Illinois college athletes would be able to hire agents and sign endorsement deals starting this summer under a measure state lawmakers passed early Tuesday.
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Statue task force considers adding, removing state monuments Last year, then-House Speaker Michael Madigan called for the removal of Stephen Douglas image from the Capitol grounds. Douglas, who served as Illinois secretary of state, a state Supreme Court justice and as U.S. senator, was a slave owner. Jerry Nowicki/Capitol News Illinois
Updated 5/19/2021 4:33 PM
SPRINGFIELD A state House task force continued its discussion about reevaluating controversial statues and whether new monuments commemorating minorities should be added to the state Capitol grounds.
The hearing Wednesday is the second meeting of the bipartisan Statue and Monument Review Task Force, which was formed by Speaker Emanuel Chris Welch, a Hillside Democrat, last month. The purpose of the task force is to conduct a review of monuments on state property and proposals for new monuments or statues.
Anthony Vazquez/Sun-Times
Citing an improved outlook for the state’s finances, Gov. J.B. Pritzker announced Thursday that he’ll increase evidence-based funding for schools by $350 million, offering some “relief” to parents, students and educators for the year ahead after initially keeping education funding flat.
While there are still “far too many who are struggling” in the state, Illinois’ fiscal outlook is “brighter than it was even three months ago,” Pritzker said at an unrelated news conference Thursday before announcing the additional funds.
“Back in February, when faced with financial uncertainty to the state and the prospect of billions of federal dollars going directly to our schools, I presented a flat operational budget for the state, which was all we could afford,” Pritzker said.
Secretary of state calls for new Martin Luther King statue on Capitol grounds This is the current statue of Martin Luther King Jr. across the street from the Capitol in Springfield. Secretary of State Jesse White has called for a new depiction of King to be placed on Capitol grounds. Capitol News Illinois
Updated 5/4/2021 3:53 PM
SPRINGFIELD Illinois Secretary of State Jesse White on Tuesday said it s time for the state to construct a new statue commemorating Martin Luther King Jr., as the current statue s rendering does not properly reflect Dr. King.
White said he would personally contribute the first $5,000 in funding the new statue that would be situated in a more prominent location on the Capitol grounds.