State lawmakers return to Springfield on Tuesday. @benszalinski.bsky.social looks at what issues they might address. https://loom.ly/A2kQH9M

The Trump administration wants to send 100 troops to Chicago to help immigration authorities, Gov. JB Pritzker said, calling the request a method of “sowing fear and intimidation.” https://loom.ly/jt9RMIU

Illinois members of Congress hoped to get long-awaited answers from ICE at a meeting on Friday, but it was canceled. @benszalinski.bsky.social reports. https://loom.ly/JFU8T9o

If you were one of the many people who flipped for @staceywescott.bsky.social's excellent photographs outside the ICE building in Broadview Friday, you might like reading her walk-through of the morning and the process of making that picture. www.chicagotribune.com/2025/09/22/t...

The 2026 campaign season is about to get underway, but very few Republicans are running for statewide office in Illinois. @benszalinski.bsky.social reports. https://loom.ly/sDqeKPg

What message will help Democrats win in 2026? Gov. JB Pritzker and Illinois Dems think they found the answer while Senate candidates debate receiving corporate PAC money. @benszalinski.bsky.social reports. https://loom.ly/Hl9HsXU

A new Republican candidate for governor emerged as the party gathered at the Illinois State Fair Thursday. @benszalinski.bsky.social has details on that and other Republicans running for office. https://loom.ly/1o8x8Ss

Pritzker's remarks on Texas trying to redistrict to add more GOP members to Congress. Context to governor's remarks: Princeton Gerrymandering Project gave Illinois an F in 2021 for drawing a map to elect as many Democrats as possible

Juliana Stratton’s financial report was full of names in Illinois Democratic circles, including several Pritzker’s. Also included: Laura Ricketts of the Cubs, Jerry and Michael Reinsdorf of the Sox and Bulls, and Danny Witz of the Blackhawks

One-on-one with Rep. Raja Krishnamoorthi: His message in Illinois’ U.S. Senate race on issues from affordability to national security. @benszalinski.bsky.social reports. https://loom.ly/qTWnOY8

Meet Christian Mitchell: Gov. Pritzker’s new running mate with an extensive resume in state policy. @benszalinski.bsky.social explains why he was chosen and his goals if elected. https://loom.ly/IZAeT7I

The number of homeless people is rising in Illinois, but state lawmakers slashed funding for homeless prevention programs, and advocates aren’t happy. @benszalinski.bsky.social details the changes. https://loom.ly/k6mGO4k

What is in the largest budget in Illinois history? Discretionary spending increased less than 1%, but there is more than $500 million of one-time revenues from delaying scheduled fund transfers and to sweeping 57 different funds. More on what's in the budget⬇️ #twill

Gov. JB Pritzker answered hours of questions from a congressional committee about Illinois’ immigration laws – and some on other topics. Pritzker also addressed military deployments in L.A. @benszalinski.bsky.social reports. https://loom.ly/MyiHWfg

In today's political roundtable, we speak with Linda Kenyon about President Trump's "Big Beautiful Bill." Meanwhile, @benszalinski.bsky.social joins us to talk about the Illinois General Assembly wrapping up spring session, amid more questions about what the state budget will look like.

In-state challenges already made this year's budget talks hard. The latest federal budget halfway through Congress has added new challenges for lawmakers to consider in the final days of negotiations. Where Illinois' FY26 budget stands with 1 week to pass

News: Speaker Chris Welch explains why Rep. Fred Crespo was removed from the HDems caucus and lost his committee chair position: "The chairman chose not to have any conversations with anyone, despite those processes calling for that.” capitolnewsillinois.com/news/speaker...

"The only room we really did well on in the house was the bathroom,” Rahm Emanuel told Gavin Newsom. Pritzker isn't abandoning LGBTQ support: “I’m living proof that introducing your kids to the gay agenda might result in them growing up to be governor." More on Pritzker's vision vs Newsom/Emanuel:

In this week's politics roundtable, @benszalinski.bsky.social takes us through some of his latest reporting, from municipal elections to tariffs. Plus, Linda Kenyon with the news out of Washington, including the prospects of a government shutdown.

Overnight from Gov. JB Pritzker's chief of staff... This morning, Pritzker urges Democrats to ignore Chuck Schumer and vote NO on a CR to continue funding the government

New from me: The Trump administration has stopped reimbursing Illinois for the IL-EATS program, leaving out nearly $18 million the state was still expecting. The news comes a week after Pritzker sent a letter to OMB saying Illinois was missing $2B capitolnewsillinois.com/news/trump-a...

Lawmakers are demanding better from the Chicago area's transit leaders as they consider reforms and new funding. The agencies face a $771M deficit in 2026, but after a hearing this week, it's clear more negotiating is needed to decide what reform will be capitolnewsillinois.com/news/lawmake...

Better-than-expected revenue fixed some of the projected deficit for FY26. But spending is limited. Pritzker even went as far as to cut out a program providing health care to certain immigrants. All things budget!⬇️⬇️ capitolnewsillinois.com/news/pritzke...

How is @govpritzker.illinois.gov going to address a $3.2B deficit in year with so much uncertainty? He's largely ruled out tax increases. My preview of Wednesday's address and the challenges Illinois faces- from federal funding to spending demands capitolnewsillinois.com/news/pritzke...

