Illinois Quick Hits: Illinois House approves student cell phone ban

Spread the love

(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.

Leave a Comment





Latest News Stories

Illinois House pushes through bill restricting ICE detention centers in state

Illinois House pushes through bill restricting ICE detention centers in state

By Sean Reed | The Center SquareThe Center Square (The Center Square) – After heavy debate and Republican opposition, the Illinois House passed a bill that would all but ban...
Cheaper gas could take time amid tentative ceasefire

Cheaper gas could take time amid tentative ceasefire

By Brett RowlandThe Center Square Americans hoping for cheaper gasoline after the U.S.-Iran ceasefire will need to be patient, as oil prices and other economic factors continue to work against...
Trump says military remains in place as talks with Iran set to begin

Trump says military remains in place as talks with Iran set to begin

By Sarah Roderick-FitchThe Center Square President Donald Trump says that increased military assets in the Middle East will remain in place and ready as the U.S. and Iran embark on...
Illinois Quick Hits: Ex-nonprofit exec sentenced for state, federal grant fraud

Illinois Quick Hits: Ex-nonprofit exec sentenced for state, federal grant fraud

By Jim Talamonti | The Center SquareThe Center Square (The Center Square) – A former Chicago-area nonprofit executive has been sentenced to a year in federal prison for misappropriating nearly...
Lawmaker calls for department reform supporting Illinois families with disabled children

Lawmaker calls for department reform supporting Illinois families with disabled children

By Sean Reed | The Center SquareThe Center Square (The Center Square) – A Republican state representative in Illinois is continuing his push for simpler and less burdensome paths to...
Lawyers’ ‘misleading statements’ hang cloud over college finaid class action

Lawyers’ ‘misleading statements’ hang cloud over college finaid class action

By Scott Holland | Legal NewslineThe Center Square A federal judge won’t stop a class action alleging some of the country’s top higher education institutions colluded when awarding financial aid...
Screenshot 2026-04-08 at 5.36.09 PM

Casey City Council Approves Over $175,000 in Potential Matches for Downtown Business Redevelopment

Casey City Council Meeting | April 6, 2026 Article Summary: The Casey City Council unanimously approved four business district redevelopment agreements that will pump major upgrades into the downtown area,...
Ceasefire impact holds across markets despite varying reports on the Strait of Hormuz

Ceasefire impact holds across markets despite varying reports on the Strait of Hormuz

By Morgan SweeneyThe Center Square Stock markets soared and oil prices plummeted after the start of a two-week ceasefire with Iran, despite conflicting reports regarding the Strait of Hormuz. After...
SEC chairman returns ''first principles' to public markets, supports Texas exchange

SEC chairman returns ”first principles’ to public markets, supports Texas exchange

By Bethany BlankleyThe Center Square At a Texas Stock Exchange roundtable in Miami, Securities and Exchange Commission Chairman Paul Atkins outlined his plan to return “first principles” to public markets....
Complaint filed against AMA Foundation for racially discriminatory scholarships

Complaint filed against AMA Foundation for racially discriminatory scholarships

By Tate MillerThe Center Square Medical group Do No Harm filed a complaint with the Internal Revenue Service (IRS) against the American Medical Association Foundation, questioning whether the organization should...
Democrats vow to hold Bondi in contempt for refusing Epstein deposition

Democrats vow to hold Bondi in contempt for refusing Epstein deposition

By Thérèse BoudreauxThe Center Square Former Attorney General Pam Bondi is refusing to appear before the House Oversight Committee for her scheduled deposition April 14, an announcement that garnered a...
Commonwealth LNG signs supply deals with five major buyers

Commonwealth LNG signs supply deals with five major buyers

By Alton WallaceThe Center Square The owners of the proposed Commonwealth LNG export facility in Louisiana announced supply deals with five major buyers as the company crossed a key threshold...
Lawmakers hear debate over data centers including revenue, headaches

Lawmakers hear debate over data centers including revenue, headaches

By Sean Reed | The Center SquareThe Center Square (The Center Square) – With more than 100 new data center projects moving forward across Illinois in recent years, and thousands...
Illinois quick hits: Madigan corruption appeal to begin Thursday; Attorney General asks lawmakers for additional $15 million;

Illinois quick hits: Madigan corruption appeal to begin Thursday; Attorney General asks lawmakers for additional $15 million;

By Jim Talamonti | The Center SquareThe Center Square Madigan corruption appeal to begin Thursday Oral arguments are scheduled to begin Thursday afternoon in former Illinois House Speaker Michael Madigan’s...
Deficit watchdog urges Congress to cut more, spend less than Trump's budget request

Deficit watchdog urges Congress to cut more, spend less than Trump’s budget request

By Thérèse BoudreauxThe Center Square As congressional Republicans begin considering how to implement President Donald Trump’s budget request into next year’s government funding bills, fiscal responsibility groups are urging them...