Chris Welch

House Republicans raise concerns about an amendment to the Illinois constitution changing the requirements for House district maps in Illinois. It allows for the creation of racial coalitions or influence districts and creates a priority ranking for the requirements.

One proposed constitutional amendment imposing a 3% tax on millionaires would yield $1,500 checks to property owners. Another would divvy up proceeds between schools and property tax relief. An early May deadline looms to get a plan before voters this fall.

“Talking about a brand new Bears stadium when this one’s not even 25 years old, that’s insensitive to what real people are going through right now," said Illinois House Speaker Emanuel “Chris” Welch.

His Black Excellence in Bleu has raised more than $1 million since it was formed last year, some of that from groups with a stake in his legislative decision-making. Unlike campaign contributions, such giving is harder to track.

The move comes after nearly a year of requests for voluntary recognition by employees in offices run by Speaker Emanuel “Chris” Welch.

The longtime Chicago Democrat called her removal “petty,” noting no one filed a complaint against her.

After a busy lame duck session which included the passage of an assault rifle ban, the 103rd Illinois General Assembly was sworn into office Wednesday afternoon.

Illinois Gov. JB Pritzker and Democratic legislative leaders reached a deal Monday on a landmark assault weapons ban shaped by the July 4th mass shooting in Highland Park, stifling GOP cries that gun owners’ rights are being trampled.

UPDATED 9:05 p.m. | One of the most transformative six-day periods in the history of Illinois government came to an end Wednesday with the election of…

When the men's basketball team at Loyola University in Chicago defied the odds last year by advancing to the Final Four for the first time in 50 years,…