(SPRINGFIELD) The Gun Owners Foundation and Gun Owners of America have filed suit in the Southern District of Illinois over the state’s prohibition of open and concealed public carry of firearms. The plaintiffs say the case involves a challenge to Illinois’ refusal to allow the vast majority of Americans to exercise their constitutional right to keep and bear arms. The federal complaint names the State Attorney General and State Police Director as defendants.
(SPRINGFIELD) Many Illinois lawmakers say removing the state’s two-year high school foreign language requirement would give students more flexibility while easing pressure from what many are calling an unfunded mandate that affects taxpayers. The proposal would eliminate the statewide requirement that high school students complete four foreign language credits in order to graduate, plus in turn, it would allow students to take other courses needed to graduate.
(SPRINGFIELD) Early voting numbers are trending up in Illinois before the state’s primary elections tomorrow. Illinois State Board of Elections officials say as of last Friday, about 250,000 early votes had been cast, slightly higher than the state reported before the 2022 midterm. The report also showed a strong response on vote-by-mail, about 15,000 more ballots have been mailed for the March 17th primary election compared the same time two years ago.
(SPRINGFIELD) The Illinois Department of Natural Resources says 627 bobcats were harvested by hunters and trappers during the state’s 2025-2026 bobcat season. While downstate Jefferson County reported the largest amount of bobcats taken at 33, the state’s second highest amount was in central Illinois’ Macoupin County at 28. The State DNR issued 2,000 permits for the past season, that’s out of over 9,700 bobcat lottery applications received from throughout Illinois.