WNIJ education reporter Peter Medlin sat down with IL State Senator Karina Villa (D) to talk about her new 'Safe Schools for All' law that went into effect January 1st.

U. S. Rep. Eric Sorensen, a Democrat from Moline, said he’s willing to consider some limits or cost controls that would help the plan pass in the Senate, where 60 votes are required for passage.

The pause in funding comes about a week after the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services said it was freezing child care funds in Minnesota, and asking for an audit of day care centers amid allegations of fraud by day care centers run by Somali residents.

“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.

Consumer advocates call the request ‘unconscionable’ and vow to fight it

Facing pressure to increase timber harvests, the U.S. Forest Service is sidestepping rigorous environmental reviews and limiting public participation in a project in southern Illinois’ Shawnee National Forest.

Information such as addresses and case numbers were publicly viewable for around 32,000 customers with the Illinois Department of Human Services’ division of rehabilitation services and another 670,000 Medicaid and Medicare Savings Program recipients, the agency said.

Gov. JB Pritzker backs the idea in principle but says it’s not a 2026 priority.

Carle said it will limit patient rooms to two visitors at a time and will not allow visitors under age 18. Carle is also strongly encouraging anyone experiencing respiratory symptoms to wear a mask while visiting one of its health facilities.

Anne Pramaggiore and three others were convicted of a nearly decade-long scheme to influence former Illinois House Speaker Michael Madigan in exchange for legislation that favored ComEd. President Trump has previously pardoned Blagojevich of his own political corruption sentence.

his change is related to efforts to cap the number of students eligible for federal loans and the amount of money they can borrow.

On this episode, we look back on the stories that made news over the past year in state government and politics.