With no state budget in place, the Illinois Department of Human Services has implemented changes to the Child Care Assistance Program that drastically reduce eligibility for the program.

Lost in the state budget impasse is the status of negotiations between Republican governor Bruce Rauner and public employee unions in Illinois.  A University of Illinois labor economist discusses the negotiations with Illinois Public Media's Brian Moline.

Illinois legislators will return to Springfield Tuesday, leaving them one last day to get a budget deal in order. This year's spending plan expires at midnight on June 30. Not only is there no long-term agreement, there's no sign of a provisional one either.

Former Illinois governor Jim Edgar spoke with Illinois Public Media's Brian Moline about the similarities between his first budget battle with House Speaker Michael Madigan, and the current standoff between Madigan and Governor Bruce Rauner.

Last year, Illinois was one of a handful of states that lost population. More than 90,000 people moved elsewhere.  It became a campaign issue for Governor when then candidate Bruce Rauner criticized the state's lack of friendliness to business, but the numbers don't mean mean there is a crisis, or even a real clamor, to leave the state.