Illinois Quick Hits: Illinois House approves student cell phone ban
(The Center Square) – The Illinois House has approved a bill banning students from using cell phones during the school day.
Senate Bill 2427 passed after a floor amendment was added on Thursday, with 102 votes in favor and only three opposed.
The measure now goes back to the Senate for concurrence.
SMALL BIZ OPTIMISM DECLINES
The NFIB Small Business Optimism Index fell 3 points in March to 95.8, below the 52-year average of 98.0.
The last time the index fell below its historical average was April 2025.
The NFIB Uncertainty Index rose 4 points to 92, well above its historical average of 68.
NFIB Illinois State Director Noah Finley said Illinois legislators must tamp down on proposals that would impose new costs and legal liabilities on Main Street businesses.
TEXAS MAN GETS 23-YEAR PRISON SENTENCE FOR CRYPTO SCAM
A federal judge in Chicago has sentenced a Houston, Texas man to 23 years in prison for orchestrating a cryptocurrency scam that bilked nearly 1,000 investors out of more than $20 million.
Robert Dunlap, 55, was also ordered to pay restitution to his victim investors. Prosecutors say Dunlap claimed the Meta-1 Coin was backed by billions of dollars in art and gold, and many victims lost all their savings.
FREEDOM CAUCUS: ABOLISH EQUITY AND INCLUSION COMMISSION
Following reporting by The Center Square and testimony before a House committee this week, the Illinois Freedom Caucus is calling for the Illinois Commission on Equity and Inclusion to be abolished.
State Rep. Brad Halbrook, R-Shelbyville, said in a statement that the commission is doing the opposite of what it was created to do, and the taxpayers have paid millions of dollars for failure.
Latest News Stories
Johnson: Republicans ‘have plans’ to ‘fix’ Obamacare
Illinois House Speaker: ‘Mr. Trump, tear down this fence!’
MIT rejects White House education demands
Energy cost concerns loom as legislators look at policy changes
WATCH: Trump touts ‘historic’ ‘Peace Summit’ as world leaders convene in Egypt
PJM exit: A price solution or power move?
U.S. consumers to pay 55% of tariff costs, Goldman Sachs says
JPMorganChase to invest $10B in U.S. firms key to national security
Broadview, Illinois reduces ICE protest zone after ‘chaos,’ 15 arrests
Louisiana: Voting Rights Act ‘balkanizes’ competing racial factions
Illinois’ ‘F’ grade leaves taxpayers on the hook for billions, watchdog says
Democrat Mills to challenge Collins with for U.S. Senate