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Climate change education, gender inclusiveness, birth certificates, prostitution privacy, court translators and insulin costs all received attention from the Illinois General Assembly. Laws involving them take effect July 1. Plus, the state gasoline tax goes up.

By Lilly Rossi | Illinois Policy Institute

July 1 is when spending starts on Illinois’ record $55.2 billion budget, when the state gas tax automatically goes up to 48.3 cents a gallon and when new laws take effect – some passed as long ago as 2023.

Here are nine laws passed by the 103rd Illinois General Assembly impacting gender, birth certificates for those under guardianship and for fetal deaths, climate change education, insulin costs, assisted living, overdose survival, court translators and prostitution records. All nine go into effect July 1.

Gender data, birth certificates

House Bill 2297 will have state agencies collect and report gender-inclusive data.

Starting July 1, “male and female” categories will be removed. To conform with gender inclusive initiatives, state agencies will collect and report data for  “man, woman, and persons who identify as non-binary or gender non-conforming” categories.

House Bill 4727 will waive fees for a new birth certificate or for a search for a birth record for those with a guardian.

Requests made by the Office of the State Guardian to the Office of the State Registrar of Vital Records in Springfield will have fees waived beginning July 1.

Senate Bill 3182 will allow parents to receive a certificate of birth following a spontaneous fetal death during or after a 20-week gestational period.

According to Liam’s law, if a stillbirth of a fetus occurs during or after 20 gestational weeks, parents have the right to receive a certificate of birth for their child. The law going into effect on July 1 will also replace “mother” with “patient.”

Read more here.

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By FOX 32 Digital Staff

The Brief

  • Gov. JB Pritzker announced Thursday he’s running for a third term, highlighting gains in fiscal stability, abortion access, and worker protections.
  • He launched his campaign with a statewide tour and a video contrasting Illinois’ progress with Washington’s dysfunction.
  • Pritzker, seen as a possible 2028 presidential candidate, may need a new running mate as Lt. Gov. Juliana Stratton runs for U.S. Senate.

CHICAGO – Gov. JB Pritzker announced Thursday that he will run for a third term, pledging to build on the economic and social progress his administration has made since taking office in 2019.

Pritzker, 60, launched his campaign with a video titled “Keep Illinois Moving Forward,” positioning the state’s gains under his leadership — from balanced budgets to abortion access — as a stark contrast to what he called “chaos in Washington.”

“These days, Illinois is standing at the center of the fight: the fight to make life more affordable, the fight to protect our freedoms, the fight for common sense,” Pritzker said in a statement. “We don’t just talk about problems. In Illinois, we solve them. Because we know government ought to stand up for working families and be a force for good, not a weapon of revenge.

Pritzker begins his re-election push with a two-day tour across the state that includes stops in Rockford, Peoria, Springfield, Belleville, and West Frankfort.

Illinois does not impose term limits on governors. The last governor to serve three terms was Republican Jim Thompson, who held office from 1977 to 1991.

More here.

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By Ted Dabrowski and John Klingner | Wirepoints 

The economic consequences of Illinois’ spending on illegal immigrants are real. Everyone gets hurt by the higher taxes that spending billions more imposes. But there’s much more to the migrant problem than that.

Our schools are being overwhelmed. Unemployment will likely jump. And so will poverty. Our streets have become less safe. And our economy will suffer.

If Wirepoints had been at Gov. Pritzker’s congressional testimony, here are six questions we would have asked him to answer:

1. How do you justify spending more than $1.5 billion of Illinois taxpayers’ dollars on healthcare for illegal immigrants when Chicago has the highest black poverty rate in the country among the nation’s biggest cities?

(Click on image to enlarge)

(Click on image to enlarge)

2. How do you justify spending hundreds of millions, if not billions, on illegal, non-English-speaking children at Chicago Public Schools when the school district is already junk-rated, faces a billion-dollar deficit and has just 21% of black students able to read at grade level?

3. How can you justify allowing illegals with violent criminal histories to come to our state when Chicago has led the country in total murders for 13 years in a row and had the highest murder rate among the nation’s 20 biggest cities in 2024?

(Click on image to enlarge)

Read more here.

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Illinois Attorney General Kwame Raoul talks with new ‘Republican’ state Sen. Darby Hills, of Barrington Hills, on the Senate floor on May 30, 2025. | Capitol News Illinois photo by Jerry Nowicki

By Peter Hancock | Capitol News Illinois

SPRINGFIELD – In a year when many state agencies received little or no funding increase, state lawmakers this year approved an increase of $15.7 million, or 22.4%, for general operating expenses in Attorney General Kwame Raoul’s office.

That General Revenue Fund increase is significantly more than some other constitutional officers received for their operating expenses in the upcoming fiscal year. It’s also more than the $15 million that Raoul himself requested when he appeared before House and Senate appropriations committees this year – although reductions in revenue from other state funds left Raoul’s all-funds budget roughly flat from a year ago.

Raoul’s office did not respond to repeated requests to comment for this story about why lawmakers approved a larger general operating budget than he had requested, and why the budget reflected such significant cuts in two specific non-GRF funds.

