Emanuel "Chris" Welch, a Hillside Democrat, said lawmakers gave the Regional Transportation Authority power to raise the regional sales tax by 0.25% because the $1.5 billion bailout plan largely bankrolled by the state's road fund "needs to be jump-started" and the RTA's regional sales tax

SPRINGFIELD — After weeks of verbally condemning the aggressive federal immigration crackdown in the Chicago region, Illinois lawmakers approved legislation banning civil immigration arrests in and around state courthouses early Friday morning.

Gov. JB Pritzker has said he will sign the bill, which aims to increase grid reliability and lower electricity prices.

Illinoisans could see a new line item on their electric bills under a bill passed Wednesday night by the Illinois House. Under the proposal, contained in an amendment to Senate Bill 25, ratepayers will subsidize energy storage projects like large battery installations.

While candidates filed petitions Monday to run under Illinois’ existing congressional district lines, U.S. House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries brought his redistricting campaign to Illinois,