IL: Budget Policy & Priorities
Excessive IL rains stir conversation on preparedness
Illinois generally sees its hottest and wettest months during the summer, and climate change is making them more intense. The University of …
Report: Mental health crisis hotline ineffective
Addressing mental illness in America is a source of continued debate and a new report outlined areas in need of change. The study detailed the role …
IL lawmakers boost funding for Planned Parenthood
The Illinois General Assembly has just passed a $53 billion state budget which includes a boost in funding for Planned Parenthood. Reproductive …
Frozen screens? Telehealth access imperiled
By Sarah Jane Tribble for KFF Health News.Broadcast version by Eric Tegethoff for Illinois News Connection reporting for the KFF Health News-Public Ne…
Do work requirements 'work' to keep people out of poverty?
Members of the U.S. House Work and Welfare Subcommittee came to Illinois this month to drum up support for work requirements for anyone seeking …
Report touts Illinois' support for public schools
A report released this month by the Network for Public Education ranked Illinois an "A" grade for its overall support of public schools. One …
Congressional budget impasse threatens IL community health centers
Community health centers in Illinois are stuck in financial limbo as Congress contends with another potential government shutdown. More than forty …
Report grades IL tobacco prevention efforts
Illinois' efforts are all over the map in a new report on what state and federal officials are, or could be, doing to discourage tobacco use…
A lack of attorneys creates 'legal deserts' in rural IL counties
Labor shortages exist across the country in the medical and teaching professions but not as much is said about the lack of attorneys in some states…
Report: Illinois' child well-being varies widely by race
A new report looks at children's well-being in every state and finds in Illinois, the outcomes vary greatly depending on race. In its Race for …
IL advocacy group insists state’s tax system hurts children
A new analysis of state tax systems finds the Illinois tax structure is unfair to low- and middle-income households, especially those with children…
Farm Bill delays could affect food benefits for many Americans
The once-every-five-year Farm Bill will likely be extended to six years this time around, as Congress seems months away from finding a path forward…