Amid court battle, lawmakers look to push back ‘swipe fees’ ban

Capitol News Illinois SPRINGFIELD – Illinois lawmakers have decided to delay a ban on “swipe fees” for another year as bankers are locked in a court battle with the state over the ban. Lawmakers passed the Interchange Fee Prohibition Act last spring as part of the legislative package that enacted the state budget. It prohibits…

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Baby food safety, press freedom, public defender measures will head to governor

Capitol News Illinois Gov. JB Pritzker will have hundreds of bills to review after lawmakers concluded their spring session, including measures protecting press freedoms and baby food, as well as creating a state public defender’s office. Lawmakers voted along party lines Saturday to pass House Bill 3363, which would create the “Office of State Public…

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Mascot ban stalls as Native-backed land conservation bill advances

Capitol News Illinois SPRINGFIELD – Illinois’ legislative session concluded without passage of a Native American K-12 school mascot ban, but another issue sought by Natives will make its way to the governor. Despite desire from Native Americans in Illinois, the ban on Native imagery for mascots in K-12 schools stalled in the Senate after it…

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With electric prices going up, advocates tried — and failed — to reform the energy sector

Capitol News Illinois SPRINGFIELD — Heading into the end of the legislative session, consumer advocates, renewable energy industry groups and environmental advocates were hopeful about a bill that would have overhauled Illinois’ energy industry. It would have been the largest energy reform in years, touching almost every part of the state’s electricity sector. Some said…

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Amid uncertainty in Washington, Illinois lawmakers pass slimmed-down Medicaid package

Capitol News Illinois SPRINGFIELD — Nearly every year, Illinois lawmakers pass a package of measures dealing with the state’s Medicaid program, the joint federal and state health care program that covers low-income individuals. Known as the Medicaid omnibus bill, it sometimes includes bold components, like a 2021 initiative that made millions of dollars available to…

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Senate’s transit funding, delivery tax proposal stalls in House

Capitol News Illinois SPRINGFIELD – With public transit agencies in Chicagoland facing a fiscal cliff and the potential for thousands of layoffs, the state did not pass a bill that would have provided the agencies with potentially over $1 billion in new funding. A version of the bill passed in the Senate, sponsored by Sen.…

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