Illinois Gov. J.B. Pritzker signed a $55.9 billion state budget for fiscal year 2027, with tens of millions of dollars included for non-governmental organizations.

The governor placed his signature on the new spending plan in Chicago on Tuesday, calling it his eighth straight balanced budget.

“This budget lowers costs for everyday Illinoisans and protects our state’s fiscal health and continues the economic progress we have worked so hard to build over the last seven-and-a-half years,” Pritzker said.

The revenue plan imposes new taxes on digital advertising, digital assets, fantasy sports and prediction contests, places new limits on income tax carryover deductions, creates a social media platform fee and raises environmental filing fees and the retail tire tax.

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(The Center Square) -- State lawmakers expressed public, bipartisan concern again Wednesday over an Illinois commission's efforts to increase access to state contract money for businesses that are owned by racial minorities, women and people with disabilities.

The lawmakers' concerns are largely based on the reporting of The Center Square in recent months, which has found that the commissioners have fewer responsibilities than their counterparts elsewhere in government and that their decisions have led to a dramatic decline in businesses that are certified for contract preference.

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(The Center Square) – A federal appeals court heard oral arguments Thursday as judges consider former Illinois House Speaker Michael Madigan’s appeal of his conviction on 10 counts of public corruption.

The U.S. Seventh Circuit Court of Appeals took the case under advisement on Thursday afternoon following a hearing at the Everett McKinley Dirksen U.S. Courthouse in Chicago.

Madigan defense attorney Amy Saharia said the appellate court should reverse Madigan’s conviction because counts related to ComEd were too vague, and because the government failed to prove quid pro quo related to a state board seat.

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