WILL-AM

News Local/State

The Illinois Senate passed legislation Friday that’s meant to increase voter registration automatically. Just a few months ago, Democrats failed to override Governor Rauner’s veto of automatic voter registration. The new version is intended to address his concerns. It would automatically add people to the rolls when they interact with government, such as when getting a driver’s license.

News Local/State

On Thursday, the House of Representatives took the first step toward repealing and replacing the act. But as Congress continues to debate the future of health care, just what has the Affordable Care Act meant for people in Champaign County?

News Local/State

The State Board of Elections says hackers gained access to the information of 80,000 Illinois voters — including their social security numbers and driver’s licenses.

News Local/State

Illinois’ budget stalemate has held up compensation for people who’ve been unjustly imprisoned. But on Thursday, a bipartisan group of state senators took a step toward fixing that.

News Local/State

A Busey Bank executive is predicting continued economic growth for Champaign County this year. Speaking Thursday at Busey Bank’s annual economic seminar, Vice-Chairman Ed Scharlau pointed to strong numbers in just about every sector of the county’s economy last year.

News Local/State

The House voted Thursday to approve a Republican-drafted measure that would eliminate many of the provisions of the Affordable Care Act — the first step toward keeping one of President Trump's campaign pledges and a victory for GOP lawmakers who have long railed against Obamacare, as the ACA is commonly known.

News Local/State

One way the University of Illinois has been able to survive uncertain state funding over the past several years is by increasing international enrollment. But there’s concern across the country that international student enrollment could drop with new attitudes and policy regarding immigration in the Trump administration. 

News Local/State

The death of a one-year-old child in Joliet Township has Illinois' child-welfare agency on the defensive. Department of Children and Family Services director George Sheldon testified Wednesday before a state Senate committee.

News Local/State

The faculty union on the University of Illinois Springfield campus took another membership vote this week. And according to the union, the results were in favor of continuing the work stoppage. 

News Local/State

Illinois Senate Democrats are hoping to win bipartisan support for a partial government spending plan. The proposal would release more than $800 million that’s been collected in special state accounts for higher education and human services, areas that have been particularly squeezed during the 22-month budget stalemate.