, “60 percent of the soybeans grown in Illinois find their way to international markets.” In 2023, Illinois exported $4.5 billion worth of soybeans. * Gov. Pritzker signed an executive order declaring an agricultural trade crisis. Press release…
* Block Club | Illinois Lawmakers Propose Bills That Would Protect Immigrants At Schools, Hospitals And Courthouses: Proposed bills — some yet to be introduced to the state legislature — would ban immigration agents from making civil arrests at courthouses statewide, ask federal agents to comply with health centers’ rules to protect patients’ privacy and increase protections for immigrants, among other things, advocates said. * Crain’s | Pritzker says House transit-funding bill is a non-starter: Pritzker’s opposition makes it unlikely the Legislature will produce a transit bill by the time the veto session ends tomorrow. It’s just the latest twist in the transit saga in Springfield, where legislators have been unable to overhaul the oversight of Chicago-area mass transit agencies and come up with a way to replace hundreds of millions of dollars in pandemic-era support for public transit that is coming to an end. * First Alert 4 | Teacher’s Union heads to capital, pushes lawmakers for promised funding that’s gone undelivered: Dozens of members from the Illinois Federation of Teachers (IFT) and Southwest Area Council (SWAC) were on the bus headed to Springfield, Il. They say the plan is to push lawmakers for a significant increase in funding for K-12 education, even if it means raising taxes on wealthy individuals and corporations. * AP | Border Patrol’s Bovino due in court for first check-in on Chicago immigration crackdown: In an interview Wednesday morning on Fox News, Bovino defended federal agents’ actions and said he was eager to talk with the judge. “If she wants to meet with me every day, then she’s going to see, she’s going to have a very good first-hand look at just how bad things really are on the streets of Chicago,” Bovino said. “I look forward to meeting with that judge to show her exactly what’s happening and the extreme amount of violence perpetrated against law enforcement here.” * WTTW | Chicago Leaders Applaud Glock’s Reported Decision to Phase Out Pistols That Easily Convert to Automatic Weapons: Glock is expected to launch new products purportedly designed to prevent semi-automatic conversion, a move that came after Chicago officials alleged in court that the company knowingly manufactures products that can be illegally converted into semi-automatic weapons using an item known as a “switch.” * WGN | Little Village council demands action against federal agents using CPS parking lots for staging: About two weeks ago, Chicago Public Schools (CPS) put up signs saying the parking lot is only for the use of authorized vehicles. But nothing has been put up in relation to the executive order issued by the mayor earlier this month, prohibiting ICE and others from using any city property or facilities. There are similar allegations that immigration officials in recent days have staged themselves adjacent to Farragut High School, located at 2345 South Christiana Avenue. * Chicago Mag | Monument Man: Dajnowski has been taking care of local public art for nearly 35 years, first as an employee of and now as a contractor for the Chicago Park District and the Art Institute of Chicago. He’s the city’s top conservator of monuments, sculptures, and fountains — the guy you trust to preserve and clean Chicago’s finest public works. Not least the Art Institute’s iconic lions. “You can imagine what a decision that was for the institution,” says Rachel Sabino, the museum’s director of objects and textiles conservation. “There really is no one we trust more for this type of work locally than Andrzej.” * Crain’s | A half dozen buzzy new bagel shops roll into Chicago: Call Your Mother Deli, the Washington D.C.-based bagel chain with a cult-like following, is expanding to Chicago — the latest in a wave of buzzy bagel shops setting up across the city. The pink and blue CYM brand is planting its first Midwest flag in Wicker Park at 1615 N. Damen Ave., formerly home to Dimo’s Pizza. The CYM team hopes to open the new location in spring 2026, and if it’s successful, “a few” more storefronts in the following 12 to 18 months, said Andrew Dana, the company’s co-owner and founder. * Crain’s | Argonne will team up with Nvidia to build one of the biggest AI supercomputers: The national laboratory outside Lemont has a long history as one of the nation’s top centers for supercomputing and recently completed one of the world’s fastest machines. That was before the explosion of widely available artificial intelligence tools such as ChatGPT and other software, much