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No Cuts. Increase Funding. Save Lives.
Tuesday, May 19, 2026 - Posted by Advertising Department [The following is a paid advertisement.] These hospitals are lifelines for Black and Brown communities, providing critical care, supporting local jobs, and stabilizing entire neighborhoods. After years of chronic underinvestment, many are already operating on the edge. Even small cuts could lead to closures, fewer services, and dangerous gaps in care. The message is urgent and clear: Illinois cannot balance its budget on the backs of vulnerable communities. Protecting these hospitals means more than preventing cuts, it means increasing investment so they can meet the growing needs of the people they serve. Fully fund and strengthen safety-net hospitals. Lives depend on it. Paid for by Association of Safety-Net Community Hospitals
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Pritzker talks about data center regulation, but actual movement is in doubt
Tuesday, May 19, 2026 - Posted by Rich Miller * From Gov. JB Pritzker’s State of the State address in February…
He cannot unilaterally impose a two-year moratorium. That will require legislative action, although his administration can slow-walk the approval process. * Gov. Pritzker today…
Whether those “very important” regulations will actually pass this spring is unknown at the moment, but it’s not looking all that likely. If he wants this done, he needs to put his shoulder to the wheel. * Back to the governor…
We’re gonna need lots more electricity way before his “next 15 years” claim. From earlier this year…
* Back to Pritzker…
From Fox Chicago this week…
From the Chicago Reader…
Of course, this goes far beyond Lake Michigan. Data centers have been popping up all over the state.
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Illinois Swipe-Fee Law: A Win For Big Retail, A Loss For Consumers
Tuesday, May 19, 2026 - Posted by Advertising Department [The following is a paid advertisement.] The Illinois swipe-fee law shifts billions from consumers to large retailers, without any guarantee of lower prices at the register. By cutting interchange fees, the policy takes resources away from the services consumers rely on and boosts mega retailers’ profits. Interchange fees help fund fraud protection, rewards programs, and affordable banking options. Reducing them doesn’t eliminate costs; it simply moves them. Consumers are likely to see fewer benefits, weaker protections, and higher fees elsewhere, while retailers keep the savings to line their pockets. There’s little evidence that merchants pass these savings on to shoppers. Effects from similar laws prove price reductions do not materialize. Instead, the biggest gains have flowed to large national chains, not everyday consumers. The law also risks creating a costly patchwork of state rules that complicate payments, reduce security, and increase friction at checkout. That added complexity ultimately lands on consumers through higher costs, fewer choices, and a less reliable payments system. This isn’t about lowering prices. It’s about redistributing value. If enacted, consumers will pay more in lost benefits and reduced safeguards, while major retailers come out ahead. For more information, visit https://www.icul.com/advocacy/ifpa/. Paid for by Illinois Credit Union League.
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It’s just a bill
Tuesday, May 19, 2026 - Posted by Isabel Miller * Rep. Rick Ryan…
* WAND…
* Sen. Mike Simmons…
* Illinois Insurance Association Executive Director Kevin Martin…
For more press releases on legislation and other matters, click here. * More… * WCIA | ‘A bill like this would be really key’: Doctor talks new IL bill addressing asthma, allergy preparedness in schools: Dr. Dareen Siri, the CEO of Midwest Allergy Sinus Asthma Respiratory, said that she has been advocating for this bill for years. House Bill 4247 is addressing asthma and epinephrine emergency preparedness at schools and events held there. She said that it would allow schools to keep asthma medication readily available, especially near sports fields and gyms. It would also require staff to be educated on how to give epinephrine and asthma medication. […] The bill is now heading to Governor JB Pritzker’s desk to be signed into law. * WGN | Bears scheduled to meet with NFL during league meeting as Illinois lawmakers face looming deadline on megaprojects bill: The Chicago Bears’ front office is scheduled to meet with the NFL on Tuesday during the league’s Spring Meeting in Orlando, Florida, to discuss plans for a new stadium. The NFL Spring League Meeting runs Tuesday and Wednesday. Meanwhile, Illinois lawmakers are on a short deadline to finalize the so-called megaprojects bill that could help keep the Bears in Illinois. The Illinois House passed the bill last month, though the Bears have requested some changes. * Press release | Grasse Public Health Measure to Prepare for Potential Infectious Diseases Passes General Assembly: House Bill 4977 makes a simple change to Illinois’ Hospital Licensing Act by including “pathogens of epidemiological concern” as a form of multidrug-resistant organisms. These pathogens are defined by a range of traits that indicate a propensity for rapid transmission, especially within healthcare facilities. It also repeals the MRSA Screening and Reporting Act, which will now be covered by the expanded definition. This legislation passed the General Assembly with bipartisan support and now moves to the governor’s desk for signature.
