Illinois in Focus

(The Center Square) – Illinois Governor J.B. Pritzker says public safety is under attack by the Trump administration. The governor spoke Thursday at a news conference intended to highlight violence intervention efforts on Chicago’s Far South Side. “Public safety is under attack by the Trump administration. Over the past few months, the White House has dissolved the Office of Gun Violence Prevention, they’ve threatened dramatic cuts to ATF (Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives), they’ve repealed the policy of zero tolerance for rogue gun dealers. They’re making it easier for guns to flow into our communities and harder for us to fight back,” Pritzker said. Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See https://pcm.adswizz.com

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(The Center Square) – Illinois drivers could be taxed by the mile under a pilot program being considered at the statehouse. Senate Bill 1938 is to be discussed by members of the Transportation committee before April 11. The proposed Road Usage Charge Act would create a pilot program to test a mileage-based fee instead of motor fuel taxes for funding highways. Opponents, like Illinois Trucking Association Executive Director Matt Hart, argue the state of Illinois already has a well-functioning system in place to fund the construction of the state’s roads and bridges. “That's why we supported the 2019 capital bill that has put us on the pathway to where we are today, with the state of Illinois having nearly $6 billion in road funds – $3.5 billion in the road fund and $2.3 billion in the state construction account,” Hart told The Center Square. “Clearly, the actions we took in 2019 are providing us with ample revenues for our state.” Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See https://pcm.adswizz.com

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Greg Bishop airs some of the debate from Thursday evening where the Illinois Senate approved a measure requiring safe gun storage with penalties for not reporting lost and stolen firearms.

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Greg Bishop discusses the ruling from the Illinois Supreme Court against Republicans' challenges of the state's legislative maps drawn and approved by Democrats and concerns about conflicts of interest.

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Greg Bishop provides the back and forth between Illinois House Republicans and Gov. J.B. Pritzker over criticism of the governor's handling of child welfare and developmental disability housing agencies.

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The Center Square's Greg Bishop delves into the update to the legal challenge against Illinois' gun ban with the appeals court laying out the briefing schedule months after getting the case.

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The Center Square's Greg Bishop talks with Illinois state Rep. La Shawn Ford, D-Chicago, about his opposition to the Illinois Homeschool Act. Ford also discusses the witness slip and shell bill process.

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(The Center Square) – According to a professor who has studied public corruption, it might be a good thing that prosecutors are seeking $3.14 million in forfeiture proceeds from convicted former Illinois House Speaker Michael Madigan. Connie Mixon, professor of political science and director of the Urban Studies Program at Elmhurst University, said convictions and prison sentences have not kept many of the state’s elected officials from committing crimes up to this point. “We keep having these guilty corruption cases over and over and over again, but corruption persists,” Mixon told The Center Square. Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See https://pcm.adswizz.com

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The Center Square's Greg Bishop discusses the back and forth between President Donald Trump announcing tariffs and the reaction from Illinois U.S. Sen. Dick Durbin and Gov. J.B. Pritzker.

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The Center Square's Greg Bishop delves into the latest federal court filing against Illinois' migrant sanctuary policies from the U.S. Department of Justice. The state, Cook County and Chicago all motioned to dismiss the case.

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