Illinois in Focus

During Illinois in Focus Daily, Greg Bishop provides some of the latest headlines you'll find at The Center Square - Illinois. Read more at TheCenterSquare.com/Illinois Support this podcast: https://secure.anedot.com/franklin-news-foundation/ce052532-b1e4-41c4-945c-d7ce2f52c38a?source_code=xxxxxx Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and...

For Illinois in Focus Daily, Greg Bishop reviews the latest in conversations about the future of the Chicago Bears, and Iowa looks to join Indiana in starting a commission to have the state absorb one or more Illinois counties. Support this podcast: https://secure.anedot.com/franklin-news-foundation/ce052532-b1e4-41c4-945c-d7ce2f52c38a?source_code=xxxxxx Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. S...

The Illinois Senate Appropriations Committee chair says greater federal scrutiny of state government spending will not change the General Assembly’s budget process. State senators are scheduled to return to Springfield this week for session days Tuesday, Wednesday and Thursday. State Sen. Elgie Sims, D-Chicago, chairs the appropriations committee. 
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Greg Bishop shares some of the recent conversations happening at the Illinois Statehouse as some legislators push for taxing millionaires more, others push changes to public safety policy. One legislator is defending her bill allowing for local regulation of campfires. Support this podcast: https://secure.anedot.com/franklin-news-foundation/ce052532-b1e4-41c4-945c-d7ce2f52c38a?source_code=xxxxxx H...

The Center Square's Greg Bishop looks at the immigration enforcement debate as it relates to Illinois Support this podcast: https://secure.anedot.com/franklin-news-foundation/ce052532-b1e4-41c4-945c-d7ce2f52c38a?source_code=xxxxxx 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 Darren Bailey, a former state senator who was the Republican candidate for governor against Gov. J.B. Pritzker four years ago. Bailey is running in the Republican primary March 17 with early voting starting Feb. 5. 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) – According to new estimates from the U.S. Census Bureau, Illinois’ population has risen for the third straight year. Data released on Tuesday showed Illinois with an estimated 12,719,141 people on July 1, 2025, up from 12,703,033 the previous year. The state’s number is 16,108 higher than a year ago but 76,207 lower than it was in 2020. Support this podcast: https://secure.ane...

The Center Square's Greg Bishop reviews some of the latest deadlines around work requirements for the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program and shares data on how much tax money goes to SNAP, and how much Illinois' error rate has increased in the last 10 years. Support this podcast: https://secure.anedot.com/franklin-news-foundation/ce052532-b1e4-41c4-945c-d7ce2f52c38a?source_code=xxxxxx Hoste...

Greg Bishop delves into the latest U.S. Census estimates for Illinois' population that shows a third year of growth, but international migration into the state continues to outpace the domestic migration out of the state. 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 Statehouse candidate Bailey Templeton about her latest findings through public records requests showing a 725% increase in the amount of Medicaid spending on children without Social Security Numbers.    Read the story here: https://www.thecentersquare.com/illinois/article_5d99f9cb-5413-4907-86df-de9e92a73b85.html Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See...

(The Center Square) – Illinois Attorney General Kwame Raoul says his office has endured 365 days of chaos with President Donald Trump back in the White House. Raoul held a press conference in Chicago on Tuesday to mark the one-year anniversary of Trump’s return to the Oval Office. “Today marks 365 days of chaos, 365 days of attacks on civil rights, on the rule of law and on the Constitution itself...

Greg Bishop discusses the status of several Second Amendment challenges in the federal courts, including the U.S. Supreme Court still considering whether to take a challenge from Illinois calling the state's gun and magazine ban unconstitutional. Support this podcast: https://secure.anedot.com/franklin-news-foundation/ce052532-b1e4-41c4-945c-d7ce2f52c38a?source_code=xxxxxx Hosted by Simplecast, an...

Greg Bishop, Illinois editor for The Center Square, hosts Illinois In Focus Daily, a review of some of the top Illinois headlines with timely and relevant news and interviews. Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

Greg Bishop discusses some of the highlights President Donald Trump provided from his first year in office of his second non-consecutive term. Illinois Gov. J.B. Pritzker said Trump's first year has been a "failure," while Republicans in Illinois say Pritzker's policy are not making the state safe or affordable. Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about ou...

(The Center Square) – As Illinois state senators return to Springfield, Democrats and Republicans disagree over the level of transparency in the state’s budget process. The state Senate’s first meeting of 2026 is scheduled Tuesday afternoon at the Illinois Capitol. A reporter asked Illinois Senate President Don Harmon, D-Oak Park, about lawmakers routinely passing the state budget in the middle of...

Greg Bishop talks live with Jeanne Ives from Breakthrough Ideas about her investigations into state spending on non-government organizations, how to shore up the state's budget 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 discusses the status of Illinois' budget, and shares comments from Gov. J.B. Pritzker about the impacts to state spending if federal taxpayer funds are frozen. Legislators discuss the prospect of tax increases with a proposal being floated to have a surcharge on millionaires. Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of p...

Greg Bishop discusses the latest lawsuit Attorney General Kwame Raoul filed against the Trump administration over public safety around immigration enforcement. 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 recent comments from Illinois Attorney General Kwame Raoul about a lawsuit he's joining with other states like New York and California challenging the Trump administration's freezing of federal taxpayer funds for certain welfare programs. 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 state Rep. Martin McLaughlin argues lawmakers in Springfield only look in the mirror to come face to face with the source of the state’s dwindling appeal. A new Atlas Van Lines report details how Illinois’ outbound migration levels in 2025 again topped the number of new move-ins to the state, marking the 17th straight year that trend has festered. While this year’s r...

Greg Bishop shares conversations about fighting welfare fraud with Truth In Accounting founder and CEO Sheila Weinberg and HHS Deputy Secretary Jim O'Neill and how Illinois could be impacted and how the state can rectify a funding freeze.  Read more: https://www.thecentersquare.com/illinois/article_64464fdd-b310-4260-aefb-5e0c8bfbed6f.html Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz....

Bishop delves into the news that the Trump administration is freezing $10 billion in federal funds to five different states including approximately $1 billion to Illinois as concerns continue about potential fraud in the welfare system stemming from findings in Minnesota. Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for...

Greg Bishop shares the latest in the ongoing scrutiny of taxpayer spending on child care subsidies with President Donald Trump saying he's not going to pay states like Illinois for child care fraud.  Read more: https://www.thecentersquare.com/illinois/article_eba67e20-474d-46e1-bee7-6a0c92eac4f6.html Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection...

Greg Bishop talks with Jared Strong with The Center Square's investigative unit about his ongoing investigation of the taxpayer cost for the state's diversity contracting goals.   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) – A new Chicago budget is set to take effect, even though the city’s mayor refused to sign it. Flanked by Chicago Teachers Union President Stacy Davis Gates and several aldermanic allies, Mayor Brandon Johnson said Tuesday he would not sign or veto the budget passed by the city council last Saturday, but he would let it take effect to avoid risk or speculation of a government s...