(SPRINGFIELD) Illinois Governor J.B. Pritzker had his pen busy yesterday, signing 15 bills into law. Among the measures were four impacting access to and the cost of colleges in Illinois, streamlining the process for college bound seniors. Two of the other new laws deal with the outdoors, one of which starts a new Gray Fox hunting season, while the other new law provides an exemption to child labor laws, and allows minors age 14 and older to work as scorers at the World Shooting and Recreational Complex in southwestern Illinois.
(SPRINGFIELD) The annual pilgrimage of Illinois residents to neighboring states to buy fireworks is peaking this week, ahead of the holiday weekend. It’s all due to the state’s Pyrotechnic Use Act, which prohibits most fireworks in Illinois, although it’s one of Illinois’ most unenforced laws. Fireworks stands in Indiana, Iowa, Missouri, and Wisconsin are all cashing in from Illinois customers as some say the state is missing out on as much as $15 million in sales tax revenues. Illinois is among three states, including Massachusetts and Vermont, that ban some or all fireworks with violations coming with fines of up to $2,500. State Senator Chapin Rose of Mahomet has previously filed legislation aimed at legalizing fireworks across the state, but the measure has stalled amid concerns about safety.
(SPRINGFIELD) Recently published reports by the Illinois Office of Executive Inspector General tackled allegations of inappropriate conduct by some state agency employees. The OEIG reports one employee engaged in unsuitable communications of a sexual nature with a high school intern, while another employee was dealing real estate on the side on state time. A separate report highlighted two individuals with political connections improperly being hired on to the Chicago Transit Authority. Charges are now being considered.
(DIETERICH) State Representative Adam Niemerg is calling on the Director of the Illinois Department of Corrections (IDOC), Latoya Hughes, to step down from her position. It was October of last year (2024) that the 102nd District lawmaker toured both the Robinson and Lawrence County Correctional facilities in his district to address the dangerous working conditions of prison guards and staff surrounding illegal drugs, plus the many attacks on correctional officers and staff as well. It was also last fall the the correctional employees staged pickets at Illinois prisons to push for safer working conditions and for the state to help stop the illegal drug shipments that reportedly delivered by visitors to the prisons to acquaintances and family members who are in confinement, plus other reports suggest the use of mail to smuggle controlled substances into the facilities. Many other downstate lawmakers are joining Representative Niemerg in his statewide call for some type of action.