During budget hearings in April, Raoul said he needed additional funding to hire attorneys and other staff to handle the increased workload that his office now manages. Some of that workload, he said, is the result of legislation that has given the attorney general’s office more responsibility.

But he also mentioned the increased workload that stems from more than a dozen lawsuits his office has joined challenging actions of the Trump administration as well as defending the state against legal actions the administration has filed against Illinois.

Read more here.

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For those confused about the recent appointment of Darby Hills to the Illinois State Senate, let’s clarify the facts and the legal process unfolding in McHenry County.

The judge in this case was asked to rule on two critical issues. First, whether the Lake County Republican Chairman could retroactively remedy the fact that Ms. Hills was not a Republican after McConchie‘s retirement. Brin appointed Hills as a republican precinct committeeperson —something both she and the chairman acknowledged needed to be done to remedy this deficit. The court allowed the chairman to appoint Ms. Hills as a precinct committeeperson weeks after Senator McConchie vacated his seat, arguably ignoring the statutes requirements and effectively temporarily enabling the appointment.

The second, and more consequential issue—the heart of the lawsuit—is whether Ms. Hills was a Republican at the time of the vacancy. Rather than interpret the relevant statute, requiring a nominee have valid Republican credentials the judge declined to rule on that core question. The case is now on appeal, and the Appellate Court will be asked to determine whether state law was properly followed and whether Hills was legally eligible for appointment under party rules and Illinois statutes.

Regardless of how one defines “Republican,” Ms. Hills’ voting record in Springfield speaks volumes. In just a short time, she has cast key votes that are out of step with Republican principles—votes that were anti-Second Amendment, pro-DEI mandates, anti-business, and in lockstep with teachers’ union interests.

The outcome of this legal appeal will be watched closely. If the Appellate Court finds that Ms. Hills was ineligible for appointment, it raises serious questions:

  • Will she be allowed to retain her Senate seat?
  • Will her votes be invalidated?
  • Will she be required to return taxpayer funds paid in salary during her disputed tenure?

Of course, there remains a straightforward path to public office: campaign, knock on doors, earn support, and win an election—both in a Republican primary and a general contest. But for now, it seems, Ms. Hills has taken a shortcut, bypassing voters in favor of backroom maneuvering.

Observers, constituents, and constitutional conservatives across the state will be following this case closely—not only for what it reveals about one Senate seat, but for what it says about process, transparency, the integrity of some in the Republican party and our electoral system.

Related:Residents deserve full disclosure – an update,” “Residents deserve full disclosure,” “’No more dog and pony shows, please!” “Gun rights advocacy group expresses displeasure with terms like ‘RINO, Backstabbing Traitor’ and ‘Botox Queen’ describing a senator’s vote on Senate Bill 8,” “Darby Hills Sworn In to Represent Illinois’ 26th Senate District,” “Darby Hills chosen — again — to succeed Dan McConchie in state Senate,” “’The Fix’ is in?,” “Darby Hills’ appointment to state Senate on hold as Republicans reopen applications for McConchie’s seat,” “26th Legislative District Committee meeting cancelled,” “State Senator seat at any price?,” ”26th Legislative District Committee meeting tomorrow,” “Do Over Scheduled for Meeting to Replace State Senator Dan McConchie,” “Restraining order sought to block 26th Senate appointment amid legal fight,” “Lawsuit challenges legality of GOP appointment to 26th State Senate seat,” “McConchie’s would-be successor isn’t a Republican and can’t serve, lawsuit alleges,” “Darby Hills Appointed as New State Senator for Illinois’ 26th Senate District

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A week ago today we posted, “Residents deserve full disclosure,” updating readers of the legal situation(s) facing appointed State Senator Darby Hills. Specifically, her then, “upcoming legal battle regarding her questionable status as a Republican, which will be heard in Judge Costello’s courtroom this Friday at 10:30 AM in McHenry County.”

We understand another motion to dismiss was filed and was heard by Judge Costello yesterday. As a result, the next court date will be this coming Friday, June 6th, at 4PM in Courtroom 204 when judgement may finally be provided on this matter.

Related: “’No more dog and pony shows, please!” “Gun rights advocacy group expresses displeasure with terms like ‘RINO, Backstabbing Traitor’ and ‘Botox Queen’ describing a senator’s vote on Senate Bill 8,” “Darby Hills Sworn In to Represent Illinois’ 26th Senate District,” “Darby Hills chosen — again — to succeed Dan McConchie in state Senate,” “’The Fix’ is in?,” “Darby Hills’ appointment to state Senate on hold as Republicans reopen applications for McConchie’s seat,” “26th Legislative District Committee meeting cancelled,” “State Senator seat at any price?,” ”26th Legislative District Committee meeting tomorrow,” “Do Over Scheduled for Meeting to Replace State Senator Dan McConchie,” “Restraining order sought to block 26th Senate appointment amid legal fight,” “Lawsuit challenges legality of GOP appointment to 26th State Senate seat,” “McConchie’s would-be successor isn’t a Republican and can’t serve, lawsuit alleges,” “Darby Hills Appointed as New State Senator for Illinois’ 26th Senate District

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Many Barrington Hills residents are being solicited to contribute to appointed State Senator Darby Hills’ re-election, or more accurately, first election campaign.

