(SPRINGFIELD) The Seventh Circuit U.S. Court of Appeals has vacated U.S. District Court Judge Sara Ellis’ preliminary injunction restricting use of force by federal immigration law enforcement officers in Illinois. In a social media post, the U.S. Attorney General’s Office hailed the ruling as a “huge legal win” for Americans in support of Operation Midway Blitz in Illinois.
(SPRINGFIELD) The Illinois Family Institute is raising concerns over a proposed bill that would offer voluntary home visits to families of newborns. House Bill 4606 proposes the Department of Human Services provide at-home visits to new parents to offer guidance on newborn care. While the program is designed to be optional and carry no immediate penalties for families who decline, critics fear it could become a gateway for government overreach and interference.
(SPRINGFIELD) A new bill has been filed in Springfield dealing with property taxes. With the issue of affordability being a critical one across much of the nation, House Bill 4626 would seek to cap rising property taxes by basing costs on the equalized assessed value of a home in the year it was bought. Final assessment costs would then not increase for as long as the person owns their home, with the goal being to make housing more attractive and affordable for first-time buyers, working families, and fixed income senior citizens throughout Illinois.
(SPRINGFIELD) Research shows people in rural communities want to build their lives in the place where they grew up, but a shortage of local job options, training pathways, and support systems can stand in the way. Officials with the Center for Rural Innovation, told attendees at the th annual Rural Community & Economic Development Conference that even though rural gross domestic product has inched ahead of gains in non-rural regions in recent years, the overall improvements have not shown up in the local job markets. Automation across farming, mining, and manufacturing means many operations can turn out more product with fewer people, leaving small towns with strong output on paper, but fewer paychecks to go around.