Tagged: illinois

Illinois Governor Pat Quinn wants the House of Representatives to spend money on children, not outdated prisons. Quinn continues to try to divert money from prisons to child-protection services after the Senate rejected the attempt made there. The state Senate voted 35 to 16 to reject Quinn’s $57 million cuts.

Illinois lawmakers are considering a three-year pilot program that would temporarily legalize medical marijuana for people with certain illnesses. Bill sponsor Rep. Lou Lang says he thinks political momentum is on his side and hopes to vote on the bill Wednesday.

A Peabody Energy Corp.  subsidiary is permanently closing a southern Illinois mine because it failed to meet safety, compliance and performance standards. Bay Ridge Inc. says operations at the Willow Lake Mine near Harrisburg are unsustainable. The mine closing will affect about 400 workers.

The U.S. Supreme Court delivered a blow to an Illinois anti-eavesdropping law. The high court let stand a lower-court ruling Monday that said the law violates free-speech rights when used against people who tape police in public. Violators of the law face a maximum 15-year prison term.

Illinois Gov. Pat Quinn reminds state residents to support food banks during the holiday season and throughout the year. Quinn's office says there are eight food banks around the state and, according to Feeding Illinois, there are more than 1.9 million people in the state who don't have access to nutritious food. Quinn urges people to volunteer at food banks in their communities and donate to them. 

The director of the Illinois Department of Commerce and Economic Opportunity is retiring from full-time employment with the state. 65 year-old David Vaught retired Wednesday. His retirement came after an Illinois Inspector General’s Office report that found abuses of hiring laws at DCEO. It also criticized the DCEO for failing to adequately review appointees’ qualifications.