Some back-of-the-napkin math shows @hannahmeisel.bsky.social wrote ~90,000 words -about 50 stories- on the Madigan trial since October for CNI. We've retooled our Madigan Trial in Review page to feature her work chronologically in one place. Give it a look: capitolnewsillinois.com/madigan-week...

You may have noticed Gov. Pritzker has been one of the most vocal anti-Trump voices in the Democratic Party since Jan. 20. How has Pritzker been using his influence and what is he saying to national media? I looked at that & what it means for 2028 speculation capitolnewsillinois.com/news/pritzke...

Mike Madigan joined a long list today of corrupt Chicago politicians. Illinois Republicans had a lot of “I told you so” to say today, while Democrats said they’ve moved on. capitolnewsillinois.com/news/illinoi...

Rod Blagojevich’s legacy as a disgraced former governor lives on in the Illinois Capitol. It’s having no picture on the wall with fellow governors. And an impeachment vote that included a handful of lawmakers still in Springfield

Rallies happening in 50 states today protesting Donald Trump, and here in Springfield, a big focus on Elon Musk

What do tariffs mean in Illinois? For starters, Canada is Illinois' largest trading partner. 72% of 2023 imports from them was just oil and gas. Combined, Canada, Mexico and China are nearly half of Illinois imports. Go read the rest and see the graphics⬇️⬇️ capitolnewsillinois.com/news/trump-t...

“When our agencies reached out to the federal agencies, we literally were informed that they are not to speak with us,” Pritzker said. A wrap of a hectic day in America as the Trump administration continues not to communicate with states capitolnewsillinois.com/news/blatant...

Reaction from Illinois Attorney General Kwame Raoul and others on today's federal court ruling in Seattle blocking Donald Trump's elimination of birthright citizenship

Gov. JB Pritzker is one of the richest politicians in US history. His reaction to tech execs at the inauguration⬇️ “They hope to double what they already have. That is why they’re making nice…maybe some of them have delusions of becoming dictators themselves.” capitolnewsillinois.com/news/pritzke...

Illinois Attorney General Kwame Raoul and others have filed a lawsuit challenging President Donald Trump's executive order ending birthright citizenship, which is protected by the 14th Amendment. The case was filed in Seattle federal court

Chicago’s transit agency leaders spent the past year rejecting the idea of consolidation in exchange for more funding. The Regional Transit Authority now proposes a middle route, asking lawmakers to grant it more authority over CTA, Metra and Pace. www.wbez.org/transportati...

Members of the Illinois Senate elected in 2024 are sworn in the begin the 104th Illinois General Assembly

After years of advocacy the Illinois legislature is moving forward on Karina's bill and now gets a Senate vote. It's designed to ensure that guns are taken away from people who have an order of protection against them. Background from @hannahmeisel.bsky.social capitolnewsillinois.com/news/advocat...

6 people were killed at the Edwardsville warehouse operated by Amazon when an EF3 tornado destroyed the facility days before Christmas 2021. It raised questions about the safety of warehouses in severe weather and now an Illinois task force has recommendations capitolnewsillinois.com/news/task-fo...

I just uploaded all ~5,000 submissions to the Illinois state flag redesign contest to box. Here's the link: app.box.com/s/6otjev88ga... I'll still be posting the interesting ones over the next few days so you don't have to sort through all of them

A $15 minimum wage was @govpritzker.illinois.gov first legislative victory in 2019. The minimum wage will finally reach that mark on Jan. 1, 2025 in an economy that has changed significantly over the last 6 years capitolnewsillinois.com/news/illinoi...

Could Tier 2 pension reform be on the table in January? We'll see, but lawmakers and labor unions see problems that needs to be fixed. I explain what's going on with the latest proposal submitted by a labor coalition capitolnewsillinois.com/news/state-l...

The Cubs have released a statement on Sammy Sosa, and it makes me so happy.

The Electoral College isn’t just a tally on TV on election night. In Illinois, it’s 19 real people who will cast the state’s electoral votes for Kamala Harris in the box in the middle. It will be opened in Congress on Jan. 6

THE CHICAGO CUBS HAVE LANDED THEIR SUPERSTAR

IBM will lead the National Quantum Algorithm Center at the Illinois quantum park being built on Chicago’s South Side. It’s another big step for one of Gov. Pritzker’s favorite economic development projects

As budget tightens, report finds Illinois better prepared for recession than in recent past

FLAGGING: The Illinois State Flag Commission has selected 10 finalists for the state flag redesign contest. Voting will open to the public in January. Here are the designs that made the cut out of nearly 5,000 entries:

Police can search a car if they smell raw cannabis, but not burnt cannabis, according to the Illinois Supreme Court. That's because Illinois law requires cannabis be in an odor-proof container when it's in a vehicle, according to the court capitolnewsillinois.com/news/smell-o...

RFK Jr. as national health secretary could provide some dramatic changes to health policy. How would some of what he has proposed impact Illinois? I took a look: 🧵🧵1/4 capitolnewsillinois.com/news/how-rfk...