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Transparency Is A Central Part Of 340B Bill: Protect Access To Care – Vote YES On HB 2371 SA 2
Tuesday, May 19, 2026 - Posted by Advertising Department [The following is a paid advertisement.] Illinois hospitals support transparency in House Bill 2371 SA 2—the Patient Access to Pharmacy Protection Act—even as rigorous audits performed regularly on 340B providers over decades do not support drugmaker claims that the federal program lacks transparency. The current status quo of drugmakers restrictions on 340B discounts, contrary to federal law, is causing significant harm to low-income and uninsured patients who benefit from the federal program. Hospitals agree with additional transparency requirements in the 340B bill because of this program’s importance in providing patients with lifesaving healthcare services. HB 2371 SA 2 requires covered entities to submit annual reports to the General Assembly that include:
• The covered entity’s community benefits report, including the amount of charity care they provide; • The number of claims for prescription drugs received under 340B; • A description of any adverse 340B audit findings in the preceding year; and • A description of the 340B program’s impact on patients and communities the covered entity serves. SA 2 also prevents duplicate discounts via policy and requires a process to pay back drugmakers for any duplicate discount. 340B is a vital lifeline for hospitals serving vulnerable Illinoisans. Vote YES on HB 2371 SA 2 to protect access to care. Learn more.
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Isabel’s morning briefing
Tuesday, May 19, 2026 - Posted by Isabel Miller * Subscribers know more. ICYMI: Kathy Salvi ousted as Illinois GOP chair, Bob Grogan takes over. WGN…
- In a Monday release, the Illinois Republican Party announced the election of Bob Grogan, effective immediately. A native of DuPage County, Grogan previously served as county auditor from 2008 to 2020. - “I am honored and humbled to be elected as the next Chair of the Illinois Republican Party. I’m grateful to my good friend, Chair Salvi, for her dedication to the party and her work to build a brighter future for Illinois families. Illinois Republicans are united and I’m excited to get to work electing Republicans up and down the ballot in November,” Grogan said in a statement. * Related stories… Sponsored by PhRMA  * At 10:20 am, Gov. JB Pritzker will deliver remarks at the Rivian R2 announcement. At noon, the governor will deliver remarks at the grand opening of the Peoria Golf Learning Center. Click here to watch. * BlueRoomStream.com’s coverage of today’s press conferences and committee hearings can be found here. * Tribune | Chicago Bears’ proposed stadium site in Hammond would be built on giant slag heap, near hazardous waste sites: As the mayor of Arlington Heights, Jim Tinaglia leads the charge to build a Chicago Bears stadium there. In his private job as an architect, Tinaglia said he would be very leery of building on the rival proposed site in Hammond, Indiana. “I would throw up the red caution flags immediately,” he told the Tribune. “I’ve worked on enough sites with gas stations or dry cleaners or some sort of hazardous material to know it contaminates the ground. I would be very concerned about selecting a site like that.” * Tribune | State’s attorney launches transit crime prosecution task force: The task force will include a plethora of law enforcement agencies — including the Cook County sheriff’s office, the Chicago Police Department, the U.S. attorney’s office and the FBI — as well as the Chicago Transit Authority, Metra and Pace. At monthly meetings to begin next week, task force members will “review processes that will assist in effective and efficient charging and prosecution of transit crime,” according to guidelines released by the state’s attorney’s office. * Capitol News Illinois | Remaining ‘Broadview Six’ protesters set for rare federal misdemeanor trial next week: Prosecutors are set to try the remaining “Broadview Six” immigration protesters in a rare federal misdemeanor trial next week, after a lengthy pretrial conference Monday ironed out final details right down to the configuration of defense tables in the courtroom. The trial is scheduled to begin after Memorial Day and run for two weeks. But defense attorneys are still hopeful it might be avoided after U.S. District Judge April Perry agreed to read unredacted transcripts from inside the grand jury room. * Brownfield AG | Three quarters of Illinois crops planted: Jim Reed, who grows corn and soybeans in Piatt County, tells Brownfield… “We’ve got maybe a couple days of planting left.” He says, “The rain every three to five days has been so unusual compared to last year. Everything that is in looks pretty good. Corn and beans both, a lot of it’s up, a lot of it’s growing well.” * NBC Chicago | Johnson office gives rebuttal after Pritzker criticism over Bears stadium talks: The mayor’s office fired back Monday, saying Johnson does not support a privately owned stadium funded in any way by increased property taxes on residents while the Bears get property tax breaks. “The City’s proposal remains the only plan centered on public ownership alongside a funding mechanism that does not burden property taxpayers while keeping the Bears in Chicago. We look forward to continuing to work with the legislature, the