Patch on Politics

Guns in Public Places: Where Do You Stand?

On Feb. 19 and Feb. 22, the state will stage public hearings to discuss a new concealed carry handgun law for Illinois.

Gun control hearings will convene before an Illinois House committee later this month, says Speaker Mike Madigan, and there will be much talk about a new concealed carry law. One hearing will take place in Chicago on Feb. 22, at the Michael A. Bilandic Building in Chicago. The other will be in Springfield on Feb. 19 at the Capitol. “In light of events in recent months in Illinois and in other parts of the country, it’s appropriate and necessary that we give a full vetting to proposed state legislation on this matter," reads a statement from Madigan. "These hearings will provide an opportunity for gun-safety advocates, gun-rights supporters and members of the law enforcement community to offer their views and argue their cases to …

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Patch on Politics

Pension Foes Allied Against Constitutional Amendment

Pension-related amendment to state constitution on Nov. 6 ballot is confusing, catastrophic and fake reform, say foes and legal experts. What you need to know before you vote.

By Jayette Bolinski, Illinois Watchdog SPRINGFIELD — Opposition to a proposed pension-related constitutional amendment that will go before Illinois voters Nov. 6 is creating strange bedfellows — from public employee unions to good-government groups that agree the question is not worthy of a change to the state’s constitution and does nothing to address the pension crisis.  Groups opposed to the amendment are numerous and come from all walks of life. It’s no surprise that public-employee unions are opposed to the amendment, which requires a three-fifths majority vote before any public body can approve a pension benefit increase. Good-government groups, such as the Center for Tax and Budget Accountability and the Illinois Policy Institute, …

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Schools ‘Dodged a Bullet,' But Financial Future Still Uncertain, Official Says

Board of education president weighs in on state education appropriations bill, impact it could have on Plainfield schools.

School officials may have breathed a sigh of relief last week after Illinois House Speaker Mike Madigan scrapped a plan to shift part of the state’s massive pension liability onto local schools, but it could be short lived. On Monday, Plainfield School District 202 Board of Education president Roger Bonuchi weighed in on education funding cuts, passed by the General Assembly two days after Madigan’s plan was dropped. The $6.5 billion education appropriations bill is expected to slash $161 million in school funding. “They say the foundation level is going to remain unchanged,” Bonuchi said, referring to the per-student allotment school districts receive from the state, currently set at $6,119. But the rate at which funding is doled out to …

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Political Rewind: Small Business Left Out of Tax Break Discussion

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. New plan forms to keep state facilities open, for now Notices have gone out to nearly 200 Tinley Park Mental Health Center employees letting them know that they will be laid off on Dec. 3 as their facilities prepares to close under orders from Gov. Pat Quinn.  But Thursday morning a legislative commission voted against Quinn’s move to close the state psychiatric center.  The Legislature’s Commission on Government Forecasting and Accountability, or COGFA, also voted against closing the Logan Correctional Center in Lincoln and the Jacksonville Developmental Centerfacility Thursday…

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