28 Apr 2019

Federal-Investigation Drama in the Governor's Office

By Rich Miller

There's probably never a good time for a news story about how a source claims you, your wife, and your brother-in-law are under federal investigation. But when that report is aired just days before what is likely the most consequential five weeks of your entire governorship, that's definitely not an opportune moment.

21 Apr 2019

A Busy Final Month of Session Ahead

By Rich Miller

From the looks of things, the fine print of Governor JB Pritzker's most important legislative priorities should start becoming public not long after state legislators return from spring break on Tuesday April 30.

14 Apr 2019

Senator Bush Finds Her Sexual-Harassment Bill on Hold

By Rich Miller

Senator Melinda Bush (D-Grayslake) spent more than a year holding hearings and overseeing negotiations which eventually produced SB1829 – a massive omnibus bill on sexual harassment.

07 Apr 2019

Think Big Illinois Ads Spark Varied Reactions

By Rich Miller

Freshman Representative Terra Costa Howard (D-Glen Ellyn) was reportedly none too pleased when Think Big Illinois began running TV ads in her district.

31 Mar 2019

The State of Illinois' Penalty-Enhancement Bills

By Rich Miller

About a year ago, I attended a hearing of the Illinois House Judiciary – Criminal Law Committee and watched the Democratic majority vote down one Republican-sponsored criminal-penalty-enhancement bill after another.

24 Mar 2019

A Potential Roadblock in Marijuana Legalization

By Rich Miller

Should proponents of legalizing cannabis in Illinois be worried about Representative Marty Moylan's (D-Des Plaines) House resolution?

17 Mar 2019

The Graduated Income Tax – and the Path to Killing It

By Rich Miller

A bunch of weak political arguments have been used so far against Governor JB Pritzker's proposed constitutional amendment for a graduated income tax. But there is a clear path to killing it.

10 Mar 2019

An Easy-to-Like Pritzker Plan

By Rich Miller

Democrats often propose ideas that take forever to explain and are often difficult for the masses to understand. That wasn't the case last week.

03 Mar 2019

Pritzker Using Momentum to His Advantage

By Rich Miller

A lobbyist who works for a business-related organization asked me a question the other day that I've been hearing a lot lately: "Who's going to be the stopper now?"

What he meant was: Who in the legislative process can be counted on these days to help derail bills which are deemed hostile to business interests?

24 Feb 2019

Pritzker's Effective, Sometimes Surprising Budget Address

By Rich Miller

Give Governor JB Pritzker some credit: The man can give a good speech.

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