Lawsuit

With hate crimes rising across Illinois in the last five years, lawmakers are considering a bill that would allow people to sue if they receive threatening flyers on private property due to protected identity characteristics.

The suit alleged the use of license plate readers was a violation of the Fourth and 14th amendments.

Broadcast Music, Inc., commonly known as BMI, said they made more than 45 attempts to contact the owners of Six Strings Club, notifying them of copyright violations. Bars and nightclubs are required to license live and recorded music. That includes karaoke and cover bands.

The American Farm Bureau Federation has backed off a deadline to eject the Illinois Farm Bureau from the federation. That deadline would have been this coming Friday.

Attorneys with the Thomas More Society filed the federal lawsuit Wednesday on behalf of several organizations including Students for Life of America, Pro-Life Action League and Illinois Right to Life. It names Gov. JB Pritzker, Attorney General Kwame Raoul and Department of Insurance Director Ann Gillespie as defendants.

Plaintiffs filed for class action status Wednesday. They say Illinois has been violating state and federal law for nearly 20 years.

Thursday was the final day of a trial challenging the law, passed in response to the 2022 mass shooting in Highland Park.

Groups challenging the law made their bid to the U.S. Supreme Court after last fall’s ruling from the federal appeals court in Chicago, which found that weapons covered by Illinois’ assault-weapons ban don’t have Second Amendment protection.

Two Bloomington mobile home residents are alleging the Texas-based company that bought the mobile home park they rent land from last year is violating their rights.

Two more former employees have filed federal lawsuits against the electric automaker Rivian, alleging they faced harassment and discrimination while on the job in Normal.