Government - State

SPRINGFIELD – Illinois GOP Chairman Pat Brady resigned Tuesday, citing his wife's battle with cancer and his desire to focus on family after six tough years in Republican politics.

SPRINGFIELD – Senate President John Cullerton announced Monday his chamber will move forward with a new union-backed pension reform proposal he says will save Illinois money and is at less risk of being tossed out by the courts than a plan approved by the House last week.

CHICAGO – Cook County’s sheriff is proposing a countywide concealed-carry ordinance, saying if state lawmakers don’t pass a law by next month as a federal court has ordered, Illinois could turn into the “Wild West.”

CHICAGO – The race is on in Illinois for $28 million in grants to help consumers learn how to shop for health insurance.

CHICAGO – After years of trying, lawmakers return to Springfield today with something they haven’t had before: two potential options for finally addressing Illinois’ multibillion-dollar pension problem.

SPRINGFIELD – Labor leaders threatened a lawsuit Wednesday over House Speaker Michael Madigan’s pension-reform proposal to lower the retirement benefits of public employees in Illinois, but a committee advanced the plan anyway.

SPRINGFIELD – DeKalb-area lawmakers were cautious in their reaction to Illinois House Speaker Michael Madigan’s pension reform efforts Tuesday.

SPRINGFIELD – The largest Illinois government employees' union will take a second ratification vote on its tentative three-year contract because of a continuing lawsuit over back wages.

SPRINGFIELD – Illinois House Speaker Michael Madigan is proposing a comprehensive pension-reform package that caps the salary on which a pension can be based and limits annual cost-of-living increases.

SPRINGFIELD – House Republicans cranked up the pressure Tuesday for a vote on legislation regulating high-volume oil and gas drilling in Illinois, saying it has the backing of industry and environmentalists and would pass easily, and that the state is losing out on jobs and revenue by dragging its heels.

SPRINGFIELD – An Illinois state senator said Monday he will rework legislation allowing the carrying of concealed guns that emerged last week after concerns about extra levels of scrutiny for Chicago and Cook County, but he defended the proposal against complaints that it was more restrictive than first touted.

SOMONAUK – Multiple sclerosis made Jim Champion a prisoner in his own body.

SPRINGFIELD – Illinois Attorney General Lisa Madigan is asking the U.S. Supreme Court for more time to decide whether to file an appeal on a court order that the state enact a law allowing public possession of firearms.

SPRINGFIELD – With about 40 days before a federal court-ordered deadline to enact a law allowing public possession of firearms, Gov. Pat Quinn is holding fast to the notion that decisions about who may carry guns – and where – should be made at city hall, not by a statewide standard.

Illinois General Assembly under pressure as final month approaches