Lawmakers agreed on a tax package to stave off a $200 million-plus fiscal cliff next year that would likely result in major cuts to bus and rail service at the Chicago Transit Authority, Metra and Pace.

SPRINGFIELD — After weeks of verbally condemning the aggressive federal immigration crackdown in the Chicago region, Illinois lawmakers approved legislation banning civil immigration arrests in and around state courthouses early Friday morning.

The Illinois Power Agency, which manages Illinois’ electricity market and oversees renewable energy procurement in the state, conducted an analysis of the bill. The agency found that while the programs in the proposal will increase customer bills slightly, those increases will be entirely offset by 2029.

With time running short in the Illinois General Assembly’s fall veto session, Democratic lawmakers proposed new taxes on many large entertainment events and billionaires to raise the $1.5 billion

Gov. JB Pritzker has said he will sign the bill, which aims to increase grid reliability and lower electricity prices.

The Illinois House of Representatives passed a bill on Oct. 29 that would help build 3 GW of utility-scale battery storage in the state, according to

A monumental bill to automatically seal records for people convicted of nonviolent felonies is heading to Gov. JB Pritzker's desk.

State Sen. Willie Preston, who serves as chair of the Illinois Senate Black Caucus, said he'll oppose any new map that dilutes Black representation.