of it running on Nvidia chips. The Department of Energy said today Argonne will partner with Nvidia and Hewlett Packard Enterprise to build two next-generation supercomputers: Solstice, which will feature 100,000 Nvidia Blackwell processors and Equinox, which will feature 10,000 Nvidia processors. * Daily Herald | DuPage County Board criticizes ICE, but won’t ban agents from county property : DuPage County Board Chair Deb Conroy indicated there could be additional action in the future. “We need to do what we can actually do to support our residents,” Conroy said. Republicans board members said they support due process or fair treatment, but described the resolution as “political theater,” noting that the county has no jurisdiction over immigration. * Daily Southtown | Six chosen to plan possible uses of Pope Leo XIV’s boyhood home: Dolton clerk Alison Key was sworn in Thursday as leader of the commission that also includes Democratic state Rep. Will Davis, village co-chaplain Deborah White, former Illinois GOP finance committee chairman Vince Kolber, and longtime residents Garrett Ghezzi and Lisa Montgomery. House said Key’s contributions as village clerk qualified her to lead the commission, which is charged with deciding next steps for the pope’s childhood home at 212 East 141st Place as well as general pope-related tourism in Dolton. * BND | If SNAP ends, what happens to free lunches in metro-east schools?: “We don’t anticipate that meal service at schools will be interrupted during the government shutdown,” said Alexis Bylander, director of Food Research Action Center, a national nonprofit that advocates for federal nutrition programs. Illinois State Board of Education Press Secretary Lindsay Record said as of Tuesday, there has not been any changes to federal school meal programs. She did not answer when asked if ISBE has sent guidance to districts. * WCBU | Busy Peoria City Council gives final approval to 2-year budget: Following weeks of preparations, discussions and negotiations, the Peoria City Council on Tuesday approved a two-year spending plan in a matter of minutes. The council voted unanimously to adopt a balanced biennial budget with revenues and expenses at $300.6 million in the 2026 fiscal year and $324.3 million for 2027. * WGLT | ISU teaching assistant on leave faces federal charges over alleged threats to President Trump: The El Paso Police Department said in a social media post that its officers coordinated with the FBI to arrest Derek Lopez, 27, of El Paso during a traffic stop shortly before 7:40 p.m. Tuesday. […] ISU Police arrested Lopez on Oct. 17 on misdemeanor criminal damage and disorderly conduct charges. Police said Lopez disrupted two informational tabling events. In videos widely shared online, a man is seen flipping a table during a confrontation with a student organization that is affiliated with Turning Point USA. * NYT | In Utah, Trump’s Vision for Homelessness Begins to Take Shape: Much about Utah’s plans remain unclear, including the details of involuntary treatment, what a proposal calls “work-conditioned housing” and whether the residents will sleep in buildings or tents. But supporters call it a model. […] Utah’s pivot is especially radical. It was once a leader in Housing First, an approach to homelessness that prioritizes permanent housing and offers treatment on a voluntary basis. * Bloomberg | Rivian won’t tap $6.6 billion U.S. loan until new plant built, CFO says: McDonough reaffirmed Rivian’s goal of hitting a measure of operating profit by 2028 once its Illinois plant reaches full production capacity of 200,000 vehicles a year. “Ramping up the Normal facility to 200,000 would get us to Ebitda,” she said, referring to earnings before interest, taxes, depreciation, and amortization.
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It’s Time To Bring Safer Rides To Illinois
Wednesday, Oct 29, 2025 - Posted by Advertising Department [The following is a paid advertisement.] Waymo is ready to bring safe, reliable, autonomous rides to Illinois – but we need your help! Waymo is designed to follow all traffic laws and obey speed limits, and the data shows Waymo’s autonomous vehicles are involved in five times fewer injury-causing collisions compared to humans (as of 6/2025, see waymo.com/safety). Let’s bring safer rides to Illinois.  Waymo’s autonomous vehicles can improve access to transportation for Illinois residents with travel-limiting disabilities like vision impairment, to reach medical care, groceries, and social activities. Waymo’s all-electric autonomous vehicles also provide a more sustainable way for people to get around, preventing 315+ tons of carbon emissions with every 250K trips provided through our ride-hailing service.
