Prosecutors are seeking life sentences for four former Commonwealth Edison leaders convicted of conspiring to bribe former Illinois House Speaker Michael Madigan, a defense attorney said Wednesday. A federal judge on Wednesday denied a request from defense attorneys to delay sentencing. Defense attorneys had asked for more time to deal with what they said were complex issues regarding sentencing guidelines. At a hearing Wednesday, defense attorney Patrick Cotter said prosecutors would be seeking life sentences for the defendants.

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With the end of the fall veto session, Illinois’ Invest in Kids school choice scholarship program benefiting around 9,600 students will come to a close. Despite families for months lobbying to extend the privately funded program beyond the Dec. 31 sunset, legislators didn’t advance any such measure. Republicans were critical of Democrats they say caved to the teachers’ unions who opposed the program. But, before adjourning, state Rep. Kevin Olickal, D-Skokie, said he’ll continue to fight.

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A full month into Illinois’ gun ban registry and about 2,400 individuals have disclosed they own at least one banned firearm, attachment or some prohibited ammunition. Illinois State Police Director Brendan Kelly says it’s “been slow, but steady.” For the registry that opened Oct. 1, Illinois State Police report 2,430 individuals disclosed possessing nearly 4,600 banned firearms, around 2,400 banned attachments and 44 disclosures of possessing banned .50 caliber ammunition.

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As members of each party lay out their priorities with the start of fall veto session at the Illinois statehouse, scores of school kids benefiting from the soon-to-expire Invest in Kids school choice scholarship program were on the scene. But to start the session, House Speaker Emanuel “Chris” Welch, D-Hillside, advanced a measure out of committee to allow statehouse staffers to unionize. “The way this bill is written, there will be no bargaining over calendars and schedules and how the legislature will operate,” Welch told the committee. “And we have a no strike provision.”

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Just four months into the fiscal year, Illinois’ Health Benefits for Immigrant Seniors program will suspend accepting new enrollees starting Nov. 6, the Illinois Department of Healthcare and Family Services said Thursday. In 2020, Illinois began subsidizing the health care of non-citizens in the state over the age of 65, estimating the cost to be $1.8 million. Two years later, the state started offering the taxpayer subsidized benefit to non-citizens over the age of 42.

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A federal judge who once ruled plaintiffs challenging Illinois’ gun and magazine ban may be able to prove their case now has the option of striking the law down based on the merits.  Illinois’ ban on more than 170 semi-automatic rifles, shotguns and pistols was enacted on Jan. 10. The law also bans the sale and possession of handgun magazines over 15 rounds and rifle magazines over 10 rounds. Firearms owners with such guns purchased before Jan. 10 have until Jan. 1, 2024 to register their firearms, attachments and .50 caliber ammunition, or face potential criminal penalties.

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As non-citizens continue to arrive in Chicago, many have been stuck at O'Hare Airport while awaiting housing. One mutual aid volunteer says even more soon will be without more shelter options. Chicago has seen more than 15,000 migrants from the southern border arrive over the past 12 months. Many of the migrants have traveled from communities in Texas, where resources are stretched thin because of the continued influx of border crossers. In response, Illinois Gov. J.B. Pritzker’s office said Friday the state has contributed $328 million overall to support asylum seekers to date.

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The hearing took place not in Washington D.C., but at the Chicago Fraternal Order of Police hall. Testifying was Gianno Caldwell, a Fox News contributor and someone whose teenage brother was shot and killed in Chicago. He said with the end of cash bail and do-not-chase policies, criminals feel emboldened turning The Windy City into Gotham City. Chicago is savable, but he said residents have to make adjustments.

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Illinois Democrats celebrated the end of cash bail statewide on Monday while others worried about an increase in crime. The Safety, Accountability, Fairness, and Equity-Today, or SAFE-T Act, was approved by the General Assembly in January 2021. It makes several changes to the criminal justice system, including eliminating cash bail statewide, making it the first state to do so after being enacted on Monday. The Pretrial Fairness Act was supposed to go into effect Jan. 1, but was delayed by court challenges until two months ago when it was upheld by the Illinois Supreme Court.

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With the abolishment of cash bail coming to an end in Illinois Monday (Sept. 18), the debate continues on what the effects will be on victims, particularly of domestic violence. Under the new law as part of the controversial SAFE-T Act upheld by the Illinois Supreme Court two months ago, if a judge decides a defendant does not pose a public safety risk, then they will be released pending trial.

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