August 21, 2025/

WATCH: Illinois In Focus Daily | Thursday Aug. 21st, 2025

Spread the love

By Greg Bishop | The Center Square
The Center Square

(The Center Square) – In today’s edition of Illinois in Focus Daily, The Center Square Editor Greg Bishop shares comments from Democrats and Republicans vying for their party’s nomination for U.S. Senate, and what they see as the crucial issues will turn out voters to the primary polls.

Bishop also shares some of the back-and-forth over gerrymandering with Illinois Gov. J.B. Pritzker responding to a push by former Obama cabinet officials urging for an amendment to the Illinois Constitution for a non-partisan commission to draw congressional and legislative maps, instead of politicians drawing the boundaries.

Finally, Bishop reviews just some of the 271 bills Illinois Gov. J.B. Pritzker acted upon in the last week, including measures impacting the courts, schools, digital currency regulation and more. Of all that, the governor vetoed two of them setting up possible action during veto session scheduled in October.

Watch the full program below. Subscribe to Illinois in Focus Daily with The Center Square on YouTube. You can also subscribe to the Illinois in Focus podcast to get the entire show uninterrupted.

Part 1

Part 2

Leave a Comment





Latest News Stories

Bill filed to create Illinois Epstein Files Investigation Commission

Bill filed to create Illinois Epstein Files Investigation Commission

By Jim Talamonti | The Center SquareThe Center Square (The Center Square) – A state lawmaker is proposing a commission to investigate the ties that convicted sex offender Jeffrey Epstein’s...
Lawmakers request DOJ probe into whether Somali fraud and ICE protests are linked

Lawmakers request DOJ probe into whether Somali fraud and ICE protests are linked

By Thérèse BoudreauxThe Center Square The U.S. House Oversight Committee is requesting that the Department of Justice investigate whether the Somali welfare fraud and anti-immigration enforcement protests in Minnesota are...
Questions remain on Trump's plans for $2,000 tariff rebate checks

Questions remain on Trump’s plans for $2,000 tariff rebate checks

By Brett RowlandThe Center Square American consumers hoping for tariff refunds could be disappointed. The U.S. Supreme Court invalidated President Donald Trump's tariffs under the 1977 International Emergency Economic Powers...
Illinois Quick Hits: EPA offers grants to public water facilities

Illinois Quick Hits: EPA offers grants to public water facilities

By Jim Talamonti | The Center SquareThe Center Square (The Center Square) – The Illinois Environmental Protection Agency’s Office of Energy is offering up to $1.5 million in grant funding...
Victims, families support bill protecting victims of sexual assault in schools

Victims, families support bill protecting victims of sexual assault in schools

By Sean Reed | The Center Square contributorThe Center Square (The Center Square) – State lawmakers gathered with victims, parents and advocates in support of a bill requiring Illinois schools...
Retired military officials warn CMS bidding expansion poses national security risks

Retired military officials warn CMS bidding expansion poses national security risks

By Tom JoyceThe Center Square A coalition of retired military officers and former national security officials is urging the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services to halt an expansion of...
Lobbyist: Passenger rail planning bill has no fiscal impact this year

Lobbyist: Passenger rail planning bill has no fiscal impact this year

By Jim Talamonti | The Center SquareThe Center Square (The Center Square) – Rail planning advocates say there would be no immediate fiscal impact if lawmakers pass legislation laying the...
U.S. Supreme Court appears skeptical of drug user gun ban

U.S. Supreme Court appears skeptical of drug user gun ban

By Andrew RiceThe Center Square U.S. Supreme Court justices appeared skeptical during arguments on Monday over a law that disarms habitual drug users. The case, U.S. v. Hemani, challenged a...
Illinois job market stalls, more than 300,00 left looking for work

Illinois job market stalls, more than 300,00 left looking for work

By Glenn Minnis | The Center Square contributorThe Center Square (The Center Square) – Illinois Policy Institute’s Josh Bandoch points to Springfield when it comes to the state’s outlier status...
Poll: 47% of U.S. voters oppose bombing Iran

Poll: 47% of U.S. voters oppose bombing Iran

By Emily RodriguezThe Center Square A new survey found that a plurality of United States voters oppose the bombing of Iran. With Operation Epic Fury underway, Napolitan News Service conducted...
WATCH/EXCLUSIVE: Title IX debate continues with Supreme Court decision pending

WATCH/EXCLUSIVE: Title IX debate continues with Supreme Court decision pending

By Esther WickhamThe Center Square A national debate over Title IX enforcement continues as the Trump administration investigates schools and universities that allow transgender students to compete in women's sports....
Illinois diversity commissioner did not properly disclose $23K side job

Illinois diversity commissioner did not properly disclose $23K side job

By Jared Strong | The Center SquareThe Center Square (The Center Square) – A member of Illinois' highly-paid diversity commission disclosed a side job to state officials in a manner...
DOJ indicts 30 more in St. Paul church protest case

DOJ indicts 30 more in St. Paul church protest case

By Elyse ApelThe Center Square Dozens have now been indicted on federal charges related to a protest that disrupted a Jan. 18 church service in St. Paul. U.S. Attorney General...
Hegseth: Operation Epic Fury 'just the beginning' of U.S. action in Iran

Hegseth: Operation Epic Fury ‘just the beginning’ of U.S. action in Iran

By Thérèse BoudreauxThe Center Square Operation Epic Fury is “just the beginning” of American combat operations in Iran, Secretary of War Pete Hegseth and General Dan Caine told reporters Monday....
Trump administration tells court tariff refunds 'will take time'

Trump administration tells court tariff refunds ‘will take time’

By Brett RowlandThe Center Square Attorneys for the federal government said refunding tariffs to the U.S. businesses that paid them could take time and urged a court not to rush,...