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Senate Dems file ‘comprehensive civil rights legislation in response to ICE activities’
Wednesday, Oct 29, 2025 - Posted by Rich Miller * Some background is here if you need it. Press release…
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Congressional candidate, others indicted for alleged Broadview protest actions (Updated)
Wednesday, Oct 29, 2025 - Posted by Rich Miller * Fundraising text…
* From the indictment, which was unsealed today…
More here. Rabbitt is the 45th Ward Democratic Committeeperson. Sharp is running for Cook County board. …Adding… From Sen. Laura Fine, another CD9 Democratic candidate…
* Daniel Biss…
* Granato is running against Sharp for county board…
* Cat Sharp…
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Critical 340B Program Needs Federal Reforms
Wednesday, Oct 29, 2025 - Posted by Advertising Department [The following is a paid advertisement.] A federal program created in 1992 to support safety-net clinics with the care they provided to uninsured patients is being abused by for-profit pharmacies and large hospital systems. The 340B program has become a cash cow with profits flowing away from the very patients and communities the program was meant to help. Reform at the federal level is critical to ensure that the 340B program works as it was intended by providing necessary funds to safety-net clinics that serve some of the neediest patient populations in Illinois and across the country. Multiple investigations have found that the program has created perverse incentives for hospitals to prescribe more and higher-cost medicines, as well as buy up smaller independent clinics and practices to benefit from their prescriptions as well. Meanwhile for-profit pharmacies are making millions of dollars off hospitals, with no requirements to provide low-cost medicines to patients. Sisters Working It Out supports reforms that increase transparency and improve oversight to help return 340B to its original purpose of helping low-income patients and the safety-net clinics they rely on. Congress must act to reform this critical federal program.
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Pritzker on House transit plan: “As it is, it’s not going forward” (Updated x2)
Wednesday, Oct 29, 2025 - Posted by Isabel Miller * At an unrelated press conference, Governor JB Pritzker was asked about the new transit funding plan from House Democrats…
Click here for more on the mark to market tax from the Tax Foundation. * On allowing municipalities to install speed cameras…
* On the 7 percent statewide tax on entertainment…
…Adding… Capitol News Illinois’ Brenden Moore…
…Adding… Organized labor supports the House bill…
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Illinois Credit Unions: People Helping People
Wednesday, Oct 29, 2025 - Posted by Advertising Department [The following is a paid advertisement.] This year’s CU Kind Day brought together 74 credit unions and partners: 1,800+ volunteers, and 3,400+ volunteer hours — resulting in over $81k goods & donations that supported 140 community organizations statewide.  We’re proud to see how Illinois CUs continue to live out the People Helping People philosophy — and inspire others across the nation to do the same. Read more: https://ow.ly/1xeF50XeZo3. Paid for By Illinois Credit Union Leage.
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It’s just a bill
Wednesday, Oct 29, 2025 - Posted by Isabel Miller * Click here for some background. HB4189 was introduced yesterday…
* WAND….
