Prairie State Wire

Prairie State Wire

Friday, February 28, 2020

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Senate passes historic education funding bill

By Hoang Tran | Aug 29, 2017

In a historic vote, the Illinois Senate set aside party politics on Tuesday and passed Senate Bill 1947, an education funding bill that changes the way the state sends money to public schools.

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Law enforcement says TRUST Act does not make Illinois a sanctuary for criminals

By LocalLabs News Service | Aug 29, 2017

Law-enforcement officers throughout Illinois have offered their support of Senate Bill 31, which Gov. Bruce Rauner signed into law on Monday and which some have argued turns Illinois into a so-called sanctuary state.

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GOP lauds bipartisan compromise that inches school funding closer

By April Bamburg | Aug 29, 2017

Democrats and Republicans really can work together after all, the Illinois Republican Party commented in a recent press release following the apparent compromise on a state school funding measure.

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House passes school funding bill on second attempt; Senate awaits

By Hoang Tran | Aug 29, 2017

After hours of negotiations, countless debates and a reconsideration of voting, the Illinois House passed an education funding bill on Monday.

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GOP leaders say school funding deal being finalized

By Hoang Tran | Aug 28, 2017

Illinois Republicans leaders announced what appeared to be a completed compromise on public school funding with their Democratic counterparts on Monday, hours before a vote is expected.

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Going back on word, White to run again for secretary of state

By Shanice Harris | Aug 28, 2017

Jesse White (D-Ceciil) continues to cry wolf then sheepishly change his mind, the Illinois Republican Party suggested recently in the wake of White's announcement to seek re-election as secretary of state.

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Illinois political aide turned lobbyist swings for the fences, and connects

By LGIS News Service | Aug 28, 2017

After 25 years, Nancy Kimme finally left her state government office in Feb. 2015. But she didn’t go far.

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Durkin, Brady boast breakthrough on school funding bill

By Hoang Tran | Aug 27, 2017

Illinois Republican leaders expressed optimistim Sunday about the outcome of education funding as they continued discussions before a vote expected on Monday.

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Analyst fears widespread repercussions from court-ordered tax to fund pensions in Harvey

By Caitlin Nordahl | Aug 26, 2017

An appellate court's decision to order the City of Harvey to levy a tax to supply its firefighters’ pension fund has set a frightening precedent, Wirepoints founder Mark Glennon contends.

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Ives: Schools can't be helped until property tax mess is fixed

By Caitlin Nordahl | Aug 25, 2017

While debate continues on how Illinois state school funding should be distributed, Rep. Jeanne Ives (R-Wheaton) is arguing that the system will never be fair until county property tax assessments are conducted on the mandated schedule, according to a press release.

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Morrison, watchdog group call Illinois lost in lawsuits, lack of reform

By Caitlin Nordahl | Aug 24, 2017

Illinois is backing itself into a corner by refusing to mirror the reforms sweeping other states, Rep. Tom Morrison (R-Palatine) and members of the Illinois Lawsuit Abuse Watch (I-LAW) said at a recent Palatine rally to spur legislation preventing frivolous lawsuits, according to a press release.

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Rauner warned that he is signing his own demise with immigration bill

By Russell Boniface | Aug 24, 2017

If Gov. Bruce Rauner turns Illinois into a so-called sanctuary state he will do more devastation to a conservative base that is already crumbling, host Dan Proft and callers to "Chicago's Morning Answer" radio show said recently.

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Tax-credit scholarships called likely part of school funding bill

By W.J. Kennedy | Aug 24, 2017

Illinois' education funding bill will almost certainly contain a provision granting tax credits to businesses and individuals that donate to charities that underwrite kids who want to attend private schools, according to inside sources.

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Rauner defends school funding changes: Numbers don't lie

By Caitlin Nordahl | Aug 23, 2017

Gov. Bruce Rauner says partisan politics is no match for basic math when it comes to looking at the difference between his amended version of the state's public school funding bill and its original version.

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Illinois DOC asks for bids on inmate care despite ongoing Wexford deal

By W.J. Kennedy | Aug 23, 2017

The Illinois Department of Corrections (DOC) issued a request for proposal (RFP) in January for comprehensive medical and mental health services for approximately 50,000 inmates even though the state has a current such contract with Wexford Health.

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Illinois employment rate takes another slight hit in July

By Russell Boniface | Aug 22, 2017

Total unemployment in Illinois increased slightly in July, keeping the state's employment rate below the national average, according to the Illinois Department of Employment Security (IDES).

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Two new ads push Rauner school plan as what 'our kids deserve'

By Caitlin Nordahl | Aug 19, 2017

Two ads pushing for Gov. Bruce Rauner's school funding plan have been added to the ammunition against approving a plan that provides extra benefits to Chicago Public Schools (CPS) to the detriment of all other public schools, Citizens for Rauner said in a press release announcing the ads.

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High school sports group focuses on playing smart, safe with new website

By Aaron Crider | Aug 18, 2017

The Illinois High School Association (IHSA) has developed the "Play Smart. Play Hard." website in an ongoing effort to ensure the safety of high school athletes, the organization said on its website.

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Policy institute says there's more for almost every school under Rauner's funding plan

By Caitlin Nordahl | Aug 18, 2017

The Illinois State Board of Education (ISBE) has vindicated Gov. Bruce Rauner’s changes to the state's public school funding bill, Ted Dabrowski of the Illinois Policy Institute contended recently.

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GOP turns to Tribune, News-Democrat to help with school funding fight

By Caitlin Nordahl | Aug 17, 2017

The Illinois Republican Party recently cited the editorial opinions of downstate and Chicago daily newspapers in its call for Democrats to compromise on the state's K-12 funding bill.