February 2026

SPRINGFIELD – Earlier this week, Governor JB Pritzker presented to the General Assembly his proposed fiscal year 2027 budget for the state, which includes a higher education budget of $2.7 billion. The higher education budget includes a one percent increase in operating funding for public universities ($13 million) and community colleges ($3 million).   The fiscal

CHICAGO, IL – On Tuesday, the Illinois Commission (ICC) approved the Illinois Power Agency’s (IPA) 2026 Long-Term Renewable Resources Procurement Plan (LTRRPP) which guides procurement of new renewable generation in Illinois over the next two years. The IPA’s plan encourages investment in both utility scale and community solar, utility-scale wind, hydropower, and other clean energy projects

CARBONDALE – Illinois State Police (ISP) Division of Criminal Investigation Zone 7 Special Agents arrested 19-year-old Shariah Davis of Carbondale, IL and a 15-year-old male after executing search warrants served in Jackson County.   On February 18, 2026, as part of an ongoing investigation, ISP Special Agents executed two search warrants in Carbondale, one in the

SPRINGFIELD – The Illinois Manufacturers’ Association (IMA) today released the following statement in response to the U.S. Supreme Court decision on tariffs:   “American manufacturers need a fair, rules-based system to successfully compete in markets across the globe. While tariffs can be an effective tool when tailored narrowly, many Illinois manufacturers reported that constantly changing across-the-board