Other News

State of Illinois

Illinois joins suit against Trump administration orders limiting gender-affirming care

by Ben Szalinski, Capitol News Illinois August 1, 2025 Article Summary Illinois Attorney General Kwame Raoul and other Democratic attorneys general are suing the Trump administration over policies to limit gender-affirming care for youths. The lawsuit argues the policies violate states’ 10th Amendment right to regulate health care. Many Illinois […]

Local

Governor JB Pritzker Signs Mahomet Aquifer Protection Bill Into Law

Governor JB Pritzker has signed the Mahomet Aquifer Protection Bill (Senate Bill 1723) into law. The legislation prohibits carbon dioxide sequestration activities in and around the Mahomet Aquifer. The Mahomet Aquifer supplies drinking water to about 500,000 people across 14 counties in central Illinois. Concerns over the safety of carbon sequestration, where liquified […]

State of Illinois

State leaders seek more transparency from insurance companies

by Ben Szalinski, Capitol News Illinois July 30, 2025 Article Summary Secretary of State Alexi Giannoulias is calling on Illinois lawmakers to pass legislation banning auto insurance companies from considering non-driving factors when setting a person’s premium. Insurance industry groups say considering non-driving factors helps keep insurance costs lower in […]

Federal

Trump Fires Bureau of Labor Statistics Commissioner After July Jobs Report

President Donald Trump fired the head of the Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) on Friday, accusing Dr. Erika McEntarfer of manipulating employment data for political purposes after the agency released a jobs report showing significant economic weakness. Hours after the report’s release, Trump announced on Truth Social that he had directed his team […]

Federal

U.S. Added to CIVICUS Monitor Watchlist Again Amid Surge in Political Violence and Crackdown on Civic Freedoms Under Trump’s Second Term

The United States has been added to the CIVICUS Monitor Watchlist for the second consecutive time in 2025, with the global civil society organization documenting an unprecedented assault on civic freedoms during President Donald Trump’s second term. The country joins five other nations—El Salvador, Indonesia, Kenya, Serbia, and Turkey—on the […]