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Archive of Illinois on Thursday July 26, 2007
Some budget progress made
Legislation to raise the state tax on cigarettes by 75 cents a pack and grant rate relief to electricity customers advanced Wednesday as lawmakers struggled to find a way out of a record 55-day overtime session. Read More
House urges review of permit letting BP dump more in Lake Mich.
WASHINGTON - The House voted Wednesday to urge Indiana to reconsider its approval of a permit allowing an expanded BP Amoco refinery to dump more pollutants into Lake Michigan. Read More
State committee approves 75-cent cigarette tax increase
Cigarette taxes would increase another 75 cents per pack under a plan an Illinois Senate committee approved Wednesday in an effort to finance billions worth of state construction. Read More
Lawmakers tout sales tax to aid RTA
Suburban lawmakers are on the verge of cutting a deal to raise the sales tax by a half-cent to bail out the CTA, Metra, Pace and build more roads. Read More
House panel passes rate relief; Republicans not happy
Voting along partisan lines, an Illinois House committee on Wednesday advanced a $1 billion electric rate-relief deal negotiated by utility companies and state officials. But Republicans who voted against the agreement said it isn?t good enough. Read More
Open-shop laws threaten unions
DETROIT - Edward Sioui has always been able to make a living in Michigan without a college degree. So in July 2001, when his mom had a heart attack in Arizona, he figured it would be easy to pick up, move near her, and maybe enjoy living in a warmer climate for a while. Read More
Daniels won't budge on BP
Despite intensifying pressure from environmentalists and lawmakers in neighboring states, Gov. Mitch Daniels on Wednesday declared Indiana will not retreat from its decision to allow the BP oil refinery in Whiting to release more pollutants into Lake Michigan. Read More
Illinois committee OKs cigarette tax rate
SPRINGFIELD, Ill. - A Senate committee approved a 75-cent tax increase on packs of cigarettes Wednesday, which would push the Illinois rate to $1.73 and make it one of the highest in the nation. Read More
House says BP can't dump more pollutants
Members of the U.S. House of Representatives voted overwhelmingly this afternoon to send a strong message opposing expansion plans by BP to dump more pollutants into Lake Michigan as part of its oil refinery expansion. Read More
Joe pushes for renewal, expansion of ?No Child?
U.S. Sen. Joseph I. Lieberman, I-Conn., who championed the 2001 No Child Left Behind Act in education, plans to introduce a bill Wednesday that would reauthorize the law while making sweeping changes that increase accountability measures and close loopholes. Read More
Porter seeks more tracking of offenders
WASHINGTON -- Rep. Jon Porter, R-Nev., submitted legislation on Wednesday to require all states to track child predators and keep them from fleeing to other states after they are detained. Read More
Dermocrats push for budget vote in Illinois
Desperate to show voters they are making progress on the state budget, Democrats in the Illinois Senate are getting ready to push a spending plan through the chamber before the state runs out of money next week. Read More
Electric rate deal starts moving
A deal that would send rebate checks to most Illinois Ameren customers won its first official approval Wednesday night, despite Republican opposition. Read More
Lincoln center getting closer to reopening?
Efforts to reopen part of a state home for developmentally disabled residents may have received a small boost earlier this week. Read More
Plan to refund part of electricity rate hikes advances in Illinois
SPRINGFIELD, Ill. - A proposal that would give almost $1 billion back to rate-weary Illinois electricity customers passed an Illinois House committee Wednesday, the first step toward likely passage into law in the coming weeks. Read More
Guide on immigration handed out
WASHINGTON - The nation's largest association of police chiefs is distributing an unusual primer on immigration enforcement to thousands of law enforcement agencies, saying the absence of a national immigration policy has left local communities with an "overwhelming" burden. Read More
Ill. Senate panels OK cigarette tax, health care plan
Illinois Senate committees approved higher cigarette taxes and a cheaper version of the governor's health plan Wednesday, hoping to break the bitter impasse over a new state budget. Read More
Senate Democrats want new cigarette tax for construction
Turning to an old standby, Democrats in the Illinois Senate on Wednesday floated a plan to nearly double the state?s cigarette tax and use the money to pay for construction projects. Read More
Senate panel OKs health plan
A legislative committee lent a hand Wednesday to Gov. Rob Blagojevich?s push to offer health insurance for all Illinoisans, recommending that the full Senate pass a revised version of his proposal. Read More
Senate Dems OK cigarette hike, gov's cheaper health-care plan
Poised to vote on their own budget plan, Senate Democrats Wednesday advanced a 75-cent-a-pack tax hike on cigarettes and a less costly version of Gov. Blagojevich's health care plan. Read More
States work to plug 'brain drain'
States struggling to stop “brain drain,” the flight of young, educated people from their workforce, aren’t sure yet whether the solution is to offer financial incentives so bright students will stay or create jobs so they will come. Read More
Govs to tackle energy issues
TRAVERSE CITY, Mich. – The nation’s governors will spend the next year looking for ways states can secure safe, clean energy at a time when Congress and the White House are deadlocked over how best to cut the U.S. contribution to greenhouse-gas emissions and other energy issues. Read More
Arizona mulls primary move
TRAVERSE CITY, Mich. — Arizona Gov. Janet Napolitano (D) may throw a monkey wrench into an already complicated 2008 presidential primary calendar by scheduling her state's nominating date before “Super-duper” Tuesday, Feb. 5, 2008, when at least 19 other states weigh in. Read More
Health care, energy top governors' meeting
TRAVERSE CITY, Mich. — Governors meeting at this Great Lakes resort reiterated their call on Congress and the White House to renew a popular children’s health program and leaned on the Bush administration to do more to help states develop technologies to promote clean, affordable energy.
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Minnesota gov lands national spotlight
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WORTH NOTING: Vote for -- None of the above
Massachusetts’ lawmakers weigh letting voters just say no to all the candidates. Indiana horns in on Illinois' biggest claim to fame — next to Da Bears. And Michigan Democrats are figuratively trying to run down a state Supreme Court justice with his own car. If you missed any of those stories this week, “Worth Noting” fills you in. Read More |
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