Author: Capitol News

Local State of Illinois

Workers’ comp omnibus passes both houses

Deal between business, labor sees near-unanimous support By JERRY NOWICKICapitol News Illinoisjnowicki@capitolnewsillinois.com SPRINGFIELD — A compromise bill between business and labor which deals with COVID-19 and workers’ compensation passed the House on Friday with broad bipartisan support and will head to the governor. House Bill 2455 was carried by Democrats Linda […]

Illinois Unemployment May 2020
Local State of Illinois

Illinois unemployment rate climbs to record 16.4% in April

New jobless claims in May appear to level out By PETER HANCOCKCapitol News Illinoisphancock@capitolnewsillinois.com SPRINGFIELD – The Illinois unemployment rate in Illinois reached a staggering 16.4 percent in April, the highest rate recorded since the modern system of tracking joblessness began in 1976, the Illinois Department of Employment Security said […]

Local State of Illinois

GOP seeks to remove graduated tax measure from ballot

Pritzker says call shows Republicans ‘lack confidence’ in their position By JERRY NOWICKICapitol News Illinoisjnowicki@capitolnewsillinois.com SPRINGFIELD – State Republican leadership is pushing for a vote in the upcoming legislative session to remove a graduated income tax amendment question from the November general election ballot. “Times have changed dramatically since this […]

IDES Data Breach
Local State of Illinois

IDES confirms data breach in online unemployment system

‘Glitch’ allowed access to personal data in Pandemic Unemployment Assistance system By PETER HANCOCKCapitol News Illinoisphancock@capitolnewsillinois.com SPRINGFIELD – The Illinois Department of Employment Security has confirmed that a new online portal that processes claims for federal Pandemic Unemployment Assistance briefly allowed public access to applicants’ personal information including Social Security […]

Local

State saw nearly 73,000 new unemployment claims in final week before gig worker portal went live

50,000 pandemic unemployment assistance claims filed in first three days of new program By JERRY NOWICKICapitol News Illinoisjnowicki@capitolnewsillinois.com SPRINGFIELD — The U.S. saw nearly 3 million more unemployment claims the week ending May 9, including another 72,993 in Illinois, according to the U.S. Department of Labor.  The 2.98 million claims […]

Local State of Illinois

Illinois Lawmakers to return to Springfield for session May 20-22

State budget among top items to be considered By PETER HANCOCKCapitol News Illinoisphancock@capitolnewsillinois.com SPRINGFIELD – Illinois lawmakers will return to Springfield next week for the first time in more than two months to take up a state budget and other critical matters while following strict social distancing and public safety […]

Local

Three businesses sue Pritzker, challenge his power to shutter services

Supreme Court denies request to hear arguments in state representative’s case By REBECCA ANZELCapitol News Illinoisranzel@capitolnewsillinois.com SPRINGFIELD — The attorney representing two Republican lawmakers in separate cases challenging Gov. JB Pritzker’s emergency powers has three new clients: a hair salon owner and a restaurateur with two establishments. Thomas DeVore, in […]

Local

House Republicans slam Pritzker’s reopening plan

Minority leader wants Legislature to return to resolve issues By BEN ORNERCapitol News Illinoisborner@capitolnewsillinois.com SPRINGFIELD – Republican members of the Illinois House of Representatives on Wednesday criticized Gov. JB Pritzker’s multi-phase plan to reopen Illinois by region, saying it does not act quickly enough to respond to the economic hardship […]

Local

Health care advocates say legal lifting of stay-at-home order would be ‘devastating’

Restriction has prevented catastrophes in Illinois hospitals, they say in court filing By REBECCA ANZELCapitol News Illinoisranzel@capitolnewsillinois.com SPRINGFIELD — The novel coronavirus pandemic’s historic impact on Illinois warrants Gov. JB Pritzker’s stay-at-home order, four state health care advocacy organizations argue in a court filing. That restriction, in place with modifications […]