What The Observer finds deeply concerning is that next Friday, May 30th (rescheduled from May 20th), a court may determine that Ms. Hills is not qualified to run as a Republican and she could be required to step down.

Adding to the uncertainty, twice-elected Village President and three-term State Representative Martin McLaughlin has already established a campaign fund—Friends for Martin McLaughlin—for a potential primary run in the 26th District against Hills. Campaign petitions are set to begin circulating in September.

We sincerely hope that Ms. Hills and those soliciting on her behalf are being fully transparent about both this pending primary challenge and her upcoming legal battle regarding her questionable status as a Republican, which will be heard in Judge Costello’s courtroom this Friday at 10:30 AM in McHenry County.

Should Representative McLaughlin decide to run, voters will have a clear and meaningful choice.

The Observer has mentioned that Hills positions are out of step with traditional Republican values and conservative principles. Here are just three recent examples:

  • IL SB2517 Pro DEI Vote – Hills Voted Yes
  • IL SB0008 Gun Rights Storage Bill – Hills Voted Yes
  • IL SB1531 Anti-Business Packaging – Hills Voted Yes

To all our neighbors placed in this uncomfortable position, being asked to choose between a twice-elected mayor and three-time state representative, or an appointed socialite under legal scrutiny who has voted against Second Amendment protections and small business interests, we trust they will make the best decision, not just for our region, but based on qualifications, consistency, and character.

Related: “’No more dog and pony shows, please!’” “Gun rights advocacy group expresses displeasure with terms like ‘RINO, Backstabbing Traitor’ and ‘Botox Queen’ describing a senator’s vote on Senate Bill 8,” “Darby Hills Sworn In to Represent Illinois’ 26th Senate District,” “Darby Hills chosen — again — to succeed Dan McConchie in state Senate,” “’The Fix’ is in?,” “Darby Hills’ appointment to state Senate on hold as Republicans reopen applications for McConchie’s seat,” “26th Legislative District Committee meeting cancelled,” “State Senator seat at any price?,” ”26th Legislative District Committee meeting tomorrow,” “Do Over Scheduled for Meeting to Replace State Senator Dan McConchie,” “Restraining order sought to block 26th Senate appointment amid legal fight,” “Lawsuit challenges legality of GOP appointment to 26th State Senate seat,” “McConchie’s would-be successor isn’t a Republican and can’t serve, lawsuit alleges,” “Darby Hills Appointed as New State Senator for Illinois’ 26th Senate District

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The Village Board of Trustees will be conducting their regular monthly meeting this evening beginning at 6:30 PM. A copy of their agenda can be viewed and downloaded here.

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Illinois leaders keep using tax hikes as a budget quick-fix, but the state’s fiscal troubles – and the taxpayer burden – persist. Here are the 70 tax and fee hikes state leaders have imposed during the past 15 years.

By Lauren Zuar | Illinois Policy Institute

Seventy tax and fee hikes in 15 years haven’t stopped Illinois’ financial dysfunction – they’ve enabled it.

After at least 70 tax and fee increases since 2011, Illinoisans last year paid $17.3 billion more. Since 2010 all those increases in the state’s tax burden has cost Illinois taxpayers more than $110 billion in additional taxes paid.

The result of all that new money?

Illinois has the nation’s lowest emergency reserves. Its government pension crisis has worsened, with $143.7 billion in unfunded liabilities and four of the country’s worst-funded state-run systems. And forecasts show a potential $1.2 billion budget shortfall in 2026.

This isn’t because of a lack of revenue, something Gov. J.B. Pritzker has even admitted. Illinois’ core budget issue is chronic overspending, which consistently outpaces economic growth and shows no signs of slowing during the next five years.

While tax hikes haven’t saved state finances as promised, their proponents keep pushing them: a progressive income tax, higher gas and liquor taxes, expanding sales taxes to services and new levies on everything from Netflix to soda to storage units. The Chicago Teachers Union and its allies recently proposed a $7.3 billion tax plan for 2026, including new taxes on digital ads and capital gains.

The result of too many tax hikes and too few results?

Illinois’ combined state and local tax burden is the seventh-highest in the nation in one analysis and No. 1 in another, voter trust is eroding and residents and businesses are leaving for lower-cost states. Over 420,000 residents have left since 2020. New polling found 54% of Illinois voters said high taxes were the state’s top issue, and nearly half said they’d consider moving.

Before the General Assembly’s 2026 budget deadline concludes and lawmakers float new tax ideas, here’s a look at Illinois’ hikes since 2011.

Read more here.

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Our Zoning Board of Appeals will be holding their regular monthly meeting this evening beginning at 6:30 PM. Topics on their agenda include:

A copy of their agenda can be viewed and downloaded here.

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