Illinois Public Media News

Commentary: Should Illinois' current flat-tax system be changed to a graduated income tax as the state attempts to deal with its ongoing budget struggles? Two experts debate the merits of the two tax systems.

The Illinois House approved a new school funding plan Monday that will increase state money for all districts and provide $75 million in tax credits for people who donated to private school scholarships.

A federal judge in Urbana has postponed until February the trial of the man accused of kidnapping U of I visiting scholar Yingying Zhang. The trial of Brendt Christensen is now scheduled to begin on February 27, 2018.

Illinois Governor Bruce Rauner signed a law Monday meant to protect immigrants who are in the U-S illegally. The law is called the TRUST Act, and it prohibits Illinois police from arresting people based only on their immigration status, unless they have a warrant signed by a judge.

Republican Gov. Bruce Rauner signed a measure Monday allowing automatic voter registration in Illinois. Illinois joins more than half a dozen other states with some form of automatic registration, which proponents say boosts civic participation.  

On the 21st: We discussed the new voter registration legislation signed by the governor. Plus, we got a preview of an upcoming public hate crime forum at Bradley University and talked to a Chicago Tribune reporter whose investigation into the dangers of combining prescription drugs has led to new pharmacy regulations in Illinois.

People can help those impacted by Hurricane Harvey.

Champaign County recently saw its first confirmed armadillo.

Illinois' legislative leaders met at the statehouse Sunday to draft what they hope will be the final touches on a school funding compromise. 

The remnants of now-Tropical Storm Harvey have all but parked over south Texas and the storm is inundating the region around Houston with "unprecedented" rain, according to the National Weather Service.