Mike Bost

Sandy Hook parents help Illinois high-capacity magazine ban

— Grieving parents of children killed at a Connecticut elementary school gave haunting testimony about their lost sons Monday as they tried to persuade the Illinois Senate to approve a ban on the sale of high-capacity gun magazines in Illinois....

Tags: Parties and Movements, Illinois General Assembly, Personal Weapon Control, Newspaper and Magazine, Gun Control

Editorials: Tighten Link card rules to fight abuse

For state Rep. Mike Bost, R-Murphysboro, this was the last straw: A food stamp recipient in his district used her Link card to bail herself out of jail. "We are losing a couple billion dollars in fraud and we know that," Bost says of Illinois' Link...

Tags: Interior Policy, Illinois Governor, U.S. Department of Agriculture, Politics, Personal Data Collection

The do-nothing caucus

Last fall on this page, we endorsed candidates for the Illinois House based largely on their fiscal policies. Illinois is beyond a crisis point; its lawmakers need to find solutions. So: Were candidates willing to enact serious pension reform? Cut state...

Tags: Robert W. Pritchard, Rita Mayfield, Bill Mitchell, Crime, Law and Justice, Brandon W. Phelps

Illinois test vote on concealed carry fails

Tribune reporters

SPRINGFIELD—The Illinois House overwhelmingly rejected a concealed carry measure today in an emotional test vote on the controversial gun legislation. The legislation emerged in the form of an amendment that was modeled after a highly restrictive...

Tags: Brandon W. Phelps, Interior Policy, Firearms, Personal Weapon Control, Politics

'Hands-free' distinction appears to be evidence free as well.

House passes statewide ban on cell use while driving

Tribune reporter

SPRINGFIELD — A new proposal to ban the use of cell phones while driving throughout Illinois passed the House on Friday along with two other traffic safety measures. The proposed ban, sponsored by Rep. John D’Amico, D-Chicago, would...

Tags: Jesse White, Juvenile Delinquency, Cell Phones

New General Assembly sworn in as full plate looms

Clout Street

SPRINGFIELD --- A new Illinois General Assembly was sworn in today, and after the ceremony and celebrations are over, lawmakers will face a full plate of unresolved issues in the month ahead. Democrats now have veto-proof majorities in both the House and...

Tags: Parties and Movements, Illinois General Assembly, Personal Weapon Control, John J Cullerton, Executive Branch

House passes 'quick-take' bill for proposed Illiana tollway

Tribune reporter

The Illinois House today passed legislation giving the state so-called quick-take power to acquire private property for the proposed Illiana expressway connecting Interstate 65 in Indiana and I-55 in Illinois. Quick-take would let the Illinois Department...

Tags: Chicago Heights, Wilmington, Highway Transportation, Illinois Department of Transportation, Anthony DeLuca

Don't cave, Governor

The roar of protesters vibrated through the Illinois Capitol rotunda Wednesday as community groups and organized labor clamored for attention. But the most intense noise wasn't the rhythmic stomp of the rallies. It was the pressing tick-tock of the...

Tags: Michael Madigan, Super Bowl, Regional Authority, Government, Justice System

Illinois lawmaker's epic meltdown

KIAH

An Illinois state lawmaker lost his cool on the state House floor Tuesday... in a big way. Republican Mike Bost was furious about a new plan to overhaul the state pension system. He unleashed a screaming rant on Democrats for not giving them enough time...

Tags: Democratic Party

Illinois GOP rallies against 'controlling, vindictive' Madigan

Tribune reporter

Illinois Republicans used the state’s most powerful Democrat, House Speaker Michael Madigan, as a rally point during Saturday's party convention, blaming him for the state's ills while hailing a Downstate lawmaker’s tirade against him that...

Tags: Aaron Schock, Parties and Movements, John J Cullerton, Executive Branch, Elections

Hip, hip, harangue!