Illinois Quick Hits: CTE bill goes to House after clearing Senate

Illinois Quick Hits: CTE bill goes to House after clearing Senate

Spread the love

(The Center Square) – The Illinois Senate has passed legislation allowing high school students to take Career Technical Education classes as an alternative to the foreign language mandate starting in 2028.

Senate Bill 3070 now heads to the House after it received unanimous approval in the Senate on Thursday.

HOUSE ADVANCES MICROMOBILITY REGULATION BILL

Amended legislation to regulate e-bikes, motorized scooters and other micromobility devices will go to the state Senate for concurrence after clearing the Illinois House on Wednesday night.

Senate Bill 3336 would require a person to be at least 16 years old, licensed to drive, and to register certain electric devices with the state before they can be legally operated.

Sean Reed contributed to this story.

MAN SENTENCED FOR ILLEGAL WEAPON POSSESSION WHILE ON COURT-SUPERVISED RELEASE

A Chicago man has been sentenced to three years in federal prison for illegally possessing a loaded handgun on a train while he was on court-supervised release for a prior drug trafficking conviction.

Prosecutors say Gerald Pittman, 39, was arrested aboard the CTA Blue Line last July while drinking a beer, smoking and holding a red shopping bag that contained a loaded handgun.

Pittman had previously been convicted of multiple felony offenses and was legally prohibited from possessing a firearm.

PROGRAM ALLOWS NEW ATTORNEYS TO EARN CREDIT FOR PRO BONO WORK

The Illinois Supreme Court has announced a rule amendment allowing newly-admitted attorneys to earn Minimum Continuing Legal Education credit by participating in a pro bono pilot program.

The court said in a press release it hopes to address unmet legal needs and help foster a career-long commitment for new attorneys to pro bono service.

Under the program, an attorney may earn one MCLE credit hour for every two hours of pro bono participation in Illinois Free Legal Answers.

TURKEY HUNTERS LOG RECORD HARVEST

The Illinois Department of Natural Resources says hunters harvested a preliminary record total of 20,821 wild turkeys during the state’s spring turkey season, surpassing the previous record of 18,189 birds harvested in 2025.

The top counties during the 2026 season were Jefferson and Jo Daviess counties, each with 646 birds harvested. Marion County was next with 530 turkeys, followed by Pike with 525.

Hunters bought 94,704 permits this year compared to 89,580 last year.

Leave a Comment





Latest News Stories

WATCH: Newsom deploys state police to help local law enforcement

WATCH: Newsom deploys state police to help local law enforcement

By Dave MasonThe Center Square New California Highway Patrol teams will work with local law enforcement to fight crime in Los Angeles, San Diego, Sacramento, the San Francisco Bay Area,...
Appeals court rejects Trump's tariffs, but leaves them in place

Appeals court rejects Trump’s tariffs, but leaves them in place

By Brett RowlandThe Center Square A federal appeals court said Friday that President Donald Trump doesn't have the authority to issue blanket tariffs, in a blow to the president's domestic...
Denver Public Schools accused of violating Title IX

Denver Public Schools accused of violating Title IX

By Esther WickhamThe Center Square The U.S. Department of Education for Civil Rights announced this week that Denver Public Schools' policies on “all-gender” facilities violate Title IX. The department's Office...
Poll: 41% of parents worried about school safety before Minneapolis shooting

Poll: 41% of parents worried about school safety before Minneapolis shooting

By Morgan SweeneyThe Center Square Four in 10 parents of K-12 students are worried for their children’s safety at school, according to a new Gallup poll. The poll was collected...
Report: Offshore wind critics played role in Revolution Wind work stoppage

Report: Offshore wind critics played role in Revolution Wind work stoppage

By Tom JoyceThe Center Square Offshore wind opponents in the fishing industry helped shape the Trump administration’s decision to halt work on the Revolution Wind project, a $4 billion development...

About Us

About Us: Your Beecher, Illinois News Source Connecting Beecher, Illinois – Your Community, Your News. Welcome to Windmill Media, your dedicated local news website for Beecher, Illinois. Our name, inspired...
Nevada governor addresses statewide cyberattack

Nevada governor addresses statewide cyberattack

By Liam HibbertThe Center Square Nevada Gov. Joe Lombardo spoke publicly for the first time on a cyberattack that shut down government websites and kept state employees at home, four...
Illinois quick hits: Mine manager pleads guilty; Johnson issues food executive order

Illinois quick hits: Mine manager pleads guilty; Johnson issues food executive order

By Jim Talamonti | The Center SquareThe Center Square Mine manager pleads guilty A former Franklin County mine manager has pleaded guilty to conspiring to defraud the U.S. Mine Safety...
Op-Ed: Chicago-area transit needs an intervention, not another fix

Op-Ed: Chicago-area transit needs an intervention, not another fix

By Brad Weisenstein | The Center Square contributorThe Center Square If Illinois were a family, it would have 1,313 siblings – its cities, towns and villages. One of them is...
WATCH: ‘Partisans’ who want to should ‘get up and move’ from Illinois, Pritzker says

WATCH: ‘Partisans’ who want to should ‘get up and move’ from Illinois, Pritzker says

By Greg Bishop | The Center SquareThe Center Square (The Center Square) – If you’re not willing to stick around and help make the state better, Illinois Gov. J.B. Pritzker...
Beecher Elementary school Graphic

Beecher Officials Address Mildew Discovery in Elementary School Classrooms

Article Summary: Beecher School District officials have launched a comprehensive remediation effort after mildew was discovered in several first and second-grade classrooms at Beecher Elementary School last week. Superintendent Dr....
Beecher Graphic.1

Beecher Residents Confront Village Board Over “War Zone” Construction Site

Article Summary: Heated discussion dominated the public comment portion of the Beecher Village Board meeting as residents demanded action over what they described as a messy, slow-moving, and improperly managed...
Victims identified in Minneapolis Catholic school shooting

Victims identified in Minneapolis Catholic school shooting

By Jon StyfThe Center Square “As a family, we are shattered, and words cannot capture the depth of our pain.” Those are the words of the parents of 10-year-old Harper...
Pentagon to build new task force to counter drone threats

Pentagon to build new task force to counter drone threats

By Brett RowlandThe Center Square The Pentagon is creating a new task force to counter drone threats and keep U.S. airspace safe. Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth said the Department of...
'Horrendous' religious freedom violation leads to payout by Chicago Public Schools

‘Horrendous’ religious freedom violation leads to payout by Chicago Public Schools

By Jim Talamonti | The Center SquareThe Center Square (The Center Square) – A court-approved settlement of over $2.6 million is being paid to 207 former Chicago Public School students...