Illinois quick hits: More bills enacted into law; former ComEd CEO seeking Trump pardon

December 12, 2025/

Spread the love

By Jim Talamonti | The Center Square
The Center Square

More bills enacted into law

Gov. J.B. Pritzker’s office announced more than a dozen bills were enacted Friday.

Aside from the medical aid in dying bill, Pritzker signed 14 bills.

One measure decouples the state tax code from several provisions of the federal tax code that Republicans warned would make the state less competitive.

Former ComEd CEO seeking Trump pardon

Convicted former ComEd CEO Anne Pramaggiore has joined former Illinois House Speaker Michael Madigan by requesting clemency from President Donald Trump’s pardon attorney.

The Chicago Tribune reports that Pramaggiore has been paying lobbyists in Washington DC to explore “matters relevant to the pardon process.”

Pramaggiore is scheduled to begin serving a two-year prison sentence Jan. 12 for her role in a scheme to bribe Madigan.

New casino proposed

The Illinois Gaming Board is planning to consider plans for a new riverboat casino in East Peoria at its next meeting Feb. 5.

Boyd Gaming and Par-A-Dice Hotel Casino representatives presented their plan at the board’s meeting on Thursday.

The IGB is also expected to consider Hard Rock Casino Rockford’s license renewal request in February.

As of Dec. 8, total reported 2025 tax revenue from casino gambling, sports wagering and video gaming amounted to nearly $1.76 billion in Illinois.

Latest News Stories

Budget math undercuts Bessent’s deficit reduction pledge

By Brett RowlandThe Center Square President Donald Trump's next budget projects federal deficits running more than double Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent's stated target through at least 2029 while also calling...

State Police, IDOT break ground on $14M training facility

By Sean Reed | The Center SquareThe Center Square (The Center Square) – The Illinois State Police and the Illinois Department of Transportation broke ground on a joint venture to...

Republican data privacy bill scrutinized in congressional hearing

By Thérèse BoudreauxThe Center Square Businesses and online privacy advocates hold diametrically opposing views on the wisdom of congressional Republicans’ plans to enact a nationwide framework for consumer data privacy...

World Cup: Economic impact equation includes displaced regular tourism

By Kim JarrettThe Center Square Putting a dollar figure on the economic impact of the FIFA World Cup games scheduled for Atlanta is not an exact science, economists say. Eight...

Illinois Quick Hits: Johnson says comptroller running is ‘no breaking news’

By Jim Talamonti | The Center SquareThe Center Square (The Center Square) – Chicago Mayor Brandon Johnson says it’s no breaking news that Illinois Comptroller Susana Mendoza is running for...

Trump targets 60 economies with forced labor tariffs

By Brett RowlandThe Center Square The U.S. Trade Representative proposed tariffs of 10% to 12.5% on imports from 60 economies, including Canada, Mexico, Japan and the European Union, arguing that...

Lawmakers probe $1.2B Ohio Medicaid fraud

By Christine Johnson and Andrew RiceThe Center Square Federal lawmakers called for greater fraud enforcement in the Medicaid Waiver Program on Wednesday, citing concerns over recent reports of $1.2 billion...

Debt burden, pensions burden Chicago Public Schools

By Jim Talamonti | The Center SquareThe Center Square (The Center Square) – The author of a new Civic Federation report says taking on more debt would be a death...

Nearly 100,000 Illinois Uber, Lyft drivers may soon be able to unionize

By Sean Reed | The Center SquareThe Center Square (The Center Square) – A proposal that would allow many Uber and Lyft drivers to form a sector-wide union and engage...

Michigan lawmakers spar over Rx Kids program amid oversight concerns

By Elyse ApelThe Center Square Michigan lawmakers are sparring over the future of the state's Rx Kids program, a cash-assistance initiative that has received more than $300 million in taxpayer...

GOP rep: New budget shows ‘addiction’ to taxes

By Jim Talamonti | The Center SquareThe Center Square (The Center Square) – Gov. J.B. Pritzker says Illinois’ new budget for fiscal year 2027 protects working families from new taxes,...

Retirees face $5,500 average cut to annual Social Security benefits in 2032

By Thérèse BoudreauxThe Center Square Over 60 million Americans could see their monthly Social Security checks slashed by $500 on average starting in 2032, according to a new report analyzing...

Illinois Quick Hits: Comptroller Mendoza announces run for Chicago mayor

By Jim Talamonti | The Center SquareThe Center Square (The Center Square) – Illinois Comptroller Susana Mendoza is running for mayor of Chicago. Mendoza said in a campaign video released...

Georgia doctors face scrutiny as they cozy up to injury lawyers

By Daniel Fisher | Legal NewslineThe Center Square The Instagram post shows Georgia personal-injury attorney Harris Weinstein, aka “The Georgia Pitbull,” smiling with Dr. Amin Oskouei, owner of Ortho Sport...

Wiener, Gallagher, Gray lead in congressional races

By Madeline ShannonThe Center Square As results poured in for several congressional races Tuesday night, incumbent U.S. Rep. Adam Gray, California Assemblymember James Gallagher and California state Sen. Scott Wiener...

« Previous
1
…
3
4
5
6
7
…
187
Next »