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Prairie State Wire

Wednesday, July 23, 2025

Kyla Asbury News

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House committees hear testimony on alleged book censorship at Danville Correctional Center

By Kyla Asbury | Jul 10, 2019

Two House committees listened to testimony Monday from the Illinois Department of Corrections (IDOC) and other groups involving an incident in which books provided to educate prisoners at the Danville Correctional Center were seized from the library by prison staff.

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Sen. Oberweis opposes gambling expansion bill

By Kyla Asbury | Jun 10, 2019

The Illinois Senate passed a bill on June 2 that supports a vertical capital bill and expands the state's gambling access.

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Late-session election bill stirs House debate

By Kyla Asbury | Jun 10, 2019

Tensions were high during a House Executive Committee while discussion a bill that makes changes to election laws.

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House GOP staunchly opposes bill lowering residency requirements for student trustees

By Kyla Asbury | Jun 5, 2019

House Republicans unanimously opposed a bill recently that lessens the residency requirements for student trustees at Illinois universities.

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House passes bill to keep Sterigenics closed

By Kyla Asbury | Jun 4, 2019

A bill passed the Illinois House of Representatives last week that would prevent Sterigenics from reopening its doors in Willowbrook after the sterilization solutions provider's controversial shutdown in February due to dangerously high readings of ethylene oxide emissions.

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Sen. Syverson opposes Public Aid bill

By Kyla Asbury | Jun 2, 2019

The Senate passed a bill last week that restructures care grants and amends the Illinois Public Aid Code to require the Department of Healthcare and Family Services to restructure the Family Support Program to enable early treatment of youth, young adults and transition-age adults with a serious mental illness or serious emotional disturbance.

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House Republicans oppose freight train bill

By Kyla Asbury | Jun 2, 2019

The Illinois House passed a bill last week that requires two-person crews on freight trains when crossing through Illinois.

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House passes severance bill for college coaches

By Kyla Asbury | Jun 2, 2019

A bill passed the House on Tuesday that exempts college athletics coaches who are compensated by non-government funds from severance pay when they are dismissed for misconduct.

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House GOP: 'We can’t tax our way to prosperity'

By Kyla Asbury | Jun 1, 2019

Several House Republicans recently spoke out in opposition of the graduated income tax that Democratic Gov. J.B. Pritzker has been pushing since before he took office last November.

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Bill defines reporting guidelines in abuse cases

By Kyla Asbury | May 31, 2019

A bill passed in the House of Representatives on Sunday during a weekend session that will institute clear reporting guidelines for mandated reporters, including clergy members.

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House passes sexual assault evidence-tracking bill

By Kyla Asbury | May 27, 2019

The House of Representatives passed a Senate bill on Wednesday that changes how evidence is tracked in sexual assault cases.

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House committee advances work licensing bill

By Kyla Asbury | May 22, 2019

A bill that removes citizenship requirements for licensing for several professions will be favorably reported to the House after it went through the House Executive Committee last week.

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TRIP finds Illinois roads costing state $18B

By Kyla Asbury | May 20, 2019

A Washington, D.C.-based transportation research group found that Illinois' deteriorating roads are costing the state $18.3 billion each year.

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Pritzker announces plan to fight HIV in Illinois

By Kyla Asbury | May 19, 2019

Gov. J.B. Pritzker introduced a five-year plan to combat Illinois' HIV epidemic at a press conference last Tuesday, saying that the Getting to Zero initiative will help direct resources to the communities that need it the most.

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State is missing out on contributions of people with disabilities, Arc of Illinois director says

By Kyla Asbury | May 19, 2019

The Arc of Illinois, a Frankfort-based advocacy group for people with disabilities, held a press conference on Thursday to emphasize the state's need for inclusion.

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Pritzker promises overhaul of 'hollowed out' DCFS

By Kyla Asbury | May 19, 2019

Gov. J.B. Pritzker has vowed to allocate more resources to the state's Department of Children and Family Services (DCFS) in an effort to reverse the beleaguered agency's tragic recent history of failure.

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State Board of Education brings revised Fiscal Year 2020 budget before Senate committee

By Kyla Asbury | May 18, 2019

The Senate Appropriations II Committee heard testimony last week on the Fiscal Year 2020 budget for Illinois State Board of Education (ISBE).

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Coalition asks lawmakers to 'Bet on Main Street'

By Kyla Asbury | May 16, 2019

A coalition of Illinois small businesses recently spoke out against the hardships a proposed video-gaming tax hike would cause them, organizing a press conference under the heading Bet on Main Street.

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Smart Approaches to Marijuana, NAACP, other groups speak out against marijuana legalization

By Kyla Asbury | May 16, 2019

A special-interest group spoke in opposition to the possibility of Illinois passing a bill that would legalize the recreational use of cannabis.

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New bill sparks new Illinois cannabis debate

By Kyla Asbury | May 8, 2019

Gov. J.B. Pritzker announced the introduction of a bill that would legalize marijuana in Illinois for adults 21 and older, but plenty of critics believe it would be a dangerously wrong turn for the state.