illinois

Power in Illinois House Speaker Michael Madigan's office has been too centralized and its environment has fostered an atmosphere that condones bullying, intimidation, hazing and long work hours with inconsistent direction, according to an investigative report released Tuesday.

A pension buyout program offered to members in the Illinois' three largest retirement systems has fallen considerably short of anticipated savings in its first year, according to a report.

Illinois Gov. J.B. Pritzker is urging residents to report flood damage to their county's emergency management agencies. He says such action will increase the likelihood the state will qualify for federal disaster aid.

Illinois' new governor delivered on a top campaign promise Tuesday by signing legislation legalizing small amounts of marijuana for recreational use, the 11th state to do so and the first to implement a comprehensive statewide cannabis marketplace designed by legislators.

The governor of Illinois plans to make the state the 11th in the nation to legalize recreational marijuana use.

Illinois Gov. J.B. Pritzker signed sweeping protections for abortion on Wednesday in a new law that establishes access to the procedure as a "fundamental right" for women.

The Illinois House cranked out mountains of legislation Saturday in an overtime workday, producing a $39.9 billion budget, a $45 billion state construction program, and billions of dollars in new taxes and fees to fund it, from a doubled gasoline tax to a leviathan expansion of gambling.

Illinois is likely to become the 11th state to allow small amounts of marijuana for recreational use after the Democratic-controlled House on Friday sent a legalization plan to Democratic Gov. J.B. Pritzker, who campaigned on the issue.

Illinois gun owners will be fingerprinted and will pay more for firearm owner identification cards under legislation approved by the Illinois House.

Voters will decide next year whether to ditch Illinois' flat-rate income tax in favor of one that hits the wealthy hardest following House action Monday that gave Democratic Gov. J.B. Pritzker his top campaign pledge and biggest victory since taking office.