Capitol News Illinois SPRINGFIELD —– Three main factors contribute to the formation of Midwest dust storms: strong winds, dry soil in farm fields and large amounts of loose soil. That’s according to Andy Taylor, the Science and Operations officer at the National Weather Service’s office in Lincoln. He said these are key ingredients that meteorologists,…

Capitol News Illinois SPRINGFIELD – Attorney General Kwame Raoul announced this week he has joined another multistate lawsuit challenging the Trump administration’s decision to withhold billions of dollars in federal funds that had previously been approved for states and other grantees. The complaint, filed Tuesday in U.S. District Court in Massachusetts, challenges several actions the…

Capitol News Illinois PEORIA — For 60 years, SkillsUSA Illinois has held workforce development competitions for young people entering the trades. For 60 years, there has never been an all-female team competing in the architecture and construction team competition. Until now, that is. This April, students competed at the Peoria Civic Center in a bid…

Capitol News Illinois Gov. JB Pritzker signed a new law Friday to make a series of changes to the Prisoner Review Board after it released a man who would go on to commit murder, leading to intense scrutiny in Springfield. Pritzker signed Senate Bill 19, which contains changes designed to include victims’ participation in Prisoner…

Capitol News Illinois SPRINGFIELD — Immigration rights advocates in Illinois are anxiously awaiting the governor’s signature on legislation aimed at protecting K-12 students who may be in the country without legal authorization from being denied access to a free public education. House Bill 3247, known as the “Safe Schools for All Act,” passed both chambers…

Capitol News Illinois by Janelle O’Dea for the Illinois Answers Project CAHOKIA HEIGHTS — Arianna Norris, 63, paid cash for her home in Cahokia Heights. For as long as she’s lived there, during intense rainstorms, water surrounds her property and last year her basement started flooding. Norris was around four years ago when residents in…

Capitol News Illinois SPRINGFIELD — The parents of a 10-year-old girl who allegedly was assaulted repeatedly by a 14-year-old student in the Taylorville School District have filed a federal lawsuit against the school district and the school bus company. The lawsuit, filed by a Chicago law firm, contains five counts against the Taylorville School District…

Capitol News Illinois SPRINGFIELD — A group of Republican lawmakers filed a lawsuit this week that seeks to nullify legislation they say would indelibly alter both the business and legal landscape of Illinois. Senate Bill 328 would amend a key provision of Illinois civil law by allowing, in certain kinds of cases, any company authorized…

Capitol News Illinois CHICAGO — Just over one year ago, the Illinois legislature approved spending more than $700 million to attract and support a new industry: quantum technology. Now, representatives of other countries, federal research labs and a network of private organizations with ties to the state are beginning to ink deals and make agreements…

Capitol News Illinois Gov. JB Pritzker signed Illinois’ fiscal year 2026 budget into law Monday, taking shots at President Donald Trump’s budget management to defend hard choices state lawmakers were forced to make this year. The $55.1 billion spending plan set to take effect July 1 is the largest in state history and is supported…