The Trump administration has announced a $12 billion aid package to help U.S. farmers affected by trade disputes, but Jerry Costello II, director of the Illinois Department of Agriculture, says the package is insufficient and will not cover all the losses farmers have suffered.
Capitol News Illinois
Posted inNews
ComEd launches new discount program for low-income customers
ComEd has launched a new Low-Income Discount program to provide price breaks to qualifying households with incomes up to 300% of the federal poverty level, funded by a fee levied on all customers.
Posted inUncategorized
Illinois licenses, IDs to enter digital realm
Illinois residents can now add their driver’s licenses and state IDs to Apple Wallet, with plans to expand to Google and Samsung wallets soon, allowing them to be used for various situations such as entering a bar or at an airport checkpoint.
Posted inEducation
Report offers mixed review of educational progress in Illinois
Despite billions of dollars in additional spending on K-12 education, proficiency rates in reading, writing and math have stagnated in Illinois, while overall educational attainment has improved.
Posted inLatest News
DOJ demands Illinois voter personal information by Sept. 1
The Justice Department is demanding Illinois’ unredacted voter registration database, which includes sensitive personal information, and has given state officials until September 1st to comply.
Posted inPolitics
State ends fiscal year with record revenue
Illinois ended fiscal year 2025 with a record $54 billion in revenue, but the state still faces uncertainty as Congress considers drastic reductions to the social safety net and aid to states.
Posted inNews
GOP lawsuit seeks to end ‘gut-and-replace’ legislation
A group of Republican lawmakers filed a lawsuit seeking to nullify Senate Bill 328, which would allow out-of-state corporations to be sued in Illinois courts, and to bar the legislature from using the “gut-and-replace” procedure to pass legislation without proper transparency.
Posted inLatest News
AG’s Office Gets $15.7 Million Boost for Workload and Trump Litigation
Lawmakers approved an increase of $15.7 million, or 22.4%, for the Attorney General’s general operating expenses, citing the increased workload due to lawsuits against the Trump administration and the state’s defense against legal actions filed by the administration.
Posted inNews
Bill to Repeal Hair Braiders’ Licensing Requirements in Illinois Stalled
The Hair Braiding Opportunity Act, which would have repealed licensing requirements for hair braiders in Illinois, died in the final stretch of the legislative session after opponents voiced concerns about the potential impact on health, safety and equity for the profession.
Posted inLatest News
Illinois’ $55.2B budget ‘incomplete,’ Civic Federation president says
The Illinois budget raised $1 billion in new revenue, increased spending by over $2 billion in FY26, and used fund sweeps and pausing transfers to balance the budget, with some critics arguing that the process was chaotic and nontransparent.
