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Greg Bishop provides a roundup of the long weekend at the Illinois Statehouse where the General Assembly approved the largest spending plan in state history with $1 billion more in tax revenue collections.Support this podcast: https://secure.anedot.com/franklin-news-foundation/ce052532-b1e4-41c4-945c-d7ce2f52c38a?source_code=xxxxxx

Greg Bishop reviews some shell bill action happening at the Illinois Statehouse in the final days with an empty budget bill passed to the House by the Senate and a measure about food safety being gutted and replaced in the House to advance "medical aid in dying" legislation.

(The Center Square) – Illinois taxpayers still don't know how much of their money will be spent by the state of Illinois next fiscal year or whether they'll be charged higher taxes to pay for it. Saturday is the deadline for legislators to approve the annual spending plan that begins July 1. Wednesday, Gov. J.B. Pritzker explained what he would veto if it's included. “I've been opposed to any taxes. They're broad based, or that would affect working families in this budget,” Pritzker told reporters.

Greg Bishop airs some of the floor debate from the Illinois House approving the "safe gun storage" measure, the final step before the bill can be sent to the governor's desk.

Greg Bishop reviews stories impacting firearms owners with the passage of a "safe gun storage" bill out of the Illinois House Gun Violence Prevention Committee and and upcoming appeals court oral argument in the case challenging Illinois' ban on carrying concealed on mass transit.

Greg Bishop reviews some of the back and forth on where the Illinois legislature is with the annual spending plan with just a handful of days left before scheduled adjournment.

When legislators return to the Illinois State Capitol Tuesday, they'll have just 11 days before the deadline to pass an annual plan on how to spend taxpayers' money. Gov. J.B. Pritzker proposed his budget of nearly $55 billion in February. If approved, that'd be the most expensive spending plan in state history. Despite revenue projections coming in lower than anticipated, Pritzker said last week they already plan a tight budget. “I'm just saying, you know, we'll get there,” Pritzker said at an unrelated event. “Nobody likes to have to, you know, tighten the belt and make it all work, but our tightening is, I think, reasonable.”

Greg Bishop shares some of the reaction from Illinois legislators to the passage by the U.S. House of President Donald Trump's "big, beautiful" bill and how it will impact taxpayer subsidies for non-citizen health care subsidies and the state and local tax deduction for high tax states like Illinois.Support this podcast: https://secure.anedot.com/franklin-news-foundation/ce052532-b1e4-41c4-945c-d7ce2f52c38a?source_code=xxxxxx

Greg Bishop reviews the latest debate from the Illinois House around the issue of transgender students competing in the sport opposite of the gender they were born.

Greg Bishop discusses several bills the Illinois House approved to be sent to Gov. J.B. Pritzker in the final days of legislation session, including changes to the Illinois Prisoner Review Board and protections for a crucial drinking water aquifer.

(The Center Square) – When legislators return to the Illinois State Capitol Tuesday, they'll have just 11 days before the deadline to pass an annual plan on how to spend taxpayers' money. Gov. J.B. Pritzker proposed his budget of nearly $55 billion in February. If approved, that'd be the most expensive spending plan in state history. Despite revenue projections coming in lower than anticipated, Pritzker said last week they already plan a tight budget. “I'm just saying, you know, we'll get there,” Pritzker said at an unrelated event. “Nobody likes to have to, you know, tighten the belt and make it all work, but our tightening is, I think, reasonable.”

(The Center Square) – Illinois Republicans say there is more than $1 billion of Illinois taxpayer funds going to non-government organizations with little oversight and accountability. Among the spending some members of the Illinois House Republicans highlighted was more than $14 million going to the Indo American Center. State Rep. Brad Halbrook, R-Shelbyville, said that's just a drop in the bucket. “Today, we're turning our attention to a staggering amount of taxpayer money, over $1 billion that's been funneled into politically connected non-government organizations, or NGOs,” Halbrook said during a news conference in Springfield Tuesday.

Greg Bishop talks live with state Rep. Jed Davis about his budget proposal and the process of getting a state spending plan across the finish line.Support this podcast: https://secure.anedot.com/franklin-news-foundation/ce052532-b1e4-41c4-945c-d7ce2f52c38a?source_code=xxxxxx

Greg Bishop talks live with former state Rep. Jeanne Ives about her efforts to highlight a billion Illinois tax dollars being sent to non-government organizations.

