Illinois in Focus

Greg Bishop shares reaction from Illinois state Rep. Amy Elik, R-Alton, about the announcement that U.S. Steel is restarting a blast furnace in Granite City. Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

(The Center Square) – Gov. J.B. Pritzker can now enact a measure enhancing the state’s migrant sanctuary policies that Republicans warn is too broad. House Bill 1312 was originally filed by state Rep. Maura Hirschauer, D-Batavia, in January, and started as a POW/MIA Recognition Day bill. It passed unanimously in the House in April and was read in the Senate for a second time in May, but was never...

Greg Bishop reviews the status of several challenges to Illinois' gun and magazine ban, including the U.S. Supreme Court taking a case challenging Cook County's ban into conference Friday. A decision whether they'll take the case could be released Monday. This as the case where a district court found the state's law unconstitutional remains pending in an appeals court, and a case challenging Naper...

Greg Bishop shares the continued debate around federal immigration enforcement and the state's migrant sanctuary policies with Gov. J.B. Pritzker encouraging protests against ICE. Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

Greg Bishop airs concerns a Republican state legislator has over a bill pending Gov. J.B. Pritzker's signature to expand the state's migrant sanctuary policies. Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

(The Center Square) – President Donald Trump has revived his criticism of Illinois Gov. J.B. Pritzker over crime, and Pritzker has fired back by blasting Trump over Thanksgiving dinner prices. The president spoke at the annual Thanksgiving Turkey Pardoning outside the White House Tuesday. Referring to Chicago Mayor Brandon Johnson as well as the governor, Trump said crime in Chicago is out of cont...

Court battles around migrant sanctuary policies, use of Guard continue Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

Greg Bishop shares the reaction to violence in Chicago, including two separate shootings after a downtown holiday celebration, from Chicago Mayor Brandon Johnson and President Donald Trump. Also, last week, Gov. J.B. Pritzker was asked if the state needs to change no-cash bail policies and the perception of public safety in the city. Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com fo...

(The Center Square) – Illinois families will see some relief at the Thanksgiving table this year, with the average cost of a classic holiday meal dropping to $49.20, continuing a three-year decline and mirroring the national average of $55.18, a 5% drop from 2024. Tasha Bunting, associate director of commodities and livestock programs at the Illinois Farm Bureau, said multiple factors are pushing...

Greg Bishop discusses the status of various challenges to gun bans from Illinois, including a challenge to Cook County's ban being sent to a U.S. Supreme Court conference for Dec. 5. The Barnett case, where a district judge ruled against the law on the merits after developing a substantial record from a four day bench trial, remains in the appeals court after a hearing nearly two months ago. Hoste...

Greg Bishop shares highlights from Wednesday U.S. Senate Committee on the Judiciary where Chicago Flips Red Vice President Daniel Carter-Walters testified about immigration enforcement in the Windy City. Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

Greg Bishop reviews actions taken by the Illinois State Board of Elections in regards to a nearly $10 million fine for campaign finance violations with Illinois Senate President Don Harmon's campaign committee. Bishop also shares recent public comments from residents of the city. Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal...

Greg Bishop shares comments from Chicago Mayor Brandon Johnson after a city council committee rejected a slew of proposed tax increases he says are needed to prevent layoffs in city government. Johnson vowed to veto a budget with a property tax increase, but dodged whether he'd veto a budget that didn't include a head tax on employers. Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com...

Greg Bishop shares recent criticism from Illinois House Republicans to what they say is the lack of transparency around Gov. J.B. Pritzker's recent executive order calling for state agencies to find efficiencies in their annual spending plan. Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See https://pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

(The Center Square) – Gov. J.B. Pritzker says he is disappointed that Illinois U.S. Sen. Dick Durbin voted in favor of ending the partial shutdown of the federal government. Durbin joined seven other Democrats in voting with Republican senators to send government funding legislation to the U.S. House. “Many of my friends are unhappy. They think we should have kept our government closed indefinitel...

(The Center Square) – Illinois House and Senate leaders are touting legislation they say will protect people from federal immigration enforcement, but the House Republican floor leader says the bill could have unintended consequences and expose many people to civil liability. Illinois House Speaker Emanuel "Chris" Welch, D-Hillside, sponsored House Bill 1312. Under the bill, Welch said hospitals w...

Greg Bishop continues his coverage about how many youth in care the Department of Children and Family Services has on record that are missing and reaction to the lack of information from state Sen. Chapin Rose, R-Mahomet. Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

Greg Bishop talks live with Republican U.S. Senate candidate Don Tracy about the government shutdown, politics over immigration, the use of tariffs and more. Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

Greg Bishop shares a conversation with Illinois Department of Revenue Director David Harris about the state's ongoing amnesty program for delinquent taxpayers. Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

(The Center Square) – Illinois lawmakers have passed wide-ranging energy legislation, but opponents say it will lead to higher electricity bills. Senate Bill 25, also known as The Clean and Reliable Grid Affordability Act (CRGA), passed the state Senate by a vote of 37-22 Thursday night after the House advanced it Wednesday. Sen. Steve Stadelman, D-Rockford, said a new line item would be added to...

Greg Bishop reviews the ongoing debate at the Illinois Statehouse about which taxes to increase during the final days of fall veto session. Among the proposals are an "amusement tax," a retail delivery tax and decoupling Illinois tax code from the federal tax code. Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advert...

Greg Bishop reviews the prospects of increased taxes and fees expected to come from Illinois legislators in the final days of fall veto session. Democrats are looking to increase taxes to pay for mass transit and an energy bill to support battery storage. Republicans say both policies are bad for Illinois families and businesses. Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for in...

Greg Bishop previews what could come from the start of fall veto session beginning Tuesday. Legislators could tackle energy legislation, increased taxes for the mass transit fiscal cliff and the possibility of redistricting Illinois congressional maps ahead of the 2026 election. Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal d...

(The Center Square) – Illinois Gov. J.B. Pritzker says he is not for open borders and wants immigration law enforced, just not how the Trump administration is doing it. Monday at a stop in Florida, Department of Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem said the feds are working with local authorities in various states, but not in Illinois. "Governor Pritzker in Illinois is putting his people in dan...

Greg Bishop delves into the latest filings to the U.S. Supreme Court about the Trump administration's use of the National Guard in Illinois, reaction to Wednesday's immigration enforcement actions in Little Village and President Donald Trump saying he will make Chicago safe. Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data...