Prairie State Wire

Prairie State Wire

Thursday, January 23, 2020

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State Government

GOP lawmakers love the idea of transparency, but question statewide pension hearing broadcast proposal

By Angela Underwood | Apr 24, 2018

Broadcasting retirement system or pension fund hearings in real time and archiving the recorded video on a website for public access is a great idea, but not necessarily feasible to some GOP lawmakers.

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State Government

Serious questions about skirting federal law fails to derail Excellence Fund legislation in House

By Angela Underwood | Apr 24, 2018

HB4237, sponsored by Rep. Jonathan Carroll (D-Northbrook) to alter the Illinois Excellence Fund, would seemingly undermine the $10,000 cap on state and local tax (SALT) deductions placed on charitable contributions by the federal government and hamper private scholarship funding donations, according to some GOP lawmakers.

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State Government

Diversity in textbooks bill sent to House Rules Committee

By Glenn Minnis | Apr 23, 2018

A bill that would require all public elementary and high schools to include “a unit of instruction studying the significant role of African American individuals in society” has been referred to a House Rules Committee.

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State Government

House committee to hold hearing on HB 5856

By Glenn Minnis | Apr 23, 2018

A Tollway Oversight Committee hearing for House Bill 5856 is scheduled for 9:30 a.m. Wednesday in the Capitol Building.

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State Government

Breen raises concerns during floor debate over cash basis accounting

By Angela Underwood | Apr 23, 2018

While debating with Rep. Anthony DeLuca (D-Chicago Heights), Rep. Peter Breen (R-Lombard) said that lawmakers certainly don’t want to hide pension liabilities under any circumstances.

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State Government

Report: Treasurer's Office didn't full analyze pricing sources for investments

By Robert Hadley | Apr 23, 2018

The Illinois Auditor General's office has released a financial audit and compliance examination report on the Treasurer's Office's fiscal officer responsibilities for the fiscal year ending June 30.

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State Government

Auditor General report finds OMB did not receive $2.4 million rebate

By Robert Hadley | Apr 23, 2018

The Illinois Auditor General's office has released its compliance examination report for the state Office of Management and Budget for the two-year period ending June 30. The report was released March 6.

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State Government

Auditors recommend Secretary of State’s office create procedures to avoid misstatements

By Robert Hadley | Apr 23, 2018

The Illinois Auditor General has released its compliance examination for the Office of the Secretary of State for the fiscal year ending June 30. The report was released March 6.

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State Government

Report: Half of Treasurer's Office monthly appropriation status reports missing documentation

By Robert Hadley | Apr 23, 2018

The Illinois Auditor General's office has released the Office of the Treasurer Nonfiscal Officer Responsibilities Compliance Examination for the two-year period ending June 30. The report was released to the House on Feb. 27.

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State Government

Illinois House approves spending of $635K on three "lactation and wellness" rooms at State Capitol

By LGIS News Service | Apr 23, 2018

The Illinois House of Representatives voted 91-1 Friday to spend $635,570 to build three "lactation and wellness" rooms at the state capitol in Springfield.

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State Government

Morning Answer- State Sen. Sam McCann drops by to talk about his third party run for governor

By LGIS News Service | Apr 23, 2018

State Sen. Sam McCann drops by to talk about his third party run for governor

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State Government

Village of Deerfield is a risky model for Democratic legislators in gun control debate

By W.J. Kennedy | Apr 20, 2018

Democratic legislators are taking a huge political risk citing the Village of Deerfield as a model in the Senate Judiciary Committee’s April 17 approval of legislation giving local governments the right to regulate firearms, Second Amendment advocates say.

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State Government

Senate bill on fire chief appointments not good for cities, Richton Park village manager says

By Karen Kidd | Apr 20, 2018

Proposed legislation in the state Senate that would change the way cities select fire chiefs would not be good for municipalities, Richton Park Village Manager Regan Stockstell said during a recent interview.

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State Government

Illinois' vendor debt climbs to $8.8 billion

By Glenn Minnis | Apr 20, 2018

Illinois’ unpaid vendor debt crept upward during the week ending April 18, ending at $8,846,105,886.24.

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State Government

Watchdog group gathering evidence for FOIA lawsuit against Rauner administration

By W.J. Kennedy | Apr 20, 2018

A statewide government watchdog group is compiling evidence to mount a Freedom of Information Act (FOIA) lawsuit against Gov. Bruce Rauner and his administration for numerous violations of the law enacted to bring more transparency to government operations.

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State Government

McCann announces third-party bid for governor

By Glenn Minnis | Apr 19, 2018

Sen. Sam McCann (R-Plainview) had made his third-party run for governor official in a new YouTube video, where he blasts Gov. Bruce Rauner, along with Democrats, as failing the state and leading it "down the wrong path."

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State Government

Two GOP press conferences in one day demand end to gerrymandering

By Angela Underwood | Apr 19, 2018

House Leader Jim Durkin (R-Western Springs) said gerrymandering must end now.

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State Government

Relying on Rauner, Illinois GOP, House Republicans had just 2 individual donations in 1st quarter

By LGIS News Service | Apr 18, 2018

The Illinois Republican Party raised just $5,000 from a single individual donation during the first three months of 2018, according to a filing with the Illinois State Board of Elections (ISBE).

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State Government

Proposal to require textbooks to include LGBT studies returns to Senate panel

By W.J. Kennedy | Apr 11, 2018

Elementary and high school textbooks would need to include a study of the role and contributions of lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender people under proposed legislation, SB3249, which was recently discussed by the Senate Education Committee.