(SPRINGFIELD) An upstate lawmaker has proposed legislation to impose a 10-cent fee on carryout bags at retail establishments, effective in 2027. House Bill 5112 would also increase the tax by 5 cents every year until the fee is 25 cents per bag, plus the fee would apply to any kind of bag. The bill would also ban retailers from using plastic bags for delivering goods to consumers.
(SPRINGFIELD) State government officials say free tax preparation help is available for low-to-moderate income families and older adults filing their 2025 income taxes. The Internal Revenue Service and several other groups provide free basic income tax return preparation with electronic filing to qualified individuals in select locations statewide. Taxpayers can learn more about the free tax assistance by visiting the Illinois Department of Revenue website at tax.illinois.gov.
(DES MOINES) An Iowa state lawmaker has introduced legislation that would establish a committee to study the potential transfer of one or more Illinois counties to Iowa. The proposed House File 2141, entitled the Iowa-Illinois Boundary Adjustment Act, will likely be discussed this spring. Last year, Indiana lawmakers passed a bill to create an Indiana-Illinois Boundary Adjustment Commission, which has now met several times over the past six months.
(SPRINGFIELD) Illinois, Missouri, and Iowa are three of the unhealthiest states in the nation. According to data analyzed by the NiceRX Group, showed obesity rates, alcohol consumption, physical activity levels, and the number of fitness facilities named Louisiana as the country’s most unhealthiest state, while Missouri ranked fourth, Illinois was fifth worst, and Iowa was sixth. The newly released report shows that Idaho in the nation’s most healthiest state.