Greg Bishop shares concerns raised by members of the Illinois House Republican caucus about more than $1 billion going to non-government organizations.Support this podcast: https://secure.anedot.com/franklin-news-foundation/ce052532-b1e4-41c4-945c-d7ce2f52c38a?source_code=xxxxxx

Greg Bishop reviews the latest filing in the challenge against Illinois' gun and magazine ban in the federal appeals court.Support this podcast: https://secure.anedot.com/franklin-news-foundation/ce052532-b1e4-41c4-945c-d7ce2f52c38a?source_code=xxxxxx 

Greg Bishop reviews some of the happenings out of the Illinois Statehouse late last week, including a discussion about the smell of raw cannabis being grounds for a vehicle search and pushback against more proposed tax increases.Support this podcast: https://secure.anedot.com/franklin-news-foundation/ce052532-b1e4-41c4-945c-d7ce2f52c38a?source_code=xxxxxx

(The Center Square) – A visit to Springfield Wednesday by U.S. Department of Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem is sparking debate over Illinois' migrant sanctuary policies. Noem flew into Springfield's airport and then went to a Springfield DHS processing center to talk with federal agents and two non-citizens being processed. The motorcade then stopped in a residential area of Springfield near downtown, where she stood with family of Illinoisans who lost lives allegedly at the hands of illegal immigrants or by fentanyl overdose. Noem urged Gov. J.B. Pritzker to cooperate with federal officials.

Greg Bishop reviews the debate around public safety and politics in Illinois with a Springfield visit from U.S. Department of Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem. Support this podcast: https://secure.anedot.com/franklin-news-foundation/ce052532-b1e4-41c4-945c-d7ce2f52c38a?source_code=xxxxxx

Greg Bishop discusses the pending arrival of U.S. Department of Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem to Springfield, Illinois Wednesday. Noem is expected to discuss the state's migrant sanctuary policies the Trump administration says harms public safety.Support this podcast: https://secure.anedot.com/franklin-news-foundation/ce052532-b1e4-41c4-945c-d7ce2f52c38a?source_code=xxxxxx

Greg Bishop discusses how there are three weeks left in the Illinois Legislature's calendar with budget details not yet fully revealed. The legislature is advancing a ban on polystyrene food containers with others discussing regulating the hemp industry.Support this podcast: https://secure.anedot.com/franklin-news-foundation/ce052532-b1e4-41c4-945c-d7ce2f52c38a?source_code=xxxxxx

Greg Bishop discusses a new lawsuit the U.S. Department of Justice filed against Illinois over the state's law the DOJ says punishes employers and obscures federal employment verification practices to weed out non-citizens that are ineligible to work in the United States.Support this podcast: https://secure.anedot.com/franklin-news-foundation/ce052532-b1e4-41c4-945c-d7ce2f52c38a?source_code=xxxxxx

Illinois Gov. J.B. Pritzker's defended comments he made over the weekend in New Hampshire and there was reaction from Illinois GOP Chairman Kathy Salvi.

Greg Bishop discusses the status of the annual Illinois state budget with the deadline set for May 31. Legislators discuss tax and spend policies, including funding for non-citizen health care subsidies.Support this podcast: https://secure.anedot.com/franklin-news-foundation/ce052532-b1e4-41c4-945c-d7ce2f52c38a?source_code=xxxxxx

Greg Bishop shares comments he got asking Chicago Mayor Brandon Johnson and Cook County Board President Toni Preckwinkle about the ongoing U.S. Department of Justice lawsuit against the state's migrant sanctuary policies.Support this podcast: https://secure.anedot.com/franklin-news-foundation/ce052532-b1e4-41c4-945c-d7ce2f52c38a?source_code=xxxxxx

Greg Bishop shares the story of William and Danita Dorsey who are expected back in court to keep their son Gregory in a state-run facility for individuals with disabilities closer to their southern Illinois home, rather than nearly four hours away.

