Illinois House Speaker Emanuel “Chris” Welch says he wants the state’s legislative staff to be allowed to unionize. The Democrat authored a bill he says would allow that last week, even though it’s unusual for the house speaker to write their own legislation.
Read MoreSPRINGFIELD – House Speaker Emanuel “Chris” Welch, D-Hillside, has filed legislation that would, for the first time in Illinois, authorize legislative staff to form a union and engage in collective bargaining.
Read MoreEmployees of the speaker’s office in the Illinois legislature may soon get the opportunity to unionize.
Read MoreHouse Speaker Emanuel “Chris” Welch, D-Hillside, has filed legislation that would, for the first time in Illinois, authorize legislative staff to form a union and engage in collective bargaining.
Read MoreIllinois House Speaker Emanuel “Chris” Welch has filed a bill that would allow House and Senate legislative staffers the ability to unionize. It’s an extraordinary move given the House speaker isn’t usually one to carry his own legislation.
Read MoreSPRINGFIELD — Nearly a year after legislative staff in House Speaker Chris Welch's office privately declared their intent to unionize, there finally appears to be a path forward into the unchartered waters.
Read MoreIn a call with reporters Wednesday, the governor said he is actively pursuing Illinois partnerships with electric vehicle companies and original equipment manufacturers.
Read MoreThe landmark decision clears the way for unprecedented criminal justice reform. Here’s how politicians, prosecutors and advocates responded.
Read MoreLast Wednesday, Governor J.B. Pritzker signed a $50.4 billion budget for the coming fiscal year after lawmakers missed a self-imposed deadline and were forced to return to the statehouse after Memorial Day.
Read MoreSPRINGFIELD, Ill. — After being unanimously passed by Democrats with no Republican support, Governor JB Pritzker signed the bill containing the fiscal year budget for 2024 into law Wednesday.
Read MoreThe governor’s office said line-item reductions of $192,700 were made after a review found that cost-of-living pay raises granted to constitutional officers, legislators and some appointed officials exceeded 5%, which they said was unconstitutional.
Read MoreCHICAGO (WLS) -- Governor JB Pritzker signed the state budget into law in Chicago Wednesday.
The spending package is the largest budget in state history, over $50 billion. It includes major boosts for education, and health care and childcare. It also invests in law enforcement and measures meant to help the homeless.
Read MoreIt will be up to Gov. J.B. Pritzker to slice in half spending on health care for undocumented immigrants, and Illinois House Speaker Emanuel “Chris” Welch said he’s confident the governor can do it.
Read MoreMinority representation among executives at Chicago’s 50 largest public companies has increased over the past 10 years, with local numbers ahead of national statistics, according to advocacy organization Chicago United.
Read MoreSPRINGFIELD – Gov. JB Pritzker and Democratic leaders announced Wednesday they’ve agreed to a framework for next year’s roughly $50 billion state spending plan, even as negotiations continued in the final stretch of lawmakers’ already-extended spring legislative session.
Read MoreToday, Julie Chavez Rodriguez, Senior Advisor to the President and Director of the White House Office of Intergovernmental Affairs, and Ambassador Susan Rice, Assistant to the President and Domestic Policy Advisor, met with the historic five Black Speakers of the House from state legislatures across the country: Speaker Chris Welch of Illinois, Speaker Rachel Talbot Ross of Maine, Speaker Adrienne Jones of Maryland, Speaker Joe Tate of Michigan, and Speaker Carl Heastie of New York.
Read MoreThe speakers from the states of New York, Maryland, Illinois, Maine and Michigan will meet with Domestic Policy Advisor Susan Rice and others to discuss “common policy priorities."
Read MoreIllinois’ leadership has shifted, with a fresh group of 177 lawmakers sworn in to office on Wednesday.
The 103rd General Assembly has more Asian Americans, the first Muslim member in 23-year-old state Rep. Nabeela Syed, D-Inverness, and a record number of Democratic House members, led by Illinois’ first Black House Speaker Emanuel “Chris” Welch.
Read MoreSPRINGFIELD (WGEM) - The 103rd General Assembly is officially underway as Illinois state lawmakers were sworn in Wednesday afternoon. Gov. JB Pritzker presided over the Senate inauguration and Secretary of State Alexi Giannoulias led the House ceremony.
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