Ben Szalinski
Ben joined CNI in November 2024 as a Statehouse reporter covering the General Assembly from Springfield and other events happening around state government. He previously covered Illinois government for The Daily Line following time in McHenry County with the Northwest Herald. Ben is also a graduate of the University of Illinois Springfield PAR program. He is a lifelong Illinois resident and is originally from Mundelein.
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Longtime U.S. Sen. Dick Durbin of Illinois, the No. 2 Democrat in the Senate, announced he will retire after his term ends in January 2027. -
Republicans argued recent election cycles show maps illegally gerrymandered -
The bill is one of only a handful the governor has vetoed during his six years in office
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They include digital driver’s licenses, salary transparency and health insurance changes -
The minimum wage in Illinois will increase to $15 an hour on Jan. 1, completing a six-year transition period since the increase was approved in 2019. -
A long-awaited bill to stop Illinois organizations from paying subminimum wage to workers with disabilities will soon head to Gov. JB Pritzker’s desk after being approved by the Senate on Thursday.
