Archive for July 2025

The Illinois Department of Children and Family Services hired a former caseworker for Mackenzi Felmlee, pictured, who mysteriously died in her foster home. (Capitol New Illinois file photo) Article Summary A caseworker for an Illinois foster child who later died had orders of protection filed against her by eight women for allegedly harassing, abusing and…

The Illinois State Board of Elections office is pictured in Springfield. (Capitol News Illinois file photo) Article Summary The Trump administration sent the Illinois State Board of Elections a letter this week requesting troves of voter data. The request included sensitive information about voters and the state’s efforts to scrub the rolls of ineligible voters.…

Under new laws signed by Gov. JB Pritzker, firearm owners will soon be required to keep their weapons stored securely and out of the hands of minors while law enforcement agencies will be required to trace the ownership of all firearms they recover from crime scenes. (Capitol News Illinois photo by Andrew Campbell) Article summary:…

U.S. Rep. Robin Kelly, D-Matteson, speaks at an event on March 18, 2025. (Capitol News Illinois photo by Andrew Adams) Article Summary U.S. Rep. Robin Kelly, a Matteson Democrat, is running for Illinois’ open U.S. Senate seat, emphasizing accomplishments throughout her career. It’s the third match-up between Kelly and a candidate backed by Gov. JB…

Article Summary Mike McClain, who spent decades as one of the most influential lobbyists in Springfield due to his close relationship with Illinois House Speaker Michael Madigan, has been sentenced to 24 months in prison. McClain is the third of his “ComEd Four” co-defendants to face sentencing for his role in a yearslong bribery scheme…

Article Summary Gov. JB Pritzker is leaving open the possibility that Illinois lawmakers could redraw congressional maps with more Democrat-leaning districts. Texas lawmakers are meeting this week to consider President Donald Trump’s request to add more Republican-leaning districts in the state to boost the party’s power in Congress. Redistricting is a process that usually takes…

Article Summary Quantum computing company Infleqtion will open an office in Illinois and build a quantum computer on Chicago’s South Side. Infleqtion is expected to receive at least a $5 million tax credit through a state program meant to incentivize microchip manufacturing and quantum computing. The quantum research park project has received significant incentives, grants…

Article Summary Three years ago, the state mandated that K-12 schools teach media literacy. But the law did not create statewide oversight or provide funding for curriculum. A University of Illinois Springfield study conducted last year shows significant disparities in how school districts across the state implement the law. This summary was written by the…

Article Summary The Justice Department is supporting a lawsuit by private entities that challenges Illinois’ practice of putting local election officials in charge of maintaining voter registration rolls. The action appears to be part of a broader effort to exert more federal control over election procedures, including voter registration. The suit claims local officials have…