Greg Bishop reviews some of the points the Trump administration is highlighting 100 days into his second non consecutive term, and reaction from both sides of the aisle.Support this podcast: https://secure.anedot.com/franklin-news-foundation/ce052532-b1e4-41c4-945c-d7ce2f52c38a?source_code=xxxxxx

The Center Square's Greg Bishop looks at the conversations around property taxes, tariffs, and more.

(The Center Square) – Illinois House Republicans are calling for reforms to the state's estate tax on farmers, saying it's up to Democrats to find savings to make up for potentially millions of dollars in lost state revenue. Earlier this month, Gov. J.B. Pritzker said he would support a change to the estate tax for family farms as long as proponents bring forward cuts to state spending to make up for possibly lost revenue. “It's a couple few hundred million dollars of revenue to the state,” Pritzker said after Ag Day events at the Illinois State Capitol. “So … if he's able to come with his ideas about how to pay for it, then we ought to talk about it.”

Greg Bishop looks at the agenda Illinois Gov. J.B. Pritzker has in dealing with El Salvador as Republicans criticize the move.Support this podcast: https://secure.anedot.com/franklin-news-foundation/ce052532-b1e4-41c4-945c-d7ce2f52c38a?source_code=xxxxxx

Greg Bishop discusses the news of Illinois U.S. Sen. Dick Durbin announcing he's not seeking reelection, which opens up the seat for voters to pick a new Senator in 2026.

Greg Bishop delves into the latest court filings challenging Illinois' migrant sanctuary policies from the U.S. Department of Justice and jointly from the state of Illinois, Cook County and the city of Chicago. He also shares Gov. J.B. Pritzker's reaction to DOJ assertions.

Greg Bishop tracks the latest in Indiana's efforts to create a commission with Illinois to investigate redrawing the two state's boundaries to wrap some Illinois counties into Indiana, and gets reaction from members of New Illinois to that prospect.Support this podcast: https://secure.anedot.com/franklin-news-foundation/ce052532-b1e4-41c4-945c-d7ce2f52c38a?source_code=xxxxxx

Join The Center Square's Greg Bishop as he is back at it discussing the happenings in Springfield and across the state last week.

(The Center Square) – Illinois Governor J.B. Pritzker says public safety is under attack by the Trump administration. The governor spoke Thursday at a news conference intended to highlight violence intervention efforts on Chicago's Far South Side. “Public safety is under attack by the Trump administration. Over the past few months, the White House has dissolved the Office of Gun Violence Prevention, they've threatened dramatic cuts to ATF (Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives), they've repealed the policy of zero tolerance for rogue gun dealers. They're making it easier for guns to flow into our communities and harder for us to fight back,” Pritzker said.

(The Center Square) – Illinois drivers could be taxed by the mile under a pilot program being considered at the statehouse. Senate Bill 1938 is to be discussed by members of the Transportation committee before April 11. The proposed Road Usage Charge Act would create a pilot program to test a mileage-based fee instead of motor fuel taxes for funding highways. Opponents, like Illinois Trucking Association Executive Director Matt Hart, argue the state of Illinois already has a well-functioning system in place to fund the construction of the state's roads and bridges. “That's why we supported the 2019 capital bill that has put us on the pathway to where we are today, with the state of Illinois having nearly $6 billion in road funds – $3.5 billion in the road fund and $2.3 billion in the state construction account,” Hart told The Center Square. “Clearly, the actions we took in 2019 are providing us with ample revenues for our state.”

Greg Bishop airs some of the debate from Thursday evening where the Illinois Senate approved a measure requiring safe gun storage with penalties for not reporting lost and stolen firearms.Support this podcast: https://secure.anedot.com/franklin-news-foundation/ce052532-b1e4-41c4-945c-d7ce2f52c38a?source_code=xxxxxx 

Greg Bishop discusses the ruling from the Illinois Supreme Court against Republicans' challenges of the state's legislative maps drawn and approved by Democrats and concerns about conflicts of interest.Support this podcast: https://secure.anedot.com/franklin-news-foundation/ce052532-b1e4-41c4-945c-d7ce2f52c38a?source_code=xxxxxx

Greg Bishop provides the back and forth between Illinois House Republicans and Gov. J.B. Pritzker over criticism of the governor's handling of child welfare and developmental disability housing agencies.

