Newsroom

Beginning Friday, November 20, museums and casinos in Illinois will be closed, and retail spaces will face new capacity limits under mitigation measures newly announced by Governor J.B. Pritzker. New restrictions will also impact group fitness classes and indoor sports...

With new restrictions on the way for IDPH Region 3 beginning Sunday, State Senator Steve McClure (R-Springfield), State Representative CD Davidsmeyer (R-Jacksonville), and State Representative Mike Murphy (R-Springfield) joined with local restaurant and bar owners to highlight the need for greater transparency on the data being used to order damaging business closures...

With the November election just around the corner, voting by mail remains an option for voters to cast their ballot prior to Election Day...

Millions of dollars are still available through the Business Interruption Grant (BIG) Program for businesses who have been financially impacted by COVID-19 closures...

Citing a downward trend in the COVID-19 positivity rate for the Metro East (Region 4), Governor Pritzker announced on Friday that the area would return to the same Phase 4 rules as most of the rest of Illinois. The area includes Bond, Clinton, Madison, Monroe, Randolph, St. Clair, and Washington Counties...

While many Illinois industries are still struggling with the COVID economy, the state’s ag sector is having a mostly positive harvest...

According to the Illinois Department of Public Health (IDPH), the state had recently its first West Nile death for the year. So far, 24 cases of the virus have been reported in Illinois this year...

As residents begin preparations for the holiday season, the Illinois Department of Public Health (IDPH) has issued their guidance on Halloween festivities...

October is Infant Safe Sleep Awareness month, dedicated to raising awareness about safe sleeping environments for children...

As Illinois enters into the peak season for deer-vehicle crashes, motorists are reminded to be on the lookout for deer on the roadways...

Many Illinoisans will be hoping to spot deer in the coming days and weeks, as the fall archery deer season officially opened on October 1st. The season runs through January 17th, closing briefly from November 20th – 22nd, and December 3rd – 6th, for the firearm deer seasons...

Click here to let me know how you feel on a number of important issues.

This week, it was announced that the Illinois Housing Development Authority (IHDA) has extended the deadline for Illinois renters to apply for aid by one week to 12 p.m. on August 28 due to those impacted by last week’s the storms. Additionally, landlords will be given to August 30 to complete their portion of the applications...

“The people of Illinois have lost one of their greatest public servants. I would not be a state senator today if not for Jim Thompson. He gave both of my parents their starts in public service and always gave me great advice...

"I'm glad that the Governor has finally heard the bipartisan call of lawmakers who have been pleading with him for a more common-sense, regional approach, based on smaller districts. We can all debate the validity of the new boundaries...

On Friday, Governor Pritzker announced that he was issuing an executive order to cancel both of the Illinois State Fairs which are held annually in Springfield and Du Quoin...

Recently, every member of the Illinois Senate Republican Caucus sent a letter to Governor JB Pritzker formally requesting that he adopt the more widely-accepted 14-day timeline rather than his current 28-day requirement for moving between phases...

I voted ‘no’ on the budget proposal that was presented. Right now unemployment is over 16% in Illinois, and yet we ended up with a budget that is unbalanced by more than $6 billion. While our small businesses are being destroyed and many of our workers and families are struggling to pay their bills, it is unacceptable that this budget allows for a pay raise for lawmakers...

With the Illinois Senate scheduled to convene May 20-22, State Senator Steve McClure (R-Springfield) says that the body needs to use part of that time to hold public hearings over the state’s reopening plan...

In response to news that the Pritzker administration is releasing a number of felons from Illinois prisons, including convicted murderers, State Senator Steve McClure (R-Springfield), a former prosecutor, and several of his colleagues sent a letter to the Governor today asking for answers...

Earlier this week, the Illinois State Police issued new emergency rules to help firearm owners with expired Firearm Owner Identification (FOID) cards...

Overview of state assistance programs for struggling small businesses.

am hearing a great deal about the devastating impact that the COVID-19 emergency is having on local businesses. Please see ...

In another effort to provide timely and accurate information to the public, Coronavirus.illinois.gov has been launched to centralize the breaking updates from state government, prevention and preparation tips, frequently asked questions and resources from public health experts...

In light of ongoing health concerns surrounding the coronavirus/COVID-19 health crisis, a number of Illinois’ utility companies have announced measures being taken to help alleviate unnecessary stress and burdens for Illinois residents...