The Latest Breaking News from John Curran

CHICAGO — As another election approaches, the Illinois Republican Party and its allies are facing a conundrum — urging followers to cast ballots by mail while trying not to alienate followers of former President Donald Trump, who continues to insist that mail-in votes are “automatically corrupt.”

Education, human services, pensions and health care would receive a large majority of the governor’s $49.6 billion budget. “I’ve laid out a budget agenda that does everything possible to invest in the education of our children,” he told lawmakers.

The Illinois governor will deliver his fifth budget and State of the State address Wednesday in the Illinois State Capitol. During a video briefing with reporters on Tuesday, Pritzker said the early education program would see a boost due to the state’s “improved fiscal standing” and “prudent…

Illinois Senate President Don Harmon quoted both his late mother, who worried “that Springfield will change your notion of what the right thing is,” and former Chicago Police Supt. James Rochford, who once warned officers “If you lack integrity, get out — get out now.”

Illinois Gov. J.B. Pritzker begins his second term Jan. 9 emboldened by a decisive reelection victory, a slew of wins in November by Democratic candidates he helped fund and a series of legislative successes that formed the foundation of his bid for another four years in Springfield.

CHICAGO — Gov. J.B. Pritzker, who made banning the sale of assault weapons a key component of his successful reelection campaign this fall, for the first time voiced support for the recently unveiled proposal by Illinois House Democrats that includes outlawing the sale of certain assault-style guns, barring most people…

Among the most overt changes in the legislation approved by both the House and Senate is that those charged with crimes before Jan. 1 would be able to remain in the old cash bail system — or request to be moved to the new system.

Most every pre-election poll claimed that voters ranked abortion low on their priority lists. Yet, the abortion issue seemed to drive voters to the polls this year. What happened?

“We have to broaden that appeal because we’re getting heavily outspent in all our races all across the state,” new state Senate Minority Leader John Curran said.

House Republicans chose state Rep. Tony McCombie as their leader. The former Savanna mayor told the Sun-Times last week that the election showed “those that are on the extreme” are “not what Illinois wants.” Senate Republicans selected state Sen. John Curran of Downers Grove to guide their caucus.

The strain is not a danger to humans