Sunday, September 2, 2012
As we start a new week, it's always good to get caught up on state politics. Here's an easy guide to what happened last week.
- GOVERNMENT
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Sunday, September 2, 2012
Editor's Note: This article was created by aggregating news articles from Illinois Watchdog, formerly Illinois Statehouse News. SPRINGFIELD — With the Labor Day weekend looming, unionized state employees found themselves tangled in much of the news that affected state government last week — from the state’s continued pension-reform gridlock to a dispute over raises for state workers. S&P downgrades IL’s credit rating, citing pension stalemate Standard and Poor’s nicked the state of Illinois’ credit rating Wednesday, citing its “weak pension funding levels and lack of action on reform measures.” S&P downgraded Illinois from an A+ rating to an A rating. A lower credit rating means the state could pay more for interest when it borrows money…
Sunday, August 19, 2012
As we start a new week, it's always good to get caught up on state politics. Here's an easy guide to what happened last week.
- GOVERNMENT
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Sunday, August 19, 2012
Editor's Note: This article was created by aggregating news articles from Illinois Watchdog, formerly Illinois Statehouse News. SPRINGFIELD – Illinois Democrats had a no-good, very bad week, starting Wednesday when disgruntled state workers and retirees booed and heckled them off the stage during the usually upbeat Governor’s Day rally at the Illinois State Fair. It ended Friday, when lawmakers called back for a taxpayer-funded special session by Gov. Pat Quinn were unable to come to any kind of agreement on pension reform for the state, which continues to drown in pension debt. Jeers for Quinn, other Democratic leaders at state fair Thousands of people gathered at the Illinois State Fair Wednesday, officially “Governor’s Day” at the fair…
Sunday, August 5, 2012
As we start a new week, it's always good to get caught up on state politics. Here's an easy guide to what happened last week.
- GOVERNMENT
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Sunday, August 5, 2012
Editor's Note: This article was created by aggregating news articles from Illinois Watchdog, formerly Illinois Statehouse News. SPRINGFIELD – Gov. Pat Quinn increased transparency in one part of state government this week, but his own office failed to release emails that could shine light on his handling of public discourse about prison closures. Prepaid tuition fund to become more transparent Illinois families who invested in the state’s troubled prepaid tuition program will enjoy more transparency in the system because of legislation signed into law Wednesday. The bill, House Bill 3923, requires meetings about the state’s prepaid tuition fund, known as College Illinois!, to be open to the public under the state’s Open Meetings Act. The …
Sunday, July 22, 2012
It's always good to be caught up on state politics. Here's an easy guide to what happened this week.
- GOVERNMENT
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Sunday, July 22, 2012
Editor's Note: This article was created by aggregating news articles from Illinois Statehouse News. SPRINGFIELD — The Illinois House this week came another step closer to expelling indicted state Rep. Derrick Smith from the chamber, and Gov. Pat Quinn headed to southern Illinois to examine drought damage and dodge protesters. Illinois Statehouse News compiled these stories for this week in review. House committee recommends expulsion for Smith A bipartisan committee of House lawmakers voted Thursday to recommend that Smith, the Chicago Democrat under federal indictment for bribery, be expelled from the state House. Of the 12 representatives on the Select Committee on Discipline, 11 voted in favor of recommending expulsion with state Rep. …
Sunday, July 15, 2012
It's always good to be caught up on state politics. Here's an easy guide to what happened this week.
- GOVERNMENT
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Sunday, July 15, 2012
Editor's Note: This article was created by aggregating news articles from Illinois Statehouse News that were written by various Illinois Statehouse News reporters. SPRINGFIELD – Gov. Pat Quinn this week signed off on a bill that eliminates the state’s decades-old legislative scholarship perk, and a committee of House lawmakers denied a request by indicted state Rep. Derrick Smith to delay a hearing to determine punishment. Quinn signs bill to abolish legislative scholarship program Illinois’ century-old legislative scholarship program started with good intentions but was hijacked by “a small band of craven lawmakers with the worst of intentions,” a government watchdog said this week. Gov. Pat Quinn on Wednesday signed a bill that abolishes…
Sunday, June 24, 2012
It's always good to be caught up on state politics. Here's an easy guide to what happened this week.