State, and all stakeholders to advance a solution that centers the needs of working Illinoisans while preserving the Bears’ future in Chicago,” a statement from Johnson’s office read. * Sun-Times | Council panel backs deal ensuring 2,800 affordable housing units for people with disabilities: Chicago must ensure the availability of 2,000 affordable housing units for people with disabilities and 800 units for hearing and visually-impaired residents, under a $2.25 million settlement advanced Monday by a City Council committee. Last week, the Chicago Sun-Times reported the cash portion of the settlement with Access Living, an advocacy organization for people with disabilities that receives city grants. At Monday’s Finance Committee meeting, other major elements of the settlement that are likely to prove to be far more complex and costly were disclosed. * Stacy Davis Gates sent a May 12 letter to billionaire Michael Sacks saying Chicago school board elections should not be decided by billionaires, writing, “we owe it to Chicago’s children and their families to protect democracy” in upcoming races. Click here to read the full letter. * NBC Chicago’s Paris Schutz…
* Sun-Times | Chicago’s parking meters could be sold again under deal requiring City Council approval: Mayor Brandon Johnson’s office on Monday confirmed the tentative agreement between Chicago Parking Meters LLC and New York-based Stonepeak Partners. The deal, which would change ownership of the meters and who collects their profits, now sits before City Council, which could seek concessions in favor of the city before approving it. * Block Club | Ald. Gardiner Defends $1 Million Suit Against City: ‘What Price Can You Put On Your Reputation?’: During a Monday news conference, Gardiner and his attorney, Craig Tobin, said they arrived at the $1 million figure by calculating the emotional and financial toll the ethics investigation took on the alderperson. “This is about transparency and accountability, and to be frank, what price can you put on that? What price can you put on your reputation?” said Gardiner, who also confirmed he is seeking a third term in office. * Sun-Times | Ald. Fuentes sues federal government, alleging abuse during Operation Midway Blitz: Ald. Jessie Fuentes’ lawsuit seeks $100,000 in damages from the Oct. 3 confrontation. But she told the Sun-Times last fall that she couldn’t “care less about the money,” adding her motive is to hold federal agents accountable for “terrorizing and brutalizing” her constituents in the name of immigrant enforcement. * Sun-Times | Lollapalooza awards $1.7 million grant to CPS for arts education: The grant, doled out over the next five years, is one of the largest financial awards CPS has received for arts education, according to CPS. The district and musical festival organizer announced the grant Sunday. The donation will go toward two initiatives. Part of the funds — $634,000 — is earmarked for All-City Performing Arts, an after-school program for music, dance and theater. The remaining $1.1 million is for the Lollapalooza Arts Education Fund, which provides grants to schools for in-school arts programs across artistic disciplines. * Sun-Times | Few Chicago residents buy flood insurance, but should they?: Almost every community in the Chicago area is at risk of flooding. Neighborhood sewers are designed to hold 2 inches of rain in a 24-hour period. Some storms are dumping four times that amount. The same goes for suburban Cook County. The rain is landing so hard and so fast that it overwhelms the sewers and doesn’t allow the water to run through a massive flood-mitigation system known as Deep Tunnel. * Sun-Times | Chicago Reader names new publisher: Malik Johnson, who was previously the executive director and publisher of South Side Media Works, which oversees South Side Weekly and Hyde Park Herald, will join the newsroom June 1, the publication announced Monday. “The Reader has a rich and storied history that stands on its own, and I’m thrilled to help usher in a new beginning for the publication,” Jackson said in a news release. * Daily Herald | St. Charles faces 500K gallon-per-day water deficiency, even with new well nearing completion: The city of St. Charles is currently staring down a water deficiency of 500,000 gallons per day. This is despite a recent well project being completed and another one approaching its finish in 2027. Already, the search is beginning for a new drinking water well. City officials say the discovery of a larger water source is crucial for accommodating the city’s long-term growth. The search is proving to be a costly one. The city council is likely to approve a four-year service agreement with Layne Christensen Company at an estimated cost of $350,000 annually. Over the last 50 years, the same company has drilled all the city’s wells. * Oak Park Journal | D97 takes steps to cut student screen time: At its May 12 school board meeting, Michael Arensdorff, the district’s technology chief, presented the school board a technology plan for the next school year. Two of the biggest changes are eliminating students’ ability to directly access YouTube, something many parents have complained about, and not allowing students to use their devices during free time or indoor recess. * Aurora Beacon-News | Still seeking ways to solve looming shortfall, Kane County Board OKs some 2027 budget measures: Several budget-related items secured