More via WCIA…
* NBC Chicago…
The bill, introduced last December, has yet to advance and faces opposition from the Illinois Retail Merchants Association and the Associated Beer Distributors of Illinois. * WAND…
* Sen. Julie Morrison introduced SB2725 yesterday. The synopsis…
* NPR Illinois…
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Big Pharma Is Lying About 340B: Illinois Hospitals ARE Investing In Low-Income, Underserved Communities – Vote YES On HB 2371 SA 2
Wednesday, Oct 29, 2025 - Posted by Advertising Department [The following is a paid advertisement.] Foreign drugmakers are lying about the 340B bill. Why? The answer is all too obvious: Big Pharma is all about protecting their profits. Anyone who’s had sticker shock when paying for medications knows this. And our elected officials know this; in fact, a U.S. Senate committee recently issued a scathing report on how drugmakers jack up new drug prices and overcharge Americans. HB 2371 SA 2 is desperately needed legislation that will help over 100 Illinois hospitals serving low-income and uninsured patients to pass on discounted drug prices to their patients and invest in needed healthcare services. These hospitals include Safety Net providers like Sinai Chicago and Critical Access Hospitals, as well as UChicago Medicine, the state’s No. 1 provider of Medicaid services. Here’s the truth about 340B:
• HB 2371 SA 2 does NOT require a state appropriation. • Similar laws were passed 20 states and upheld by the courts. • HB 2371 SA 2 implements strong transparency requirements. In just one year, three Big Pharma drugmakers had combined profits of nearly $39 billion, with executive salaries at nearly $154 million. Foreign drugmakers are investing in themselves, not communities. Say NO to Big Pharma and YES to Illinois hospitals and the jobs and care they provide. Learn more.
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News coverage roundup: House Democrats introduce new transit funding plan
Wednesday, Oct 29, 2025 - Posted by Isabel Miller * Subscribers know more. The Sun-Times…
* Crain’s…
* The Tribune…
Discuss.
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Clean And Reliable Grid Affordability Act (SB25) Is The Only Bill This Veto Session That Can Slash Skyrocketing Electric Rate Increases
Wednesday, Oct 29, 2025 - Posted by Rich Miller [The following is a paid advertisement.] This fall veto session, only one bill can reduce spiking electric rates – the Clean and Reliable Grid Affordability (CRGA) Act. If enacted, CRGA would direct the state to procure battery energy storage and finally implement the kind of long-range planning that will help stabilize the grid and lower costs for ratepayers. Government (Illinois Power Agency) and private sector (The Power Bureau) studies agree CRGA will save consumers on monthly bills and slash tens of billions in costs. Want more proof? Look to Texas where consumers saved an estimated $750 million in 2024, sheltering them from demand-induced price spikes and preventing blackouts in the process. These are benefits Texas saw from storage even as the state reduced its gas generation capacity by 166 MW last year. The solutions offered in CRGA are nimble enough to address growing data center power demands and meet other electrification-related power needs. It’s the only bill in Veto that can lower rates for consumers and ensure economic development efforts are set up for success. After all, if we lack power and capacity, we can’t add the jobs that come with new data centers and other large power users. Without action, prices will continue to rise with no end in sight. It’s time for the General Assembly to pass the Clean and Reliable Grid Affordability Act.
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Isabel’s morning briefing
Wednesday, Oct 29, 2025 - Posted by Isabel Miller * ICYMI: House Dems eye taxes on entertainment, billionaires’ investments to fund transit. Capitol News Illinois…
- The future of Senate Bill 2111 in the Senate is not clear, however. Delgado said the proposal represents what House Democrats think are the best solutions to pay for public transportation. - Buckner and Delgado said of the $1.5 billion and $2 billion that would be raised, about $220 million would go to downstate transit agencies. * Related stories… Sponsored by Ameren Illinois
