(SPRINGFIELD) The Illinois State Police, IDOT, and more than 200 local law enforcement agencies are still out in extra force, taking part in this season’s “Drive Sober or Get Pulled Over” campaign. With saturation patrols, roadside safety checks, and other special enforcement, officers are out looking for driving impaired by either alcohol and/or drugs, plus those who are not buckled up, for those speeding, for those texting while driving, and for those not obeying the rules of the road. The extra patrol will continue now through the first of the new year.
(SPRINGFIELD) Components of the Illinois Safe Gun Storage Act go into effect next Thursday, January 1st, 2026. Supporters of Senate Bill 8 say in addition to strengthening existing domestic violence laws and investing $19 million in taxpayer funds to community violence intervention programs, Illinois enacting the safe gun storage law scores an “A” for gun safety in Illinois. But, opponents of the measure say it infringes on the right of an American citizen to keep and bear arms by making home defense more difficult. The bill also requires gun owners to report if a gun has been stolen or lost within 48 hours, as opposed to the previous 72-hour requirement. Civil penalties could be up to $10,000 if a stolen gun not secured in a safe is used in a crime.
(SPRINGFIELD) Statewide residents are reminded that nearly 300 new laws in Illinois will go into effect next Thursday, January 1st, 2026. While one will eliminate the 1% statewide grocery tax, more than half of the state’s cities and towns have established their own grocery tax. In fact, the Illinois Municipal League shows that 656 municipalities, a little more than half of the state’s towns, have done so, affecting at least 7.2 million people throughout Illinois. Three counties have approved countywide grocery taxes. including Wabash, Moultrie, and Washington.
(CHICAGO) For the first time since 1994, a rabid dog has been identified in the State of Illinois. The Cook County Department of Animal and Rabies Control says the case involved a dog in Chicago that was vaccinated earlier this year. The dog was euthanized for behavioral reasons before testing positive earlier this month. The source of the rabies remains under investigation.