Author: Catrina Barker | The Center Square contributor

(The Center Square) – About a dozen new Illinois laws set to take effect Jan. 1 impact employers. House Bill 5561 prohibits employers from taking retaliatory action against an employee who discloses information related to an activity, policy or practice of the employer if the employee has a good faith belief that the activity, policy…

(The Center Square) – Zombie state boards and commissions undermine public trust, according to an organization dedicated to a “more ethical” Illinois government. According to recent data from Township Officials of Illinois, the state with the most units of government per capita in the United States is Illinois. According to an Illinois Auditor General report,…

(The Center Square) – The Illinois Bankers Association says Illinois U.S. Sen. Dick Durbin writing a letter to the Office of the Comptroller of the Currency is “missing the forest for the trees.” An Illinois law that goes into effect in 2025 seeks to bar interchange fee collection on taxes and tips, which sparked a…

(The Center Square) – Illinois lawmakers disagree on the qualifications of President-elect Donald Trump’s pick for defense secretary, Pete Hegseth. Illinois U.S. Sen. Tammy Duckworth, a veteran, on CBS said Hegseth is “flat-out wrong” in his view that women should not serve in the military in combat roles. “Remember that the Pentagon is three million…

(The Center Square) – The group Judicial Watch is calling on the U.S. Supreme Court to reverse federal court rulings that upheld Illinois’ law allowing mail-in ballots to be counted for 14 days after Election Day. Roy Horras, a leader for an Illinois election integrity group, said that in a split decision, a Seventh Circuit…

(The Center Square) – Homeschool groups have concerns about President-elect Donald Trump’s proposed tax credit as Illinois lawmakers look at regulating the practice. Trump, in a video posted on social media, promised homeschooling parents tax relief on their education costs, up to $10,000 per year per child. “I will do everything I can to support…

(The Center Square) – The recently released Illinois Report Card shows some growth in multiple areas, with proficiency rates in English/Language Arts, Math and Science all increasing year-over-year. State Rep. Brad Halbrook, R-Shelbyville, said students’ proficiency rates should be improving because the taxpayers have poured an additional $350 million each year over the past five…