(SPRINGFIELD) Governor J.B. Pritzker is being criticized for moves concerning prisons around the state. It’s been announced that the state will tear down and rebuild Stateville Correctional Center, north of Joliet, in Crest Hill, with work to start pending on capital appropriations in the fiscal budget for 2025. Officials say the state is also planning to replace Logan Correctional Center in Lincoln, however a new location has not been determined yet. Downstate lawmakers are upset that both the Du Quoin and Dixon Springs prisons were announced temporary closures but neither site has been reopened since.
(SPRINGFIELD) Illinois suffered population loss among all eight state-based metro areas and 87 of the state’s 102 counties. The Illinois Policy Institute reports Chicago’s population loss accounted for approximately 50% of the state’s total decline of nearly 33,000 residents in 2023. In addition to Chicago, metro areas including Decatur, Springfield, & Bloomington showed steep drops relative to the size of their population. Data shows residents are leaving for states with lower taxation, including Iowa, Wisconsin, Indiana, Florida, and Texas. Illinois is the only state among its neighbors to suffer population loss.
(SPRINGFIELD) Behind-the-wheel road tests may be abolished for senior citizens looking to renew their license under legislation proposed this year. House Bill 4431 would do away with the road test mandate for divers ages 75 and older, which is not only supported by many lawmakers, but is also recommended by the National Safety Council. When it comes to the raw count of fatal incidents, senior citizens are involved in the fewest crashes, as they tend to avoid long-distance driving, limiting their runs to essentials like grocery store and doctor’s visits. Currently, the bill is paused for an amendment that will address bad drivers of all ages for more stringent renewal requirements, rather than a focus on seniors.