* Governor Pritzker will be in Taylorville at 10:15 am to sign an Executive Order to support Illinois farmers. Click here to watch. * CBS Chicago | Texas National Guard troops remain stationed in Elwood, Illinois, costing taxpayers millions: In Illinois, 200 Texas troops have been sent to Elwood and have spent about 30 days so far, costing taxpayers nearly $3.5 million. “You’re going to have to feed them, and you are going to have to house them, so you are going to have to hire vendors or buy food and have the cooks cook the food,” Hayes said. * WBEZ | Murder case of ex-cop who fatally shot Sonya Massey goes to jurors: Jurors began deliberating Grayson’s fate around lunchtime and ended the day Tuesday without reaching a verdict. They will resume deliberations Wednesday. But jurors did pose two questions to the judge overseeing the case after they went behind closed doors. One was a request to review police-worn body camera videos that have been a critical piece of evidence in the trial. The jury asked to look at Grayson’s and at his partner’s recordings, and to view them side-by-side. The other question had to do with a reference in jury instructions to a state law that governs when use of force is impermissible as an act of self-defense. * WAND | IL turkey hunters harvest 255 wild turkeys in ‘25, down from last season: Turkey hunters in the state of Illinois harvested 255 wild turkeys during the fall season from Oct. 18 to 26. The Illinois Department of Natural Resources said 294 turkeys were harvested in 2024. IDNR shared that 2005 was the record harvest, when 1,218 birds were harvested. * WAND | Illinois Power Agency says solar battery storage proposal could save ratepayers $13.4b over 20 years: The Illinois Power Agency says deploying three gigawatts of battery storage technology could save Ameren and ComEd customers $13.4 billion over 20 years. That is one of the main components Democrats hope to see approved under the Clean and Reliable Grid Affordability Act. The legislation would also bring more solar and wind projects online while investing in geothermal technology and empowering state agencies to better plan for energy demand spikes. * Tribune | Cook County leaders want property tax relief for more seniors, but south suburban mayors group resists: As election season kicks off in earnest and the Springfield veto session hurtles to its conclusion, Cook County Board President Toni Preckwinkle and Assessor Fritz Kaegi are both pressing state legislators to expand property tax break eligibility for lower-income seniors. But they have faced pushback from a group representing south suburban municipal leaders who fear those breaks would hike bills for everyone else, pushing up already-high tax rates and making collections even harder. * WAND | House committee approves bill cutting red tape for craft brewers, distillers: The plan could create a Class 3 craft distiller license and self-distribution exemption. It also clarifies that using third-party platforms to deliver liquor is not illegal reselling, transferring, or exchanging of alcoholic drinks. The bill would allow craft brewer license holders to offer rewards and loyalty programs like mug clubs for customers as well. * WAND | IL Senate GOP: Democrats should not raise any taxes during veto session: Pritzker and House Speaker Emanuel “Chris” Welch have suggested lawmakers could pass a plan this week to decouple from some of the new federal tax benefits for businesses. However, Senate Republican Leader John Curran (R-Downers Grove) said decoupling will prevent taxpayers from automatic savings and could make tax filing more complicated. * Sun-Times | Chicago-area Head Start programs spared from government shutdown — until December: Without an end to the federal government shutdown by Saturday, some 65,000 children and their families nationwide stand to lose Head Start early childcare and preschool services as soon as next week. None are in the Chicago area, the Illinois Head Start Association says. A lone program in downstate Illinois could be impacted next month. Local families have a longer runway because budget years vary for recipients of Head Start grants. * Tribune | Gene & Georgetti owner says the city is pushing her out at Midway to make way for Bally’s: Michelle Durpetti, whose grandfather started Gene & Georgetti nearly 85 years ago, said she received notice last week from Midway concessionaire SSP America that it was closing their Gene’s Bistro outpost and abruptly ending a 20-year licensing agreement within 90 days. No explanation was given to Durpetti in the termination email, but she believes the city is looking to leverage its agreement with Bally’s Chicago to generate additional revenue at the airport – at her expense. “They’re basically pulling the rug out from under a local Chicago brand,” Durpetti said. “You lend people your brand equity, which we have spent decades building and protecting in my family, only to be treated like this.” * Sun-Times | U of C resident doctors win first-ever union contract after nearly a year of negotiating: The five-year contract for the roughly 1,000 residents and fellows “will have a direct impact on both their well-being and their ability to provide high-quality patient care to their patients,” according to the Committee of Interns and Residents, their union representation. The victory is the latest in a growing movement in Illinois and nationwide to unionize residents and secure contracts that make their working conditions more humane and sustainable. * Crain’s | 1871 is on the move to Edelman’s downtown HQ: As 1871 was preparing to depart the Merchandise Mart in May, without a firm decision on where it would set up shop next, CEO Betsy Ziegler got an email from Amanda Edelman. She said: “We’re excited about innovation, and we have some space,” Ziegler recalls. 