Illinois Public Media News

Illinois drivers between the ages of 79 and 86 are no longer required to take a driving test every year, under a new law that just took effect. The change, part of what's called the Road Safety & Fairness Act, was pushed by AARP Illinois and the Illinois Secretary of State's office. Illinois had been the only state in the country with a rule requiring road tests for drivers in this range based solely on age.

Secretary of State personnel can still require a driver to take the test if they notice signs of trouble, and family members can report concerns about a loved one's driving. We'll talk with Ryan Gruenenfelder, Senior Director of Advocacy and Outreach for AARP Illinois, about why the organization pushed for the change, what crash data shows about older drivers' safety records, and how drivers of any age can stay safe on the road.

The U.S. men's national team faces a must-win World Cup round-of-32 match against Bosnia and Herzegovina tonight. Alex Calabrese, who covers soccer for Men in Red 97 Media and MLSsoccer.com, joins us to preview the game, catch us up on how Illinois-connected players have fared in the tournament so far, and break down what the Chicago Fire's signing of Robert Lewandowski means for the club.

Fourteen new Illinois laws take effect today, covering everything from to-go cocktails to a new Department of Early Childhood. Capitol News Illinois Statehouse reporter Ben Szalinski joins us to walk through what's changing — including a statewide public defender and new reporting requirements on jail contraband.

We'll also check in on where things stand with the hundreds of other bills still awaiting Gov. J.B. Pritzker's signature, from new limits on rental "junk fees" to a U.S. Supreme Court ruling that touches on how Illinois counts mail-in ballots.

Illinois has strengthened its protections for LGBTQ people in recent years. But just across the border, the picture looks different: Iowa has stripped gender identity from its civil rights law, Missouri's Supreme Court has upheld a ban on gender-affirming care for minors, and Indiana's governor has declared June "Nuclear Family Month." All of it comes as a new U.S. Supreme Court ruling allows states to exclude transgender women and girls from female sports teams — and as national polling shows support for LGBTQ rights slipping from its peak.

We talk with LGBTQ advocates from across the region — in the Quad Cities, St. Louis, and Evansville, Indiana — about what's changed, how their communities are adapting, and what Pride means as the political climate shifts.