State Week

Separate lawsuits have been filed against Illinois' ban on semiautomatic weapons.

After Gov. JB Pritzker signed a prohibition on the sale of assault style guns and large capacity magazines, numerous sheriffs publicly stated they view the new law as unconstitutional and they don't plan to enforce it. Our State Week panel discusses the situation.

The measure gained more support after a deadly mass shooting in Highland Park last summer.

It was a good year for Democrats. Not so much for Republicans. We look back on the year in Illinois government and politics.

Illinois lawmakers could soon vote on a measure that would ban what are often referred to as assault weapons and raise the minimum age for legally owning a gun to 21.

The Illinois Republican State Central Committee met this month. While party leadership — including state chair Don Tracy — remain in place, there are different opinions in the ranks regarding the future direction of the party.

Gov. JB Pritzker this week reiterated his goal of changing the state's gun laws.

The changes were approved along party lines, as only Democrats offered support. Republicans argued the effort failed to fully address problems with the original law.

Illinois has made a big turnaround when it comes to its budget. Bills are being paid on time and the state has even socked some money away in its rainy day fund. But the future remains cloudy as national and international issues could impact revenue. And, don't forget about pension debt.

Illinois state government will stay in Democratic hands. Gov. JB Pritzker and other statewide candidates swept Republicans on election night. The Democrats also increased their legislative supermajority. As for the Illinois GOP, the results set off a chain reaction.