1871 is moving into nearly 23,000 square feet, or a half-floor of space at 111 N. Canal, along with Current, a water-innovation hub, and the Illinois Hispanic Chamber of Commerce, which was a tenant at 1871’s space in the Merchandise Mart. Edelman calls the space its innovation hub and is providing it rent-free to the nonprofits. * Tribune | Dates are announced for David Byrne’s ‘Theater of the Mind’: Presented as part of the Goodman’s anniversary Centennial Season, the project is described as an “immersive journey of how we perceive and create our worlds, inspired by both historical and current neuroscience research.” It will be directed by Andrew Scoville, with technology direction by Heidi Boisvert. Audiences of 16 at a time will explore “a 15,000-square-foot immersive experience,” with the attraction expected to take about 75 minutes. * Injustice Watch | Rare criminal trial of former Cook County Juvenile Temporary Detention Center employee expected to start Thursday: Kevin Walker, 58, a former rapid response team specialist at the Cook County Juvenile Temporary Detention Center, is facing felony charges of aggravated battery and official misconduct for allegedly injuring a child at the facility in December 2023. This is the first time in more than a decade that a current or former employee has been criminally charged with hurting a child at the detention center. The trial comes on the heels of a class-action lawsuit filed last year by more than 300 former detainees who claim they were sexually and physically abused while at the detention center going back to the early 1990s. In recent years, the facility has also faced scrutiny from outside experts who say staffers use dangerous and excessive restraint practices and are sometimes “entirely inhumane” to the children they oversee. * Lake County News-Sun | Waukegan bars federal agents from city properties: ‘This is a good step forward’: “This resolution is not about politics,” Mayor Sam Cunningham said after signing the resolution. “It is about people. It is about ensuring that every person who calls Waukegan home can go to City Hall, the police station, the library and any other municipal facility without fear.” Along with prohibiting federal immigration enforcement agents from using city property “as a staging area, processing location, operations base or other support for civil immigration enforcement,” the resolution dictates that signs be placed in all appropriate places to warn agents. * Elgin Courier-News | Efforts to help businesses know their rights step up in wake of Elgin-area immigration raids: “ICE/CBP agents do not have consent to enter this business/restaurant unless they have a valid judicial warrant. Staff are not authorized to consent access to this business/restaurant.” Elgin Area Rapid Response Team members confirmed that U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement agents were inside the mall at 535 Dundee Ave. at 9:20 a.m. Sunday and detained a person who was reportedly an employee. The scene was cleared by 9:30 a.m. * Daily Herald | ‘Leading the way’: DuPage’s new Crisis Recovery Center making an early impact: His remarks came during a presentation on the proposed health department budget for the upcoming fiscal year. The health board has authorized the use of reserve funds from the health department to help bridge an anticipated $3 million gap in the center’s operational budget during fiscal 2026. “It’s important to note that this gap is not what I would consider a shortfall. It is a strategic investment that we have planned and prepared for,” Forker said. “It’s about taking care of our residents, and the health department reserves are there in place to support the CRC operations as we launch services for the first time.” * Daily Herald | Arlington Heights to set new speed limits for motorized devices: The revised rules, which could be considered by the board as soon as next Monday, would bar anyone of any age from riding devices that exceed 28 mph — whether an electric bicycle, scooter, unicycle, hoverboard, skateboard or related product — on any street or sidewalk in Arlington Heights. * Tribune | Gary King, DuPage County clerk for decades, dies at 78: In all, King spent more than 47 years working in the office of the clerk, which mails property tax bills and stores and manages vital records like birth certificates, death certificates, marriage licenses and political candidates’ economic interest statements. “He