Gov. J.B. Pritzker’s FY2027 budget would merge Illinois’ Gaming and Racing boards into one agency, prompting debate over whether public oversight of licenses and enforcement will shrink. The move centers on how the state balances revenue and transparency.

U.S. District Judge April Perry dismissed Illinois' suit over a planned National Guard deployment, saying the dispute is no longer a live controversy for the court.

Certified March primary tallies in DuPage and suburban Cook show Juliana Stratton leading the Senate field, Pritzker unopposed for governor, and local measures passing in Naperville and Wood Dale. The results now shift attention to November and local implementation steps.

Pilsen parents and community leaders are opposing a CPS–CTU agreement to make May 1 a ‘day of civic action,’ saying it threatens instruction and strains family supports.

The Chicago Teachers Union is shifting to income‑based dues that will raise payments for most members and generate new revenue as the union readies for November’s school board vote.

Harvey briefly missed a $75,000 settlement payment tied to a 2022 police‑chase wrongful‑death case, blaming a cash shortfall; officials say the missed installment has been paid. The agreement leaves payments scheduled through 2033.

Barbara Flynn Currie, the South Side Democrat who became the Illinois House’s first woman majority leader, died April 16 at 85 after a 40‑year legislative career. Her work on education and criminal‑justice reform left a lasting imprint on Springfield.

The Illinois House voted 82–27 to pass HB5511, a Pritzker-backed bill to limit algorithmic feeds for minors and set default privacy protections; the measure now moves to the Senate.

An OIG audit says Chicago’s finance department can’t account for at least $8.1 billion in unpaid fines, fees and utility bills.

A new Illinois bill would require at least one‑year expulsions for students who sexually assault peers, citing local lawsuits and survivor testimony. Advocates want supports paired with any mandate.

A new Illinois bill would bar fines and criminal penalties for people sleeping or storing belongings on public land, but counties and neighbors warn it could hamstring local enforcement.

A three-day Power Rising Summit opens in Chicago with Vice President Kamala Harris and Lt. Gov. Juliana Stratton among the headliners and a new voter-registration push.

A Chicago father who has lived in the U.S. for more than 50 years lost his final appeal on April 14, when the Seventh Circuit refused to overturn an immigration board order. The ruling leaves his family facing separation.