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Longtime Springfield lobbyist Mike McClain has been sentenced to two years in prison for his role in the “ComEd Four” br...
07/24/2025

Longtime Springfield lobbyist Mike McClain has been sentenced to two years in prison for his role in the “ComEd Four” bribery scheme aimed at his former close friend, ex-Illinois House Speaker Michael Madigan. Hannah Meisel reports: https://loom.ly/obk6iCM

Madigan confidant Mike McClain gets 2 years for his role in the ComEd bribery scheme tied to Illinois politics.

A survey of Illinois educators reveals a significant disparity in how they interpret a three-year-old state law’s requir...
07/24/2025

A survey of Illinois educators reveals a significant disparity in how they interpret a three-year-old state law’s requirement to teach high school students a “unit of instruction” on media literacy. From University of Illinois Springfield. https://loom.ly/tUEOCdM

Illinois schools teach media literacy in uneven ways due to limited oversight, funding, and curriculum guidance.

The state bet big to make Illinois a hub for quantum computing. Another company is moving into the state’s quantum resea...
07/23/2025

The state bet big to make Illinois a hub for quantum computing. Another company is moving into the state’s quantum research park. Andrew Adams reports https://loom.ly/D-4kktk

Infleqtion joins Illinois’ quantum park with plans to build a computer on Chicago’s South Side.

Gov. JB Pritzker says Texas is “cheating” by redrawing legislative maps, while Illinois Republicans say the governor’s t...
07/23/2025

Gov. JB Pritzker says Texas is “cheating” by redrawing legislative maps, while Illinois Republicans say the governor’s thoughts are ironic. Ben Szalinski reports. https://loom.ly/YyUD0cE

Pritzker blasts Texas GOP redistricting push, leaves door open for Illinois Democrats to redraw maps too.

The Justice Department is weighing in on a federal lawsuit that accuses the Illinois State Board of Elections of failing...
07/23/2025

The Justice Department is weighing in on a federal lawsuit that accuses the Illinois State Board of Elections of failing to properly maintain its voter rolls. Story by Peter Hancock. https://loom.ly/JQCZIck

The DOJ joins a lawsuit accusing Illinois of mishandling voter registration rolls, raising federal election oversight concerns.

More than 30,000 affordable homes could be built in Illinois with expanded funding for a federal tax credit program. Ben...
07/22/2025

More than 30,000 affordable homes could be built in Illinois with expanded funding for a federal tax credit program. Ben Szalinski reports. https://loom.ly/Qrfj1As

A federal tax credit expansion could bring 35,000 new affordable housing units to Illinois, but challenges remain.

Former ComEd CEO Anne Pramaggiore has been sentenced to two years in prison for her role in bribing ex-Illinois House Sp...
07/21/2025

Former ComEd CEO Anne Pramaggiore has been sentenced to two years in prison for her role in bribing ex-Illinois House Speaker Michael Madigan via jobs and contracts for the Democratic power broker’s political allies. Hannah Meisel reports: https://loom.ly/9WsrGu4

Former ComEd CEO Anne Pramaggiore sentenced to two years in prison for role in Madigan bribery scheme.

Property owners no longer have to go through the eviction process to remove squatters under a bill signed by Gov. JB Pri...
07/21/2025

Property owners no longer have to go through the eviction process to remove squatters under a bill signed by Gov. JB Pritzker. Ben Szalinski reports. https://loom.ly/H5NzSZU

New law lets police remove squatters for criminal trespassing without eviction, boosting property owners’ rights.

It’s been more than a year since Mackenzi Felmlee died in a Fairview Heights foster home, and DCFS has released no repor...
07/21/2025

It’s been more than a year since Mackenzi Felmlee died in a Fairview Heights foster home, and DCFS has released no report. Beth Hundsdorfer has more. https://loom.ly/rAbrzRc

A teen’s death in Illinois foster care raises urgent questions about abuse, DCFS transparency, and oversight.

Sarah Cashdollar, associate director of the Illinois Workforce and Education Research Collaborative, talks with CNI abou...
07/19/2025

Sarah Cashdollar, associate director of the Illinois Workforce and Education Research Collaborative, talks with CNI about a recent report that suggests upward mobility is more difficult in Illinois than many would think. https://loom.ly/zdGZFRk

A new study suggests upward mobility is more difficult in Illinois than many would think. Although educational attainment and career choices have the biggest influence over a person's income potential

Cook County Democrats have endorsed state Rep. Margaret Croke for state comptroller in the 2026 Democratic Primary. They...
07/18/2025

Cook County Democrats have endorsed state Rep. Margaret Croke for state comptroller in the 2026 Democratic Primary. They won’t endorse a candidate for U.S. Senate, the other open statewide office. Andrew Adams reports. https://loom.ly/etFwv84

Rep. Margaret Croke got a major boost Friday in her bid to become the state’s next state comptroller.

Study finds education matters for economic mobility, but so does the class into which we’re born. Story by Peter Hancock...
07/18/2025

Study finds education matters for economic mobility, but so does the class into which we’re born. Story by Peter Hancock. https://loom.ly/zxUE3J0

Despite earning similar degrees, low-income students in Illinois face persistent barriers to upward mobility.

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Capitol News Illinois is a nonprofit news service operated by the Illinois Press Foundation that provides coverage of state government to newspapers throughout Illinois. It is funded by donations from the Illinois Press Foundation and the Robert R. McCormick Foundation.

The mission of Capitol News Illinois is to provide credible and unbiased coverage of state government to the more than 400 daily and weekly newspapers that are members of the Illinois Press Association. Capitol News Illinois provides year-round, daily coverage of the Legislature, including committee hearings; state agencies and issues; state office holders; and the Illinois Supreme Court and legal matters.

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