The U.S. Senate has advanced the Laken Riley Act, scheduling a final Senate vote for Jan. 20. This contentious immigration bill is named after Laken Riley, a 22-year-old nursing student from Georgia who was tragically murdered by Jose Ibarra, a Venezuelan immigrant previously detained and released by U.S. Border Patrol. […]
As of Jan. 17, 2025, the proposal to build a Travel Center of America facility on the west side of South Prairieview Road (Case CU2024-03) is no longer moving forward. The petitioner has officially withdrawn their conditional-use application, effectively halting progress on the project. This decision means that the proposed […]
Illinois State Senator Chapin Rose introduced a new bill on January 17, 2025, aimed at prohibiting carbon sequestration activities over federally designated sole source aquifers. This legislation, designated as SB0182, seeks to amend the Environmental Protection Act to ensure the protection of these crucial water supplies. The bill specifies that […]
In a landmark decision issued on January 17, 2025, the Supreme Court of the United States affirmed the constitutionality of the Protecting Americans from Foreign Adversary Controlled Applications Act. The act effectively bans the operation of the popular social media platform TikTok in the United States unless it severs ties […]
In a statement made during his last days in office, President Joe Biden declared the Equal Rights Amendment (ERA) as ratified. This last-minute move by the outgoing president aims to solidify the ERA’s status as the 28th Amendment to the United States Constitution, promising equal legal rights regardless of sex. […]
In a significant move amidst growing debates over digital privacy and foreign interference, Senators Edward J. Markey (D-Mass.), Ron Wyden (D-Ore.), Cory Booker (D-N.J.), and Representative Ro Khanna (CA-17) introduced legislation titled the “Extend the TikTok Deadline Act.” The bill proposes to delay the impending deadline for the sale of […]
The U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) announced Wednesday it is revoking the authorization for the use of FD&C Red No. 3, also known as erythrosine, as a color additive in food and ingested drugs. This decision, based on the Delaney Clause of the Federal Food, Drug, and Cosmetic Act […]
The League of Women Voters of Champaign County is set to initiate its Spring 2025 “Keeping It Local” series with a focus on protecting the Mahomet Aquifer, a critical drinking water source for nearly one million residents across central Illinois. The first event, titled “Protect the Mahomet Aquifer,” will be […]
Illinois lawmakers have introduced legislation aimed at regulating the use of artificial intelligence in health insurance, a response to a disturbing trend identified in a recent U.S. Senate report. House Bill 0035, spearheaded by Rep. Bob Morgan, D-Highland Park, was referred to the Rules Committee on January 9, 2025. Known […]
Governor JB Pritzker and the Illinois Department of Revenue (IDOR) have announced Illinois’ participation in the IRS Direct File service, set to commence on January 27, 2025. This initiative will enable nearly two million eligible Illinois taxpayers to prepare and electronically file their 2024 federal tax returns at no cost. […]
