Illinois Quick Hits: General Assembly approves CTE bill

Illinois Quick Hits: General Assembly approves CTE bill

Spread the love

(The Center Square) – A bill offering career technical education classes as an alternative to Illinois’ foreign language mandate is headed to Gov. J.B. Pritzker’s desk.

The Illinois House passed Senate Bill 3070 on Sunday.

The measure provides that high school students can still take two years of foreign language but will now have the option to take CTE classes starting in 2028.

NONPROFIT INVESTMENT BILL PASSED

The Illinois General Assembly has passed legislation allowing the state treasurer’s office to set up an investment pool for nonprofit organizations.

Illinois Treasurer Michael Frerichs said Senate Bill 2968 is intended to help nonprofits strengthen their financial stability and maximize resources that help communities.

Frerichs told The Center Square last fall he would keep working on the legislation that was vetoed by Gov. J.B. Pritzker last summer.

COOK COUNTY ANNOUNCES MINIMUM WAGE HIKE

Minimum wages will be going up in Cook County on July 1.

The county’s Commission on Human Rights issued a notice on Monday that the minimum wage for non-tipped workers over the age of 18 will increase from $15 to $15.40 and the minimum for tipped employees will rise from $9 to $9.25.

Cook County’s minimum wage is based on the greatest rate among the federal minimum wage, Illinois minimum wage, or on the county’s calculation using the Consumer Price Index.

CHICAGO ANNOUNCES BUDGET ENGAGEMENT EVENTS

Chicago officials have announced a series of five budget engagement roundtable events, starting Wednesday at Malcolm X College. T

he events are open to the public and will be livestreamed on social media platforms. More information is available at the city’s fiscal year 2027 budget engagement website.

The city’s $16.7 billion budget passed in December includes higher taxes on cloud computing, liquor and plastic bags, along with rideshare surcharges and a roughly $1 billion sweep of tax-increment financing funds to Chicago Public Schools.

Leave a Comment





Latest News Stories

WATCH: Dems leave hearing before minority group’s testimony on Biden border policies

By Jim Talamonti | The Center SquareThe Center Square (The Center Square) – A member of a minority grassroots Chicago organization testified before the U.S. Senate Committee on the Judiciary...
Screenshot 2025-11-19 at 9.29.37 AM

Will County Executive Committee Delays Vote on School Choice Referendum

Will County Board Executive Committee Meeting | November 13, 2025 Article Summary: The Will County Board’s Executive Committee on Thursday, November 13, 2025, postponed a decision on whether to place an...
Manhattan Township

Construction Business Permit on Sweedler Road Hits Snag Over Flood Plain Issues

Manhattan Township Meeting | September 9, 2025 Article Summary: A pre-application for a special use permit that would allow for a construction sales and service business on Sweedler Road in...
manhattan school district 114.3

Manhattan Parent Makes Emotional Plea for More Transparent School Threat Policies

Manhattan School District 114 Meeting | November 12, 2025 Article Summary:A Manhattan School District 114 parent emotionally addressed the Board of Education, describing a threat made against her third-grade son...
Chicago council committee rejects mayor’s proposed tax hikes

Chicago council committee rejects mayor’s proposed tax hikes

By Jim Talamonti | The Center SquareThe Center Square (The Center Square) – The Chicago City Council Committee on Finance has rejected a package of higher taxes proposed by Mayor...
Illinois quick hits: Elections board considers primary election petition objections

Illinois quick hits: Elections board considers primary election petition objections

By Jim Talamonti | The Center SquareThe Center Square Elections board considers primary election petition objections Gov. J.B. Pritzker has one challenger in the Democratic Party’s gubernatorial primary. Former Chicago...
Feds: Illegal commercial drivers licenses issued in California

Feds: Illegal commercial drivers licenses issued in California

By Madeline ShannonThe Center Square A federal agency reported the California Department of Motor Vehicles illegally issued thousands of commercial drivers’ licenses to illegal immigrants. According to the U.S. Department...
Socialist candidate runs against Los Angeles mayor

Socialist candidate runs against Los Angeles mayor

By Dave MasonThe Center Square A trend of socialist mayoral candidates in the nation’s biggest cities is continuing with housing advocate Rae Chen Huang’s candidacy against Los Angeles Mayor Karen...
193 youth in care of Illinois' child welfare agency missing in 2025

193 youth in care of Illinois’ child welfare agency missing in 2025

By Greg Bishop | The Center SquareThe Center Square (The Center Square) – So far this calendar year, Illinois’ child welfare agency reports 193 missing youth in care, an increase...
Hemp industry advocate promises to work with Pritzker, lawmakers

Hemp industry advocate promises to work with Pritzker, lawmakers

By Jim Talamonti | The Center SquareThe Center Square (The Center Square) – Gov. J.B. Pritzker and an advocate for the Illinois hemp industry have different views on reform after...
Bill would make health care sharing ministries tax deductible

Bill would make health care sharing ministries tax deductible

By Tate MillerThe Center Square The president of a health sharing ministry says he supports a bill that would make health share systems tax deductible, additionally stating that health sharing...
HHS terminates Biden-era rule that rewarded doctors for ‘anti-racism’ plans

HHS terminates Biden-era rule that rewarded doctors for ‘anti-racism’ plans

By Tate MillerThe Center Square In a win for a return to meritorious health care systems and patient trust in them, the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services terminated...
Average cost of family insurance nears $27,000 a year

Average cost of family insurance nears $27,000 a year

By Brett RowlandThe Center Square Average family health insurance premiums rose 6% in 2025, nearing $27,000, underscoring consistent increases and warning of more hikes ahead. Higher healthcare spending, including increased...
U.S. House to vote on releasing the Epstein files

U.S. House to vote on releasing the Epstein files

By Thérèse BoudreauxThe Center Square After pressuring Republicans for months to oppose any mass release of government records on convicted sex offender Jeffrey Epstein, President Donald Trump changed course just...
Vermont looks to encourage legal immigration pathways

Vermont looks to encourage legal immigration pathways

By Andrew RiceThe Center Square The Vermont legislature is looking toward legal immigration pathways to address labor shortages throughout the state. Vermont passed a bipartisan bill in May calling for...