(SPRINGFIELD) Illinois is not adopting the new federal “no tax on tips” provision, meaning tipped workers in the state will still owe Illinois income tax on all tips, even when those tips are exempt at the federal level. Many believe the confusion could lead to filing mistakes or the need for paid tax preparation services. Illinois remains a high-tax state, with one of the nation’s highest property tax burdens and the need for lawmakers to pursue broad-based tax reforms.
(SPRINGFIELD) Members of the Illinois High School Association can begin voting today on 12 proposals from the IHSA’s Legislative Commission to amend the IHSA constitution and bylaws. A few of the proposals include expanding the IHSA Board of Directors to include four additional superintendents or heads of school, moving the state of IHSA football games up one week, and adding 16 teams per classification to the football playoffs. Ballots are available to each school’s representative in the IHSA’s online Schools Center from today, December 1st, to the 15th.
(SPRINGFIELD) Illinois hunters harvested a preliminary total of 51,409 deer during the first three days of the state’s firearm deer season the weekend before Thanksgiving. That number is down from the 54,661 deer taken during the first firearm weekend a year ago in 2024, mostly due to the rainy weather on the first day of hunting on that Friday. The final four days of the firearm season in Illinois is scheduled for this coming weekend, December 4th through the 7th.
(SPRINGFIELD) Illinois is one of the unhealthiest states in the union, according to data analysis by NiceRX, a national patient advocacy service. The report utilized obesity metrics from Gallup and also considered rates of alcohol consumption, physical activity levels, & searches for weight loss medications. Illinois ranked as the fifth unhealthiest state in the nation, trailing Louisiana, Alabama, Nevada, and Missouri, but worst than Iowa and Indiana, which were sixth and ninth on the list. The survey named Idaho as the healthiest state in the country.