J.B. Pritzker

It took more than a week longer than expected, but Illinois lawmakers wrapped up their spring legislative session early Saturday with a budget and hundreds of measures that passed. The spending plan and bills now go to Democratic Gov. J.B. Pritzker.

The 2023 spring legislative session came to an end in the early hours of Saturday morning after the Illinois House gave its approval to a $50.6 billion spending plan for the upcoming fiscal year that begins July 1.

As part of his $49.6 billion budget proposal, Illinois Gov. JB Pritzker earmarked $20 million toward helping independent grocers open in food deserts across the state.

Gov. Pritzker signed the Protect Illinois Communities Act Tuesday, requiring gun owners to register their semiautomatic weapons and banning the manufacture, purchase and sale of certain semiautomatic weapons, as well as large-capacity magazines and .50-caliber rifles.

Gov. JB Pritzker was sworn in to his second term Monday with the state’s other constitutional officers, promising a bold and ambitious agenda for the next four years.

As a state task force works to ready justice system, amendments could be forthcoming.

Republican gubernatorial candidate Darren Bailey said he’d prioritize eliminating “critical race theory” and “egregious” sex education standards from Illinois schools if elected to replace Gov. JB Pritzker in November.

Residents and officials from the Illinois Environmental Protection Agency say more support is needed.

Illinois, like the rest of the country, is seeing an increase of cases linked to the new, hyper-contagious variant of COVID-19.

The Illinois governor said he wouldn’t oppose President Joe Biden, and he lacks the name recognition of other potential candidates. But he’s hitting the national circuits.