State Senator Jason Barickman

Now that voters have rejected the income tax amendment to the State Constitution to create a progressive tax structure, Illinois faces hard choices to balance the budget during the spring session of the General Assembly." class="wysiwyg-break drupal-content" src="/sites/all/modules/contrib/wysiwyg/plugins/break/images/spacer.gif" title="<--break-->">

A Republican state senator from Bloomington said Tuesday that suburban Chicago candidates need to localize their elections.

Illinois Senate Republicans have introduced a package of ethics reform legislation to make lawmaker corruption easier to investigate, but it's unclear how far the measurers will go in the Democratic-controlled chamber.

One idea would let the state's legislative inspector general begin investigations without approval from senators and House representatives.

Some political observers think the announcement last week by Exelon that it will close two northern Illinois nuclear reactors is an opening bid for legislative help.

After the Trump administration this week vowed to ban flavored e-cigarettes, one state senator from Bloomington is saying Illinois shouldn't wait for federal action.

State Sen. Jason Barickman of Bloomington said the problem of violent rhetoric in American politics spans both parties.

State Sen. Jason Barickman said he went public against Gov. JB Pritzker's bill on legalizing recreational use of marijuana even though he knows it will make it more difficult to get a compromise bill.

State Sen. Jason Barickman said Friday that Illinois’ ballot access laws are unfair to new political parties and independent candidates and should be changed.

Despite business owner concerns, a minimum wage increase bill passed the Illinois Senate this week. If it passes the House and is signed into law, Illinois’ $8.25 minimum wage would rise to $15 by 2025.

State Sen. Jason Barickman said Friday that Bruce Rauner never fully grasped the job and responsibility of governor.

Republican state Sen. Jason Barickman said he will co-sponsor a 2019 measure to legalize cannabis.

The sticking points for how to legalize recreational marijuana in Illinois are getting a lot less sticky.

A day after Gov. Bruce Rauner’s “unorthodox” speech in Chicago, state Sen. Jason Barickman said he thinks the Republican incumbent needed a campaign reset and could still win in November.

After a divisive primary, Republicans worried they would not be able to come together in time to make the governor's race competitive.

State Sen. Jason Barickman said he thinks President Trump did not acknowledge what a ruthless dictator Vladimir Putin is and where Putin's self-interest lies.

State Sen. Jason Barickman said the latest string of sexual harassment allegations within the Illinois Democratic Party provides one more reason why longtime House Speaker Mike Madigan should lose his leadership post.

Yes, McLean County Democrats are energized headed into this year’s elections. But Republicans know how to win.

Gov. Bruce Rauner says bipartisanship is needed to move the state forward. But a lack of trust in the shadow of an election year and the governor's own remarks make that less likely to happen.