Feds indict state prison guards for assaulting inmate before he died and covering it up

By Heather Cherone  - December 9, 2019

Three Illinois Department of Corrections employees have been indicted for assaulting a prisoner so badly he later died from his injuries, and conspiring to cover up the assault, according to federal court records filed late last week.

FOID card law’s age saves it from constitutional challenge: Appeals court

By Hannah Meisel  - December 6, 2019

A state appellate court this week ruled that the saving grace for Illinois’ Firearm Owners Identification card law was the fact that it’s been in place for 51 years — and any ruling finding it unconstitutional would upset the status

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As adult redeploy program grows, recidivism holds steady

By Hannah Meisel  - December 4, 2019

In the first eight years of an Illinois program designed to help non-violent criminal offenders to get jobs and receive other help instead of going to or staying in prison, Adult Redeploy Illinois has helped 4,800 people stay out prison,

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State pension systems’ unfunded liabilities ballooned to $137.3B in 2019: COGFA

By Hannah Meisel  - December 4, 2019

The combined unfunded liabilities for Illinois’ five state-level pension systems rose to $137.3 billion at the end of the 2019 fiscal year in June, according to a new report from the Commission for Government Forecasting and Accountability.

137K new Illinois voters automatically registered in past year as delays continue

By Hannah Meisel  - December 3, 2019

Illinois has automatically registered 136,512 new voters and updated information for 548,644 in the past year, according to a new report from the Illinois State Board of Elections on the status of automatic voter registration — a law signed in

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Pritzker appointee diversity check-in: Half female and 40 percent minorities

By Hannah Meisel  - December 2, 2019

In his first 11 months in office, Gov. JB Pritzker has made 324 appointments to key posts within his administration and to state boards and commissions — a diverse group that’s 50 percent female and approximately 40 percent people of

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State EPA lacks manpower to protect environment: report

By Hannah Meisel  - November 27, 2019

The Illinois Environmental Protection Agency’s staff has been cut nearly in half since 2003 and those who remain can’t keep up with the workload, according to a new report published Thursday by two former agency directors and researchers from the

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Morning briefing — More members named to ethics commission; Cinespace and Broadway in Chicago still claim most of Illinois’ film and theater tax credits

By Hannah Meisel  - November 26, 2019

The Ethics Commission that will determine what ethics reform measures lawmakers take up in January added members Monday, as a report revealed that Cinespace Chicago Film Studios and Broadway in Chicago continued to lead the pack in scooping up state

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First day of petition filing yields 406 candidates

By Hannah Meisel  - November 26, 2019

The first day of the week-long petition filing period to get on the March 17 primary ballot saw 406 candidates turn in their signatures to the State Board of Elections headquarters in Springfield on Monday. 

Morning briefing — Candidate petition filing opens; Personal information of 31 former ISBE employees exposed

By Hannah Meisel  - November 25, 2019

Monday marks the first day of the week-long candidate filing period, in which the petitions passed to get on the March primary ballot must be turned in to the State Board of Elections for certification. Meanwhile, the Illinois State Board

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