approval at the board’s regular meeting last week, including plans to use the Consumer Price Index of 2.7% in the budgeting process as the planned property tax hike for the year, raises for non-union employees and the doling out of some of the county’s Grand Victoria Riverboat funds toward county projects. Another measure allocating the county’s mass transit sales tax funds for the coming year, however, failed to secure board approval last week. * Daily Southtown | Markham Park District agrees to not land helicopters, but larger city lawsuit is still pending: The restraining order is part of a larger lawsuit filed by the city against the Park District last October, where the city alleges the park board mismanaged funds, left parks in disrepair and violated a 2012 intergovernmental agreement. The Park District has argued recent loss of city grant funding, despite promises by the city to fund projects, has created financial distress. * Evanston Now | Divided D65 board picks new president: In a meeting reminiscent of last fall’s closely split battle over school closings and filling a vacancy, the District 65 Board of Education chose Nichole Pinkard as its new president by a one-vote margin on Monday night. Pinkard defeated Andrew Wymer, 4-3, and replaces Pat Anderson as president in the one-year term. Anderson, who remains on the board, told Evanston Now that she didn’t run for president again due to “family obligations.” * WGLT | Normal Town Council OKs 6-month data center moratorium; Bloomington poised to do the same: Normal’s moratorium will last until Nov. 30. It pauses applications and approvals of permit issuances for data centers. That time will give the town a chance to prepare rules and regulations that address town needs if a land use application is to be considered. “We are suggesting that a moratorium for up to six months gives us time to determine appropriate land use regulations and come back to council with recommendations,” said Pam Reece, Normal’s city manager. “And we would go through the process with public input and through the planning commission process for appropriate regulations associated with data center installations in our community.” * WGLT | As McLean County weighs data centers, Joliet’s massive project puts water use in context: Joliet Public Utilities director Alison Swisher said the amount of water use the company gave for that complex of buildings is an average of 120,000 gallons per day, or 3.6 million per month. Data centers are increasingly moving to closed-loop cooling systems, which cost less than using a constant stream of water. “And a lot of that water wasn’t even for the closed loop. The closed loop — you fill it, and then the water stays in there, and it minimally needs recharging. Every 10-15 years, they drain it and refill it,” said Swisher. * WAND | Williamsville Public Library and Museum seeing pay off of switching to solar panels: In fall 2024, the Williamsville Public Library and Museum installed solar panels on its roof. The panels have cut thousands of dollars from the building’s power bills. “I sat down with the library museum board, and we just crunched some numbers, and we looked at how much our power bills were, how much money we could save with solar,” said Natalie Albers, director of the Williamsville Public Library and Museum. “We looked at the state and federal incentives, net metering with Ameren, and when we looked at all of that, we just thought, we can’t not do solar.” * WAND | $1.3M botanical garden dome reopens in Springfield’s Washington Park: A $1.3 million project renovated the Conservatory Dome. The original dome was built in 1971 and was demolished to make way for the new dome, which was built on the same footprint as the old dome. “We had to hire engineers to come in and advise us on how to replace the pieces of glass so that it would survive another 50 years and be available to the public to enjoy,” Park Board President Leslie Sgro told WAND News. “We have 3,200 different species of plants just inside of this dome.” * Illinois Times | From India to Springfield: “That was my initial goal because with the work visa and getting a permanent residency Green Card and citizenship was a long process,” Manivannan told the Illinois Times. “I just had to be with the faith that if it’s supposed to happen, it happens, because nothing is guaranteed that you’re, first, going to be a citizen or you’re going to be a permanent resident of the U.S., so that was my mindset back in 2015.” Manivannan’s immigration process is profiled in The Mosaic Project, a podcast hosted by pastor Tony Stang of Central Baptist Church in Springfield.
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Good morning!
Tuesday, May 19, 2026 - Posted by Rich Miller
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Protected: SUBSCRIBERS ONLY - Supplement to today’s edition
Tuesday, May 19, 2026 - Posted by Rich Miller
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Protected: SUBSCRIBERS ONLY - Today’s edition of Capitol Fax (use all CAPS in password)
Tuesday, May 19, 2026 - Posted by Rich Miller
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Selected press releases (Live updates)
Tuesday, May 19, 2026 - Posted by Isabel Miller
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Live coverage
Tuesday, May 19, 2026 - 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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