Emanuel Chris Welch /tags/emanuel-chris-welch Emanuel Chris Welch en-US Copyright © 2024 ÍâÍøÌìÌà Thu, 05 Jun 2025 14:45:41 GMT 5 things Illinois lawmakers did and didn’t get done in spring session /government-politics-issues/2025-06-05/5-things-illinois-lawmakers-did-didnt-get-done-spring-session Budget talks took up most of the political bandwidth in the waning hours of the legislative session, leaving the big transit question unanswered, among other issues. Thu, 05 Jun 2025 14:45:41 GMT /government-politics-issues/2025-06-05/5-things-illinois-lawmakers-did-didnt-get-done-spring-session Mitchell Armentrout New taxes on sports bets, nicotine products as Illinois Democrats pass $55.2B budget /government-politics-issues/2025-06-01/new-taxes-sports-bets-nicotine-democrats-pass-budget Illinois Democrats, who hold supermajorities in the House and Senate, pushed through a spending plan with little time to spare before the May 31 midnight deadline. Sun, 01 Jun 2025 14:00:51 GMT /government-politics-issues/2025-06-01/new-taxes-sports-bets-nicotine-democrats-pass-budget Ben Szalinski, Jerry Nowicki , Will Bauer Illinois Speaker rebuffs lawsuit from would-be staff union as ‘forum shopping’ /government-politics-issues/2024-06-25/illinois-speaker-rebuffs-lawsuit-from-would-be-staff-union-as-forum-shopping In a new filing Monday, attorneys for Welch argued the Illinois Legislative Staff Association has no standing to sue over the speaker’s refusal to engage in collective bargaining with the would-be union’s members. Tue, 25 Jun 2024 20:15:00 GMT /government-politics-issues/2024-06-25/illinois-speaker-rebuffs-lawsuit-from-would-be-staff-union-as-forum-shopping Hannah Meisel Members of Illinois House speaker’s staff sue over ongoing unionization conflict /government-politics-issues/2024-06-03/illinois-house-speakers-staff-sue-over-unionization-conflict The would-be union claims its members rights were violated under Illinois' 2022 ‘Workers’ Rights Amendment.’ Mon, 03 Jun 2024 19:30:00 GMT /government-politics-issues/2024-06-03/illinois-house-speakers-staff-sue-over-unionization-conflict Hannah Meisel Weight-loss drug coverage for Illinois state workers could cost hundreds of millions /health-science-environment/2024-05-02/illinois-workers-weight-loss-drug-costs-skyrocket Illinois Gov. J,B. Pritzker’s office estimates the drugs — which include Wegovy, Mounjaro and Ozempic — will cost taxpayers $210 million the first year. But others put that number much higher. Thu, 02 May 2024 10:00:00 GMT /health-science-environment/2024-05-02/illinois-workers-weight-loss-drug-costs-skyrocket Dave McKinney Illinois lawmakers quietly scaled back a popular tax credit. A former governor wants it back. /government-politics-issues/2024-01-13/illinois-lawmakers-quietly-scaled-back-a-popular-tax-credit-a-former-governor-wants-it-back The more than 11 million Illinoisans who claim the standard exemption each year will not see an inflation-indexed bump for the 2023 tax year. Sat, 13 Jan 2024 11:00:00 GMT /government-politics-issues/2024-01-13/illinois-lawmakers-quietly-scaled-back-a-popular-tax-credit-a-former-governor-wants-it-back Dave McKinney First week of Illinois veto session wraps up with little legislative movement /government-politics-issues/2023-10-30/first-week-of-illinois-veto-session-wraps-up-with-little-legislative-movement Lawmakers to return to Capitol Nov. 7 to address lingering issues. Mon, 30 Oct 2023 10:00:00 GMT /government-politics-issues/2023-10-30/first-week-of-illinois-veto-session-wraps-up-with-little-legislative-movement Andrew Adams Illinois House Speaker introduces bill to allow legislative staff to unionize /government-politics-issues/2023-10-09/illinois-house-speaker-introduces-bill-to-allow-legislative-staff-to-unionize Illinois House Speaker Chris Welch, D-Hillsdale, says he hopes to pass the bill in the upcoming veto session. Mon, 09 Oct 2023 10:00:00 GMT /government-politics-issues/2023-10-09/illinois-house-speaker-introduces-bill-to-allow-legislative-staff-to-unionize Peter Hancock Illinois courts take first steps into a world without cash bail as Pretrial Fairness Act begins /law-order/2023-09-19/illinois-courts-take-first-steps-into-a-world-without-cash-bail-as-pretrial-fairness-act-begins Illinois became the first state in the country to abolish cash bail on Monday, but the courts remained slow in the Metro East. Tue, 19 Sep 2023 10:00:00 GMT /law-order/2023-09-19/illinois-courts-take-first-steps-into-a-world-without-cash-bail-as-pretrial-fairness-act-begins Will Bauer, Mawa Iqbal, Chip Mitchell, Edith Brady-Lunny Trump, Rauner, policy wins on Illinois Democrats’ minds during State Fair’s political festivities /government-politics-issues/2023-08-17/trump-rauner-policy-wins-on-illinois-democrats-minds-during-state-fairs-political-festivities Illinois Gov. JB Pritzker called the state a ‘beacon for national success’ when it comes to the 2024 elections. Thu, 17 Aug 2023 10:00:00 GMT /government-politics-issues/2023-08-17/trump-rauner-policy-wins-on-illinois-democrats-minds-during-state-fairs-political-festivities Jerry Nowicki