Illinois State Senate
State Government: Elected Officials | State Legislative Bodies
Recent News About Illinois State Senate
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Our General Assembly is generally dissembling
Democrats in the Illinois General Assembly have their priorities. Getting a budget passed may not be one of them, but finding new sources of revenue to share with their cronies – or simply squander – apparently is. -
Don’t let them get away with it
Budget negotiations must begin with reforms to the programs that drive state spending up and the policies that drive families and businesses out. -
Lawsuit seeks back pay for Illinois lawmakers
Former state Sen. Michael Noland is suing for back pay after the General Assembly nixed cost-of-living adjustments and forced furlough days. -
Metro-East area taxpayers would pay an extra $117M if Democrats’ tax hike becomes law
Metro-East area taxpayers would see a total of $117 million in state income tax increases if a tax hike measure passed by the Democrat-controlled Illinois State Senate becomes law. -
Unclaimed property bill affecting life insurance policies back to '96 passes; Not without criticism
A law requiring insurance companies to locate beneficiaries of unclaimed life insurance policies as far back as 1996 has passed the Illinois General Assembly. -
Robocalls targeting three local House districts with strong message against income tax hike
A proposal increasing state income taxes by 32 percent that passed in the State Senate by Democrats only has inspired the state GOP to target certain House district with robocalls in advance of a possible vote. -
Illinois income tax hike to 5% opens door for a progressive tax hike
An income tax hike to 5 percent makes a call for a progressive tax system during the 2018 gubernatorial race a much easier sell. -
Illinois Senate Democrats pass $5.4B tax increase
Each Illinois household would pay an additional $1,125 in taxes each year, on average, under the Senate's tax-hike plan. -
Metro East schools to get total of $14.4M less per year under state school funding proposal; Rauner vows to veto bill
Metro East area schools would be net losers of state funding under a bill that passed the Illinois State Senate Wednesday. -
Illinois House has spent less than six hours in session this month
House members have spent as much time playing softball and basketball as they have in session since the beginning of May. -
Sen. Kyle McCarter deserves U.S. ambassador appointment
If everything works out the way he hopes, Republican State Sen. Kyle McCarter of Lebanon may be leaving the legislature and beginning a dramatic new phase in his life. He's been recommended to President Donald Trump as the ideal candidate to serve as U.S. Ambassador to Kenya. -
Congressmen recommend McCarter to serve as Kenyan ambassador in letter to Trump
Even though he has a long record of ministering to the needs of Kenyans, State Sen. Kyle McCarter (R-Lebanon) believes he would not likely be considered for an ambassadorship to the East African nation if not for the eight years' learning experience he's had in Springfield. -
Critics say online privacy legislation is pro-trial lawyer; Advocate says tech industry is 'too loose' with personal data
Internet privacy legislation making its way through Springfield is more in line with the interests of the trial bar than it is with consumer protection, critics say. -
Puerto Rico's 'bankruptcy' a warning to Illinois
Illinois needs to enact structural spending reforms to avoid following Puerto Rico down the path to insolvency. -
Local activists honored by ‘Open the Books’ founder for taking a stand
The Edgar County Watchdogs – a “group of concerned citizens” that digs for and posts news of public corruption from 21 counties on its website – recently joined more than a dozen other citizens and groups who were honored for holding local government accountable. -
Do the Democrats in Springfield really need a bargain?
For almost two years, we’ve heard a litany of excuses for why Illinois does not have a state budget. -
NFL defeated St. Louis promoters’ lawsuit 20 years ago; New suit echoes the old one
Titans of 20th Century government lured the Rams football franchise to St. Louis on desperate terms, and a suit filed in the ‘90s to cover the resulting losses failed. -
While Metro East residents struggle, local lawmakers continue to get paid over 2-week spring break
The Illinois General Assembly adjourned April 11 without passing a balanced budget or tackling essential reforms to save the state from financial ruin. -
The shrinking Metro-East
Recently released census data reveal that St. Clair and Madison counties saw combined population losses of more than 1,600 people due to out-migration to other states. -
Illinois Lawsuit Abuse Watch lobbies legislators for lawsuit reform
SPRINGFIELD – A group of small business owners converged at the capitol March 28 in a "Rally for Lawsuit Reform," to urge support for civil justice reforms.