A new report from the National Federation of Independent Business (NFIB) found that Illinois small business optimism continues to lag behind the national average, reflecting ongoing concerns about the state’s business climate. According to the Illinois Small Business Economic Trends report, the state’s Small Business Optimism […]
The Illinois Department of Human Services (IDHS) recently announced plans to significantly reduce operations and staffing at the Choate Mental Health and Developmental Center in Anna. Under the plan, Choate’s general residential units serving individuals with intellectual and developmental disabilities will cease operations by September 30, […]
The Illinois House Special Investigating Committee is scheduled to hold its first hearing on August 6 following the federal indictment of Democratic State Representative Carol Ammons. Ammons faces 10 federal felony charges, including wire fraud, making false statements to federal investigators, and obstruction of justice. The […]
On July 23, the bipartisan and bicameral Legislative Ethics Commission voted unanimously to release its report regarding a complaint filed against former Democratic State Representative Harry Benton. The Legislative Ethics Commission consists of eight legislators, with two members each appointed by the President and Minority Leader […]
Applications are now being accepted for the Open Space Lands Acquisition and Development (OSLAD) Program through August 31, 2026. OSLAD is a state-funded grant program that provides financial assistance to local governments for the acquisition and/or development of land for public parks, open space, nature areas, […]
The National Federation of Independent Business (NFIB), Illinois’ leading small business advocacy organization, has released its 2025-2026 Small Business Legislative Voting Record for Illinois. Legislators were scored based on their votes on key issues important to small businesses, including reducing regulations on employers, opposing costly mandates, […]
A new Illinois law will establish safety, transparency, and accountability standards for some of the nation’s leading artificial intelligence companies. Senate Bill 315, modeled after similar laws in California and New York, creates the Artificial Intelligence Safety Measures Act. The law applies to large frontier AI […]
Senate Republicans are once again calling for stronger ethics laws after two members of the Illinois House Democratic Caucus recently became the subject of separate state and federal investigations, resulting in one lawmaker’s resignation and another facing federal criminal charges. One Democratic lawmaker recently resigned following […]
As temperatures continue to rise across Illinois, the Illinois Emergency Management Agency and the Office of Homeland Security are reminding residents to take precautions to stay safe during periods of extreme heat. Heat indices in parts of the state have climbed above 100 degrees, creating potentially […]
Ameren is warning customers to stay alert as scammers use increasingly sophisticated tactics, including fake emails, advertisements, websites, QR codes, and even AI voice-cloning calls. According to Ameren, scams are becoming harder to detect, making it important for customers to slow down before clicking a link, […]