Category Archives: Headlines
High schoolers flood state Capitol to advocate for drug abuse prevention bills
By GEORGIA EPIPHANIOU & JACQUES ABOU-RIZK Medill Illinois News Bureau news@capitolnewsillinois.com Article Summary The Illinois Prevention Network rallied high school students to lobby state legis...
17h ago
Students with the Illinois Prevention Network at the Capitol on Wednesday pushing bills aimed at drug regulation and reduction. (Medill Illinois News Bureau, courtesy of Kate Bell, Illinois Prevention Network)
Legislators, activists continue push for prescription drug affordability board
By JENNA SCHWEIKERT Capitol News Illinois jschweikert@capitolnewsillinois.com Supporters of a long-awaited measure that would establish a board to review and regulate statewide prescription drug price...
20h ago Sen. Graciela Guzmán speaks at a news conference on Feb. 17. Guzman is working on legislation to establish a prescription drug affordability board with Rep. Nabeela Syed. (Capitol News Illinois photo by Jenna Schweikert)
Lawmakers postpone Cook County property tax debt sale to continue working on reforms
By JENNA SCHWEIKERT Capitol News Illinois jschweikert@capitolnewsillinois.com Nearly three years after a U.S. Supreme Court ruling on selling property tax debt, Illinois legislators continue to delay ...
20h ago State Sen. Celina Villanueva, D-Chicago, on the House floor in May 2025. (Capitol News Illinois file photo)
Lawmakers take step to incentivize Bears to stay in Illinois
By BEN SZALINSKI & BRENDEN MOORE Capitol News Illinois news@capitolnewsillinois.com Article Summary The House revenue committee voted to advance a bill that could help the Chicago Bears build a st...
20h ago Steven Mahr, interim CFO for the City of Chicago, testifies at a committee meeting Feb. 26. Mahr cited Chicago’s history with the Bears as reason for the city’s opposition to a megaprojects bill requested by the team, asking legislators to work to keep the team within the city. (Capitol News Illinois photo by Jenna Schweikert)
Illinois soybean farmers welcome federal aid, but fear long-term trade damage
By REBECKA PIEDER Medill Illinois News Bureau news@capitolnewsillinois.com Article Summary At the end of February, Illinois soybean farmers are set to receive special federal payments through the U.S....
Feb 26, 2026 A view of Illinois soybeans being harvested from the cab of a combine. (Medill Illinois News Bureau/ courtesy Albers Farms, Blue Mound, Illinois)
A city blanketed in fear: Accountability Commission hears shocking testimony about ICE
By MAGGIE DOUGHERTY Capitol News Illinois mdougherty@capitolnewsillinois.com Article Summary Gov. JB Pritzker's Accountability Commission hears stories about fear and intimidation that led to disrupti...
Feb 25, 2026 The Illinois Accountability Commission hears testimony from a dozen experts and advocates at its Feb. 24, 2026, public meeting in downtown Chicago. (Capitol News Illinois photo by Maggie Dougherty)
Republican candidates for governor - minus Bailey - try to distance themselves
By BEN SZALINSKI Capitol News Illinois bszalinski@capitolnewsillinois.com Article Summary Republican candidates for governor Ted Dabrowski, James Mendrick and Rick Heidner met for the first time for a...
Feb 25, 2026 Ted Dabrowski, Rick Heidner and James Mendrick, GOP candidates for governors, took part in a debate Tuesday. Candidate Darren Bailey, not pictured, did not attend. (Photos by Capitol News Illinois)
Illinois legislators introduce bills to regulate pricing based on personal data
By JENNA SCHWEIKERT Capitol News Illinois jschweikert@capitolnewsillinois.com As top legislators emphasize affordability this session, several lawmakers are taking aim at regulating algorithmic pricin...
Feb 24, 2026 The state capitol building is seen in Springfield. (CNI file photo)
What does Gov. JB Pritzker's nuclear energy executive order do?
By MAGGIE DOUGHERTY Capitol News Illinois mdougherty@capitolnewsillinois.com Article Summary A recent executive order by Gov. JB Pritzker set a new goal to begin development on new nuclear power plant...
Feb 24, 2026 The Byron Nuclear Generating Station in Ogle County, Illinois. (Capitol News Illinois file photo by Andrew Campbell)
Human service advocates say they are worried after Pritzker's status-quo budget proposal
By: GEORGE ALEXANDRAKIS Medill Illinois News Bureau news@capitolnewsillinois.com Article Summary: Health and human service advocates gathered at a watch party at the Illinois State Library across the ...
Feb 23, 2026 Lobbyists with a variety of health and human service organizations across Illinois watch Gov. Pritzker’s annual budget address at the Illinois State Library Wednesday, Feb. 18, 2026. (Medill Illinois News Bureau by George Alexandrakis)
