Mawa Iqbal
Statehouse reporter-
There's been years of debate over cash bail and its impact on the justice system and people who have to pay cash to stay out of jail before trial. Illinois became the first state to ban the practice.
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The law aimed to stop the use of deceptive practices to steer patients away from abortion care. A lawsuit argued the law violated free speech. -
Lawmakers tried unsuccessfully to keep alive a program that sent 9,700 students to private schools this year with taxpayer support. -
If Congress doesn’t pass a federal spending bill by Oct. 1, agency closures will disrupt numerous routine functions for Illinois residents. -
Illinois is the first state in the U.S. to abolish cash bail. The historic change took effect on Monday, prompting confusion and long days. -
Judges will be limited in who they can hold in jail pretrial. Rural leaders say they don’t have the staffing to handle the change. -
Among the 102 counties in Illinois, 42 have crisis pregnancy centers but no in-person abortion providers. -
Catholic doulas navigate between religious belief and their commitment to maternal reproductive health, including abortion care. -
Abortion access has declined dramatically nationwide, but many states have further protected abortion by enacting "shield laws," allocating funding, stockpiling medication and repealing old laws. -
A year after Roe v. Wade fell, Illinois Democrat and GOP lawmakers fight for legislation.