The Center Square's Greg Bishop delves into the update to the legal challenge against Illinois' gun ban with the appeals court laying out the briefing schedule months after getting the case.Support this podcast: https://secure.anedot.com/franklin-news-foundation/ce052532-b1e4-41c4-945c-d7ce2f52c38a?source_code=xxxxxx

The Center Square's Greg Bishop talks with Illinois state Rep. La Shawn Ford, D-Chicago, about his opposition to the Illinois Homeschool Act. Ford also discusses the witness slip and shell bill process.

(The Center Square) – According to a professor who has studied public corruption, it might be a good thing that prosecutors are seeking $3.14 million in forfeiture proceeds from convicted former Illinois House Speaker Michael Madigan. Connie Mixon, professor of political science and director of the Urban Studies Program at Elmhurst University, said convictions and prison sentences have not kept many of the state's elected officials from committing crimes up to this point. “We keep having these guilty corruption cases over and over and over again, but corruption persists,” Mixon told The Center Square.

The Center Square's Greg Bishop discusses the back and forth between President Donald Trump announcing tariffs and the reaction from Illinois U.S. Sen. Dick Durbin and Gov. J.B. Pritzker.Support this podcast: https://secure.anedot.com/franklin-news-foundation/ce052532-b1e4-41c4-945c-d7ce2f52c38a?source_code=xxxxxx

The Center Square's Greg Bishop delves into the latest federal court filing against Illinois' migrant sanctuary policies from the U.S. Department of Justice. The state, Cook County and Chicago all motioned to dismiss the case.Support this podcast: https://secure.anedot.com/franklin-news-foundation/ce052532-b1e4-41c4-945c-d7ce2f52c38a?source_code=xxxxxx

The Center Square's Greg Bishop shares some of a conversation with Illinois State Rifle Association's Ed Sullivan about their call for U.S. Attorney General Pam Bondi to come to Illinois and address policies restrictive of residents' Second Amendment Rights.Support this podcast: https://secure.anedot.com/franklin-news-foundation/ce052532-b1e4-41c4-945c-d7ce2f52c38a?source_code=xxxxxx

The Center Square's Greg Bishop reviews some of Illinois' economic indicators lagging the national average while Gov. J.B. Pritzker takes more than 70 people on a trade and economic partnership mission to Mexico.Support this podcast: https://secure.anedot.com/franklin-news-foundation/ce052532-b1e4-41c4-945c-d7ce2f52c38a?source_code=xxxxxx

(The Center Square) – Opinions differ at the Illinois Statehouse about the motive behind President Donald Trump's executive order on election integrity. Trump's order signed Tuesday said the patchwork of voting methods across the country can lead to basic chain-of-custody problems. The order was also critical of mass voting by mail. “Further, while countries like Denmark and Sweden sensibly limit mail-in voting to those unable to vote in person and do not count late-arriving votes regardless of the date of postmark, many American elections now feature mass voting by mail, with many officials accepting ballots without postmarks or those received well after Election Day,” the order said.

The Center Square's Greg Bishop revisits an Illinois House education committee hearing to pick up on a bill that would protect non-citizen children in Illinois schools from immigration enforcement.Support this podcast: https://secure.anedot.com/franklin-news-foundation/ce052532-b1e4-41c4-945c-d7ce2f52c38a?source_code=xxxxxx

The Center Square's Greg Bishop discusses the main points coming out of a U.S. House committee looking into taxpayer funding of NPR and PBS as Democrats maintain focus on military discussions via an encrypted messaging app.Support this podcast: https://secure.anedot.com/franklin-news-foundation/ce052532-b1e4-41c4-945c-d7ce2f52c38a?source_code=xxxxxx

The Center Square's Greg Bishop shares the back-and-forth about the possible impacts on Illinois' education funds following President Donald Trump's executive orders to dismantle the U.S. Department of Education.Support this podcast: https://secure.anedot.com/franklin-news-foundation/ce052532-b1e4-41c4-945c-d7ce2f52c38a?source_code=xxxxxx

The Center Square's Greg Bishop shares a conversation with New Illinois Chairman G.H. Merritt about an upcoming convention for her group and the overall movement to split the state into two.Support this podcast: https://secure.anedot.com/franklin-news-foundation/ce052532-b1e4-41c4-945c-d7ce2f52c38a?source_code=xxxxxx