knew more about his job, including about taxes and the tax cycle, than anybody in the county. He just knew everything,” said former DuPage County Recorder J.P. “Rick” Carney, a longtime friend. “He was an expert. I would consider him the best clerk in the state of Illinois.” * WGEM | Potential loss of SNAP benefits impacting local Illinois food pantries: “We’ve already seen the impact already,” Stephens said. “Food pantry was open on Sunday here from 2-4 and unfortunately we have to turn away 60 individuals because we simply did not have enough food.” Stephens said this is the worst it has ever been for them. This isn’t just an issue at Horizons. Stephens said other food pantries in the community are struggling to keep up with the need. * WSIL | Local food pantry launches emergency fundraising campaign amid SNAP benefit halt: Last Saturday, the food pantry recorded serving a record 239 households, representing 603 individuals, with 22 households visiting for the first time. Charley Sands, an eight-year volunteer, expressed concern, saying, “I was in the building Saturday night. It was 7:30. I knew pantry had been going for an hour. The place was still packed with a line out the door, and I was overwhelmed. I said to myself, ‘what are we going to do?’” * WGLT | Bloomington’s gun violence commission wants to keep going: The Special Commission on Safe Communities delivered its final report during the Bloomington City Council’s meeting on Monday, while urging the council to make the commission permanent. “Every commissioner I’ve talked to would like to continue on,” Scott Denton, a forensic pathologist who chairs the commission, said on WGLT’s Sound Ideas. “We think the work isn’t done.” The 29-page report, compiled through interviews and data collection, compares Bloomington to national trends and points to areas of concern, including suicide, domestic violence and youth interaction with guns. * Time Magazine | Stephen Miller Claims ICE Agents Have Immunity. Is That True?: Stephen Vladeck, a professor of law at the Georgetown University Law Center, argues no—at least on its face. “The federal government absolutely retains the ability to prosecute federal law enforcement officers who break the law, even in the course of carrying out their duties,” Vladeck writes in a newsletter published Monday. Vladeck argues that while these agents are protected by an immunity doctrine, that doctrine is not as absolute as Miller makes it out to be. * AP | Federal trial to start over Trump’s efforts to deploy the National Guard in Portland, Oregon: U.S. District Court Judge Karin Immergut, a Trump appointee, will preside over the trial in Portland. The trial stems from a lawsuit filed by the city and state against the Trump administration in a bid to block the troop deployment. Immergut has already issued two temporary restraining orders in the case blocking the troops pending further litigation. She found that Trump had failed to show that he had met the conditions set out by Congress for using the military domestically. She described his assessment of the situation in Portland, which Trump called “war ravaged,” as “simply untethered to the facts.” * 404 Media | ICE Is Using a University Building as a Deportation Office and the University Says It Can’t Do Anything About It: In 2023, an alum of the Milwaukee School of Engineering (MSOE) sold a building at 310 E. Knapp St. to the school for a massive discount, with the intention of the building being renovated and turned into an academic facility. At the time, ICE was a tenant of the building but was in the process of building a new office elsewhere in Milwaukee. Its lease was set to expire in April, but ICE, through the General Services Administration (GSA) which handles real estate for the federal government, unilaterally extended the lease through April of next year and has the option to remain in the building through 2028, the university says. The university says there is nothing it can legally do to evict ICE.
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Good morning!
Wednesday, Oct 29, 2025 - Posted by Rich Miller
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Protected: SUBSCRIBERS ONLY - Supplement to today’s edition
Wednesday, Oct 29, 2025 - Posted by Rich Miller
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Protected: SUBSCRIBERS ONLY - Today’s edition of Capitol Fax (use all CAPS in password)
Wednesday, Oct 29, 2025 - Posted by Rich Miller
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Selected press releases (Live updates)
Wednesday, Oct 29, 2025 - Posted by Isabel Miller
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Live coverage
Wednesday, Oct 29, 2025 - Posted by Isabel Miller * Click here and/or here to follow breaking news on the website formally known as Twitter. Our Bluesky feed…
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