Capitol Cast: Illinois

A rebellion within House Democrats is threatening House Speaker Michael Madigan’s grip on power. Schools are preparing to reopen amid a pandemic that seemingly won’t go away. And Capitol News Illinois is taking on a new project with a new reporter.

As part of our ongoing project "Perspectives on Progress," Illinois state Rep. Thaddeus Jones (D-Calumet City) speaks with Capitol News Illinois about the power of conversation to highlight misunderstandings and bring Illinoisans together, and Jones’s hope this era’s civil rights movement is not fleeting. Music Credit: Inspired by Kevin MacLeod Link: incompetech.filmmusic.io/song/3918-inspired Lic...

State Rep. Tom Demmer, R-Dixon, the Deputy House Republican Leader, discusses how the Black Lives Matter movement is resonating in largely rural, white regions like his, and how he thinks Republicans can find common ground with those who are calling for broad-scale reform. Music Credit: Inspired by Kevin MacLeod Link: incompetech.filmmusic.io/song/3918-inspired License: creativecommons.org/license...

As part of our ongoing project series, "Perspectives on Progress," Illinois state Rep. Will Davis, D-Hazel Crest, speaks with Capitol News Illinois about what tools lawmakers can use to advance racial equity in the state. Music Credit: Inspired by Kevin MacLeod Link: incompetech.filmmusic.io/song/3918-inspired License: creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/

As part of our ongoing project "Perspectives on Progress," Illinois state Rep. Lamont Robinson Jr. (D-Chicago) speaks with Capitol News Illinois about improvements he said the legislature needs to make, and his message for Illinoisans — that this social movement is one society needs to tackle together. Music Credit: Inspired by Kevin MacLeod Link: incompetech.filmmusic.io/song/3918-inspired Licens...

As part of our ongoing project "Perspectives on Progress," Illinois state Sen. Jacqueline Collins (D-Chicago) speaks with Capitol News Illinois about achieving racial equity in banking, how the media treats issues of racism and more. Music Credit: Inspired by Kevin MacLeod Link: incompetech.filmmusic.io/song/3918-inspired License: creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/

As part of our ongoing project "Perspectives on Progress," Illinois state Rep. Debbie Meyers-Martin (D-Olympia Fields) speaks with Capitol News Illinois about the role of what she called “attitude” in changing public sentiment toward race, and how negative media portrayals of black communities do more harm than good. Music Credit: Inspired by Kevin MacLeod Link: incompetech.filmmusic.io/song/3918-...

Rep. LaToya Greenwood, D-East St. Louis, discusses the issue of racial inequities in the Metro East area and the mood of that community in the wake of protests that have erupted in Illinois following the killing of George Floyd. Music Credit: Inspired by Kevin MacLeod Link: https://incompetech.filmmusic.io/song/3918-inspired License: http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/

As part of our ongoing project, "Perspectives on Progress," Illinois state Sen. Robert Peters, D-Chicago, shares his thoughts on the May 25 killing of George Floyd, how he thinks Illinois should move forward amid the protests, the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic and its financial impacts, and what role the media plays in shaping the conversation. Music Credit: Inspired by Kevin MacLeod Link: incompetech...

As part of our ongoing project, Perspectives on Progress, Illinois state Sen. Kimberly Lightford talks about her source of hope and how she does not want Illinois to miss its chance to address systemic racism. Music Credit: Inspired by Kevin MacLeod Link: incompetech.filmmusic.io/song/3918-inspired License: creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/

Rep. Maurice West, D-Rockford, talks about how Illinois can move forward in the wake of protests and demonstrations over the death of George Floyd. His key message: Listen to the voices of the unheard. Music credit: Inspired by Kevin MacLeod Link: https://incompetech.filmmusic.io/song/3918-inspired License: http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/

As part of our ongoing project, Perspectives on Progress, state Rep. Marcus Evans reflects on his experiences with police and how he would like to see the conversation around policing in the U.S. and Illinois focus on “bad individuals” using police powers wrongly, rather than a condemnation of policing in general. Music Credit: Inspired by Kevin MacLeod Link: incompetech.filmmusic.io/song/3918-ins...

As part of our ongoing project, Perspectives on Progress, Illinois state Rep. Curtis Tarver talks about what he is seeing as daily demonstrations in response to the death of George Floyd, an unarmed black man killed by a white police officer in Minneapolis, continue, as well as what changes he thinks must occur. Music Credit: Inspired by Kevin MacLeod Link: incompetech.filmmusic.io/song/3918-inspi...

As part of our ongoing project, Perspectives on Progress, state Rep. Chris Welch talks about his reaction to the death of George Floyd, an unarmed black man killed by a white police officer in Minneapolis, as well as his perspectives about the nationwide protests that event sparked and where he thinks the state of Illinois should go from here. Music Credit: Inspired by Kevin MacLeod Link: https://...

Capitol News Illinois launched its new "Perspectives on Progress" podcast series Monday, June 8 in an effort to broadcast conversations about race in America and Illinois. To begin the series, the Statehouse news bureau reached out to the 31 members of the Illinois Legislative Black Caucus to hear their perspectives and share their experiences with racism and their thoughts on what actions, legisl...

A week after the Illinois General Assembly wrapped up a historic special session, the state has entered Phase 3 of the reopening plan. Reporters Peter Hancock, Jerry Nowicki, Rebecca Anzel and Ben Orner analyze the status of the pandemic and how the General Assembly responded to it.

Four interns with the University of Illinois Springfield's Public Affairs Reporting program talk about their experience covering the Illinois Statehouse during a pandemic. Guests are Kade Heather, Tim Eggert, Neil Earley and Ben Orner.

Michael Belsky, executive director of the Center for Municipal Finance at the University of Chicago, discusses the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on state and local government revenues and what they should be doing to brace for it.

The COVID-19 pandemic is wreaking havoc on the Illinois economy. Economist Kenneth Kriz of the University of Illinois - Springfield talks about how it could impact state revenues and services, while Frank Manzo of the Illinois Economic Policy Institute talks about one way the state might be able to blunt some of the impact.

The COVID-19 pandemic has wreaked havoc on the Illinois economy, forcing Gov. JB Pritzker and state lawmakers to completely rethink the budget plan for the next fiscal year. Sens. Andy Manar (D) and Dan McConchie (R), the chair and minority spokesman of a Senate budget committee, share their views.

University of Chicago economics professor Dan Black talks about the economic impact that the COVID-19 pandemic could haveafter more than 114,000 Illinoisans filed first-time unemployment claims.

The Illinois primary elections took place in the midst of the global coronavirus pandemic. Matt Dietrich, spokesman for the Illinois State Board of Elections, discusses how it went.

As the coronavirus pandemic spreads in Illinois, the legislative session has been put on pause, along with many other ordinary things in life. Peter Hancock and Jerry Nowicki discuss how this could impact the rest of the session.

While Republicans complain Democratic leaders aren't moving forward on property taxes, Rep. Michael Zalewski, who chairs the House Revenue and Finance Committee, talks about how difficult the issue is to resolve.

Gov. JB Pritzker and Chicago Mayor Lori Lightfoot explain the state's response plan for the spreading coronavirus outbreak, dubbed COVID-19. Plus, the Capitol News Illinois team talks about some of the big Statehouse news of the past week.