SPRINGFIELD, Ill. - State Rep. Lou Lang, who is sponsoring a proposal to legalize marijuana for medicinal uses, said he’s unsure of when he might call his bill to a vote on the Illinois House floor.

Lang, a Skokie Democrat, just…

SPRINGFIELD, Ill. - Gov. Pat Quinn is no longer shooting down the idea that a state income tax increase could be temporary — but he’s not exactly confirming it either.

Quinn has proposed raising the income tax from 3 percent to…

SPRINGFIELD, Ill. - A state House panel approved a proposal to authorize marijuana for medicinal purposes Thursday night, just one day after the state Senate OK’d the idea.

The measure by state Rep. Lou Lang, D-Skokie, was approved by a state…

SPRINGFIELD, Ill. - A proposal to ban novelty cigarette lighters that sailed through the state Senate was defeated Thursday by the state House 51-65.

The measure, Senate Bill 2180, by state Rep. Naomi Jakobsson, D-Champaign, was aimed at banning the sale…

SPRINGFIELD, Ill. - The Illinois House voted without opposition Wednesday to force lawmakers to take unpaid furlough days and to change the way lawmakers, judges and executive officials receive pay raises.

Despite sharp partisan shots earlier in the day, lawmakers of…

SPRINGFIELD, Ill. - Under the heading of, “Wait a minute, that’s not already the law?”, the Illinois House today approved a measure that would require a court’s approval before a mentally handicapped person could be forced by his or her…

Ill. Rep. Jack Franks

SPRINGFIELD, Ill. - Though it’s beginning to sound like ancient history to the general public, the political meltdown involving impeached Illinois Gov. Rod Blagojevich and U.S. Sen. Roland Burris, D-Ill., is still poisoning the atmosphere of the state…

SPRINGFIELD, Ill. - As predicted here and elsewhere, Litchfield resident Betsy Hannig has been tapped to replace her husband, Illinois Rep. Gary Hannig, D-Litchfield, in the Illinois House. (He’s leaving to become the new Transportation secretary for Gov. Pat Quinn.)

The…

Ill. Rep. Gary Hannig

SPRINGFIELD, Ill. - Outgoing state Rep. Gary Hannig, D-Litchfield, will likely be replaced in the Illinois House by his wife, Elizabeth “Betsy” Hannig, according to a report by authoritative Springfield political columnist Bernard Schoenburg in the State…

SPRINGFIELD, Ill. - In what has become a daily ritual in Springfield lately, Illinois House Republicans are once again angrily demanding to debate a bill that would create a special election to replace embattled U.S. Sen. Roland Burris, D-Ill., and…