Ill State News

SPRINGFIELD, Ill. – Illinois small businesses are raising the alarm about a bill posted for the House Labor Committee this week. HB 5367 (Hernandez) would incrementally increase the statewide minimum wage, jumping to $17/hour on July 1, 2026. It would hit $27/hour on Jan. 1, 2032, and then every year afterwards increase with the consumer price index.   “Small business owners are […]

SPRINGFIELD – A coalition of Illinois public universities today released the following statement in support of legislation to provide equitable funding for public universities (SB13/HB1581), which may be heard in committee as soon as Thursday:   “Illinois public universities are the foundation of our state and regional economies, preparing the skilled workforce employers depend on, driving research and

SPRINGFIELD – The Illinois Manufacturers’ Association (IMA) will host the first Food Innovation Day at the State Capitol on Tuesday, March 24, where more than a dozen food manufacturing companies will gather to showcase their products and spotlight the sector’s vast economic contributions to the Land of Lincoln.   Illinois food manufacturers are recognized around the

SPRINGFIELD – Trail access to French Canyon at Starved Rock State Park will be closed beginning this week. The closure will last through June to accommodate the park’s ongoing trail improvement projects.    Closures include the trailhead access to the top of French Canyon, the trails from the Starved Rock Lodge parking lot, and the trail leading into

CHAMPAIGN, Ill.– ProTek Fiber is installing 700 miles of fiber to provide direct fiber-to-the-home service for more than 10,000 households, farms, businesses, and community anchor institutions.   ProTek Fiber secured a $21 million loan through Farmers State Bank of Alto Pass, guaranteed by the U.S. Department of Agriculture, to bring fiber to rural residents in Franklin,

SPRINGFIELD, IL – Illinois House Minority Leader Tony McCombie (R-Savanna) last week asked for a moment of silence in the House chamber for Markell Pierce, an eight-year-old who died on February 6th after the Illinois Department of Children and Family Services failed him.   McCombie went on to call on the House Speaker Chris Welch

CHICAGO – Illinois Governor JB Pritzker, the Illinois Department of Commerce and Economic Opportunity (DCEO), and Illinois film industry leaders have announced that film production expenditures in Illinois reached a record-breaking high of $703 million in 2025, supporting an estimated 18,000 in industry hires. This represents a 25 percent increase in film expenditures since before

CHICAGO, IL – The Illinois Department of Veterans Affairs (IDVA) and the USDVA Women’s Health Department at Jesse Brown VA Medical Center today announced the 25 Illinois Women Veteran Leaders in 2026 at Malcolm X College. Women veterans were nominated for their extraordinary leadership, contributions, and commitment to the women veteran community.   “It is