- GOVERNMENT
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Sunday, June 24, 2012
SPRINGFIELD — In an ongoing effort to slash state spending, Gov. Pat Quinn this week signed a bill eliminating free health care for state retirees and revealed he intends to move forward with prison closures throughout Illinois. Quinn signs bill eliminating free health care for state retirees Quinn on Thursday signed legislation to end premium-free health insurance for state retirees. The state spends about $800 million yearly on the insurance program, but the exact savings from the new law will not be known, until a premium rate is negotiated between the state and public labor unions. “Those who have faithfully served the state deserve access to quality health care, and insurance costs should be more balanced and based on actual …
Sunday, June 17, 2012
It's always good to be caught up on state politics. Here's an easy guide to what happened this week.
- GOVERNMENT
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Sunday, June 17, 2012
Editor's Note: This article was created by aggregating news articles from Illinois Statehouse News that were written by various Illinois Statehouse News reporters. SPRINGFIELD — Gov. Pat Quinn signed off on cuts to the state’s Medicaid program this week, and the House investigation into state Rep. Derrick Smith continued to move forward. Quinn signs off on Medicaid cuts, cigarette tax hike Quinn on Thursday signed off on a cigarette tax hike and a series of changes to the state’s ailing Medicaid system to help Illinois save billions of dollars. The reforms, which will boot thousands of low-income Illinoisans from the Medicaid rolls, include $1.6 billion in cuts, raising the state’s cigarette tax by $1 a pack to $1.98, stricter monitoring …
Sunday, June 10, 2012
It's always good to be caught up on state politics. Here's an easy guide to what happened this week.
- GOVERNMENT
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Sunday, June 10, 2012
Editor's Note: This article was created by aggregating news articles from Illinois Statehouse News that were written by various Illinois Statehouse News reporters. SPRINGFIELD — The Illinois Capitol was quiet a week after lawmakers closed out the spring legislative session, but pension reform negotiations continue behind closed doors in Chicago Legislative leaders meet with Quinn in Chicago The state’s four top legislative leaders met with Gov. Pat Quinn on Wednesday in Chicago to begin hashing out pension reform. The reform effort fell apart in the final hours of the legislative session, when lawmakers disagreed over shifting some costs to local school districts. Democrats supported the cost-shift, but Republicans said they feared it …
Wednesday, May 30, 2012
A plan to shift the cost of teacher pensions from the state to local school districts became the most hotly debated topic in Springfield on Tuesday.
With the clock ticking on the current legislative session in Springfield, Illinois lawmakers are scrambling to find a solution to the state's massive shortfall in the Teachers' Retirement System (TRS). The most hotly debated topic in the Illinois General Assembly on Tuesday was a plan to gradually shift pension liabilities from the state to local school districts, universities and colleges. The proposal is part of Senate Bill 1673, a pension bill backed by House Speaker Michael Madigan (D-Chicago). An Illinois House committee voted 6-3 to send the proposal to the House before Thursday's adjournment deadline, NBC Chicago reports. House Republican Leader Tom Cross of Oswego slammed Madigan and the proposed shift, calling it a "poison pill" …
Friday, April 27, 2012
Jefferson Preschool students will participate in annual TECH 2012 Students for the Information Age event Wednesday in Springfield.
- SCHOOLS
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Friday, April 27, 2012
Jefferson Preschool, in Wheaton, Illinois, is among 70 schools statewide that will participate in the annual TECH 2012 Students for the Information Age event on Wednesday, May 2 at the Illinois State Capitol Building in Springfield. The students will show the public and elected members of the Illinois State Senate and the House of Representatives how technology is being used in the classroom to improve achievement. Computer workstations will be set up in the Capitol Building Rotunda so students may show how technology has helped them with their schoolwork. Taking part in the demonstrations are Ryann Wilhelm, Preschooler; Molly Wilhelm, Parent and Teacher; Cathy Maurer, Teacher and Mary Iffert, School Psychologist, NCSP. This …
jack kielczynski
10:39 pm on Monday, September 3, 2012
I hope the rest of the article is more accurate than the statement about Dan Rutherford being a DEMOCRAT!! more ›