Government - State

SPRINGFIELD – Illinois lawmakers are trying to shuffle money to keep child care services from shutting down across the state.

SPRINGFIELD – Illinois should move quickly to establish itself as an international leader in online poker and other types of Internet gambling, state Senate President John Cullerton said Tuesday, claiming the payoff could amount to hundreds of millions of dollars.

SPRINGFIELD – After weeks of relative quiet, public employee unions are airing television ads statewide to highlight what they say is the unfairness of Gov. Pat Quinn’s pension ideas.

SPRINGFIELD – Money meant for maintaining state highways could be paying for some of the Illinois Department of Transportation’s day-to-day expenses.

CHAMPAIGN – Gov. Pat Quinn built his career on populism and consumer advocacy. But, in the middle of what might be his defining political moment, he finds himself in an unlikely alliance with major Illinois business groups in a battle against unions and advocates for the poor.

SPRINGFIELD – As much of the political world debated President Barack Obama's endorsement of gay marriage this week, Illinois officials and candidates greeted it with virtual silence.

CHICAGO – Chicago commuters trying to zigzag around closed streets, diplomatic motorcades and protest zones during this month's NATO summit could face airport-style security measures on one of the city's major commuter rail services, officials announced Friday.

SPRINGFIELD – Gov. Pat Quinn's push for painful cuts in state spending survived two legislative tests Wednesday as lawmakers voted to end a health-care benefit for retirees and rejected efforts to limit his power to close prisons and other government facilities.

SPRINGFIELD – Longtime state employees would no longer be able get free health insurance when they retire under legislation approved by the Illinois House.

SPRINGFIELD – A new audit finds major problems in the College Illinois tuition savings program, including possible financial conflicts among top personnel.

SPRINGFIELD – The Quinn administration is making the argument that cutting health care and pension costs could help businesses grow in Illinois.

CHICAGO – U.S. Sen. Mark Kirk has issued his first public remarks since suffering a stroke.

CHICAGO – A federal appeals court in Chicago granted a preliminary injunction Tuesday blocking enforcement of Illinois' eavesdropping law in cases where someone is recording a police officer.

When it comes to funding for preschool and after-school programs, local officials believe money spent now is money saved later.

SPRINGFIELD – Gov. Pat Quinn recently lit a fire under the simmering questions of what Illinois will do about climbing pension and Medicaid costs. He proposed cuts in both programs and warned that inaction could mean financial disaster for the state.