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Illinois Statehouse News

Sunday, August 5, 2012

Political Rewind: Transparency, Prison Closures in the News

As we start a new week, it's always good to get caught up on state politics. Here's an easy guide to what happened last week.

Editor's Note: This article was created by aggregating news articles from Illinois Watchdog, formerly Illinois Statehouse News. SPRINGFIELD – Gov. Pat Quinn increased transparency in one part of state government this week, but his own office failed to release emails that could shine light on his handling of public discourse about prison closures. Prepaid tuition fund to become more transparent Illinois families who invested in the state’s troubled prepaid tuition program will enjoy more transparency in the system because of legislation signed into law Wednesday. The bill, House Bill 3923, requires meetings about the state’s prepaid tuition fund, known as College Illinois!, to be open to the public under the state’s Open Meetings Act. The …

Edward Andrysiak

9:00 pm on Wednesday, August 22, 2012

They need to get their act together in Chicago. Every day we see a TV report of a killing/s. Worst of all they don't know how to shoot. They always seem to get the bystander instead of the guy they are after. But, that aside, it's about the fight for turf and the drug money. The Chicago strategy was to hold the gang leader accountable for the bad things that happen on his turf. They did that …   more ›

Sunday, July 22, 2012

Political Rewind: Smith Faces House Expulsion; Quinn Announces Drought Aid

It's always good to be caught up on state politics. Here's an easy guide to what happened this week.

Editor's Note: This article was created by aggregating news articles from Illinois Statehouse News. SPRINGFIELD — The Illinois House this week came another step closer to expelling indicted state Rep. Derrick Smith from the chamber, and Gov. Pat Quinn headed to southern Illinois to examine drought damage and dodge protesters. Illinois Statehouse News compiled these stories for this week in review. House committee recommends expulsion for Smith A bipartisan committee of House lawmakers voted Thursday to recommend that Smith, the Chicago Democrat under federal indictment for bribery, be expelled from the state House. Of the 12 representatives on the Select Committee on Discipline, 11 voted in favor of recommending expulsion with state Rep. …

Christine

10:55 am on Monday, July 23, 2012

We shouldn't have welfare for corporations, or farmers, or 47 million people. That's not a hand up. That's a hand out and it's coming to an end as our economy collapses because of the overspending.   more ›

Sunday, July 15, 2012

Political Rewind: Scholarships Abolished, Smith Hearing to Proceed as Scheduled

It's always good to be caught up on state politics. Here's an easy guide to what happened this week.

Editor's Note: This article was created by aggregating news articles from Illinois Statehouse News that were written by various Illinois Statehouse News reporters. SPRINGFIELD – Gov. Pat Quinn this week signed off on a bill that eliminates the state’s decades-old legislative scholarship perk, and a committee of House lawmakers denied a request by indicted state Rep. Derrick Smith to delay a hearing to determine punishment. Quinn signs bill to abolish legislative scholarship program Illinois’ century-old legislative scholarship program started with good intentions but was hijacked by “a small band of craven lawmakers with the worst of intentions,” a government watchdog said this week. Gov. Pat Quinn on Wednesday signed a bill that abolishes…

Sunday, July 8, 2012

Political Rewind: House Discipline Committee Sets Final Hearing Date for Indicted Rep. Smith

It's always good to be caught up on state politics. Here's an easy guide to what happened this week.

Editor's Note: This article was created by aggregating news articles from Illinois Statehouse News that were written by various Illinois Statehouse News reporters. SPRINGFIELD – The Illinois House Select Committee on Discipline will have its final hearing on possible punishment for indicted state Rep. Derrick Smith on July 19, according to a schedule posted Friday. Much of the committee’s business – which is not a court proceeding but has the tone of one – between now and then will occur by email, the schedule indicates, but the committee chair, Rep. Barbara Flynn Currie, can call additional hearings as needed. The committee and Smith are to disclose to each other by July 6 all evidence they intend to introduce at the final hearing. By …

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11:36 pm on Tuesday, November 27, 2012

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Sunday, July 1, 2012

Political Rewind: Illinois Reacts to SCOTUS Ruling, Chicago NATO Costs Add Up

It's always good to be caught up on state politics. Here's an easy guide to what happened this week.

Editor's Note: This article was created by aggregating news articles from Illinois Statehouse News that were written by various Illinois Statehouse News reporters. SPRINGFIELD – Illinois reacted to the U.S. Supreme Court upholding President Barack Obama’s Affordable Care Act, and a House legislative committee began looking at possible discipline against a colleague. Quinn: Illinois will expand Medicaid under Affordable Care Act Gov. Pat Quinn on Thursday said he plans to carry out the full Affordable Care Act including expanding the Medicaid rolls in Illinois. “The state of Illinois is going forward with the president of our country, President Barack Obama, to expand using Medicaid (to) those that would be covered under the Affordable Care…

Edward Andrysiak

6:05 pm on Monday, July 2, 2012

Wow David...you have one hell of a lot on your plate! I can't be of much help other than answer you about Maxwell Street. Way before garage sales, flea markets and the like, the people of Chicago flocked to 12th Street/Maxwell Street and also known lovengly as JEW TOWN. A great place to spend a sunday shopping for great buys on just about everything you could imagine. My grandpa was so prowd of …   more ›

Sunday, June 24, 2012

Political Rewind: Gov. Pat Quinn Continues to Slash State Spending

It's always good to be caught up on state politics. Here's an easy guide to what happened this week.

