Author: Capitol News

Local

AG: Gathering restrictions regulate Illinoisans’ conduct, not speech

By REBECCA ANZELCapitol News Illinoisranzel@capitolnewsillinois.com SPRINGFIELD — State regulation of the number of people allowed at gatherings does not violate Illinoisans’ First Amendment rights, the attorney general’s office argued in a court document. A lawsuit filed on June 15 by the state’s Republican Party alleged Gov. JB Pritzker’s executive order […]

Local

As state enters Phase 4 Friday, Pritzker ‘not afraid’ to move backwards if COVID-19 cases surge

By JERRY NOWICKICapitol News Illinoisjnowicki@capitolnewsillinois.com SPRINGFIELD — Gov. JB Pritzker announced a new tool to track county-by-county progress in the fight against the novel coronavirus Thursday, but as the state readied to enter the next phase of reopening, he also warned that he would not hesitate to move certain regions […]

Local

State continued unemployment claims remain over 700,000

By JERRY NOWICKICapitol News IllinoisJnowicki@capitolnewsillinois.com SPRINGFIELD — The U.S. Department of Labor released statistics Thursday showing 705,878 Illinoisans received unemployment insurance for the week ending June 20. While that was a decrease of 4,401 continued unemployment claims overall from the previous week, according to the data, the state still saw […]

Local State of Illinois

Unemployment rate 15.2 percent in May; state on pace to enter Phase 4 on June 26

By JERRY NOWICKICapitol News Illinoisjnowicki@capitolnewsillinois.com SPRINGFIELD — Illinois’ unemployment rate fell to 15.2 percent in May, according to the state Department of Employment Security, representing a 2 percent drop from the previous month. Nonfarm payrolls added 62,200 jobs in May based on preliminary data provided by the U.S. Bureau of […]

Local State of Illinois

Pritzker signs budget, touts spending of federal funds on child care grants

Financial uncertainty still swirls as COVID-19 continues to impact tax revenues By JERRY NOWICKICapitol News Illinoisjnowicki@capitolnewsillinois.com SPRINGFIELD — Gov. JB Pritzker signed a state budget for fiscal year 2021 Wednesday, but there is no more financial clarity now than there was when lawmakers passed the measure last month. The $42.9 […]

State of Illinois

In conference call, Pritzker tells Trump his rhetoric is ‘making it worse’ as protests rage on

Trump tells governors ‘you have to do retribution’ in response to destructive actions at protests By JERRY NOWICKICapitol News Illinoisjnowicki@capitolnewsillinois.com SPRINGFIELD — A conference call between U.S. governors and Republican President Donald Trump led to the latest in a series of spats between Illinois’ governor and the president Monday. “You […]

Local State of Illinois

Mendoza unequivocal: No raises for lawmakers

But legislative back-and-forth shows complexity of state lawmaker pay law By JERRY NOWICKICapitol News Illinoisjnowicki@capitolnewsillinois.com SPRINGFIELD – The complexities of Illinois’ legislator pay laws were on display again this week as the state’s comptroller insisted in a video message that there will be no raises for lawmakers this year. Comptroller […]

Local State of Illinois

Pritzker lifts ban on worship services starting Friday

By PETER HANCOCKCapitol News Illinoisphancock@capitolnewsillinois.com SPRINGFIELD – People in Illinois will be allowed to attend worship services starting this weekend without fear of prosecution as the state enters Phase 3 of Gov. JB Pritzker’s “Restore Illinois” reopening plan. Pritzker made the announcement during his daily COVID-19 briefing Thursday in Chicago, […]