SPRINGFIELD — In an ongoing effort to slash state spending, Gov. Pat Quinn this week signed a bill eliminating free health care for state retirees and revealed he intends to move forward with prison closures throughout Illinois. Quinn signs bill eliminating free health care for state retirees Quinn on Thursday signed legislation to end premium-free health insurance for state retirees. The state spends about $800 million yearly on the insurance program, but the exact savings from the new law will not be known, until a premium rate is negotiated between the state and public labor unions. “Those who have faithfully served the state deserve access to quality health care, and insurance costs should be more balanced and based on actual …

David Equinstein

10:03 am on Wednesday, August 29, 2012

If you want to cut government costs without hurting important family programs then cut the salaries of the elected Commissioners at our Forest Preserve District! The 6 Part-Time Commissioners from the Forest Preserve District of DuPage County get paid $53,500 a year plus full-time benefits and a taxpayer subsidized pension for maybe 1,000 hours a year and they just sit there! Not one of the …   more ›

Sunday, June 17, 2012

Political Rewind: Medicaid Reform Moves Forward, Action Taken in Smith Investigation

It's always good to be caught up on state politics. Here's an easy guide to what happened this week.

Editor's Note: This article was created by aggregating news articles from Illinois Statehouse News that were written by various Illinois Statehouse News reporters. SPRINGFIELD — Gov. Pat Quinn signed off on cuts to the state’s Medicaid program this week, and the House investigation into state Rep. Derrick Smith continued to move forward. Quinn signs off on Medicaid cuts, cigarette tax hike Quinn on Thursday signed off on a cigarette tax hike and a series of changes to the state’s ailing Medicaid system to help Illinois save billions of dollars. The reforms, which will boot thousands of low-income Illinoisans from the Medicaid rolls, include $1.6 billion in cuts, raising the state’s cigarette tax by $1 a pack to $1.98, stricter monitoring …

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4:11 am on Friday, November 9, 2012

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Sunday, June 10, 2012

Political Rewind: Illinois Pension Reform Still Top Priority

It's always good to be caught up on state politics. Here's an easy guide to what happened this week.

Editor's Note: This article was created by aggregating news articles from Illinois Statehouse News that were written by various Illinois Statehouse News reporters. SPRINGFIELD — The Illinois Capitol was quiet a week after lawmakers closed out the spring legislative session, but pension reform negotiations continue behind closed doors in Chicago Legislative leaders meet with Quinn in Chicago The state’s four top legislative leaders met with Gov. Pat Quinn on Wednesday in Chicago to begin hashing out pension reform. The reform effort fell apart in the final hours of the legislative session, when lawmakers disagreed over shifting some costs to local school districts. Democrats supported the cost-shift, but Republicans said they feared it …

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Tim

2:12 pm on Tuesday, October 9, 2012

Lower taxes in Nebraska? How is 6.84% in Nebraska state income tax, lower than 5%? Illinois income tax? http://www.bankrate.com/finance/taxes/state-taxes-nebraska.aspx The only way taxes are lower in NE, is if someone makes less than $17K/yr. Sounds like you should be spending more money on education, especially math.   more ›

Sunday, June 3, 2012

Political Rewind: Illinois Budget, Gaming Move Forward; Pension Reform Treading Water

It's always good to be caught up on state politics. Here's an easy guide to what happened this week.

Editor's Note: This article was created by aggregating news articles from Illinois Statehouse News that were written by various Illinois Statehouse News reporters. SPRINGFIELD — The Illinois General Assembly passed a budget — almost on time — Thursday, with the Senate ending about 1:30 a.m. Friday. The budget spends $33.7 billion for the 2013 general fund — the result of months of negotiations, hearings and a dizzying array of spending and appropriations bills with last-minute amendments upon amendments. The budget, made up of several bills in the House and Senate, includes $6.5 billion for K-12 education, $1.9 billion for higher education, $5 billion for health and human services, and $1.6 billion for public safety. In a testament to how …

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Luke

8:33 pm on Monday, June 25, 2012

$600 a month x12months x 30 years = $216,000. You get that back in what about 4 years of retirement. Who pays you for the next 20 to 30 years? We do. Those of us pay ever increasng taxes to cover your retirement. Go cry to someone who cares. The politicias bought your votes with our tax dollars. You fell for it. We can't afford it. I'd like to retire someday to but never will. I don't get to …   more ›

Sunday, May 27, 2012

Political Rewind: Medicaid Reform, Eavesdropping Limbo, Respite for Rep. Accused of Bribery

It's always good to be caught up on state politics. Here's an easy guide to what happened this week.

Editor's Note: This article was created by aggregating news articles from Illinois Statehouse News that were written by various Illinois Statehouse News reporters. SPRINGFIELD — With the clock ticking on the legislative session, ending Thursday, Illinois lawmakers began chipping away at the state’s big financial problems this week with a Medicaid spending reduction bill. Lawmakers also approved reducing the number of regional offices of education in the state. Meanwhile, efforts to reform the state’s draconian eavesdropping law stalled, and a culprit was found for March’s primary ballot box problems. Medicaid cuts, but with a catch   The General Assembly passed the first half of a plan Thursday to rein in the skyrocketing costs of Medicaid…

Carly EngageAmerica

1:08 pm on Thursday, May 31, 2012

The rules referred to as the "Medicaid mandates" have not attracted as much attention as the mandate forcing individuals to buy government-approved health insurance. What few people know is that the Medicaid mandates are, if anything, even more constitutionally dubious than the individual mandate. The ACA attempts to crack the constitution by directing and empowering administrators in the U.S. …   more ›

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