October 30, 2025/
WATCH: Debate around which tax to increase; pension enhancements, energy bills advance
(The Center Square) – In today’s edition of Illinois in Focus Daily, The Center Square Editor Greg Bishop reviews the ongoing debate at the Illinois Statehouse about which taxes to increase during the final days of fall veto session. Among the proposals are an “amusement tax,” a retail delivery tax and decoupling Illinois tax code from the federal tax code.
Bishop also reviews several measures advancing through the legislature, including a pension reform measure that passed an Illinois House committee and an energy measure focused on renewables that passed the Illinois House. Both chambers are in session for the final day of veto session Thursday.
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.
Events
Latest News Stories
Israeli government approves Gaza ceasefire
By Sarah Roderick-FitchThe Center Square The Israeli government has approved a ceasefire as part of the first phase of the peace plan with Hamas. The deal comes ahead of President...
Florida teens credited for averting school shooting plot in Washington state
By Carleen JohnsonThe Center Square Two teenage boys in Florida are being called heroes for their response to a five-second TikTok video last month that may well have averted disaster...
IRS reveals tax inflation adjustments for 2026
By Morgan SweeneyThe Center Square Americans can look forward to bigger standard deductions on their 2026 taxes and higher standard deductions on their 2025 taxes, thanks to inflation and the...
Spokane leaders mount one-of-a-kind effort to reaffirm treatment-first approach
By Tim ClouserThe Center Square A coalition out of Spokane is preparing to collect signatures from leaders across the region to coordinate a countywide homelessness response without funding commitments attached....
GOP senators call for restrictions on generic abortion drugs
By Brett RowlandThe Center Square Fifty-one U.S. Senators called on the U.S. Food and Drug Administration and the Department of Health and Human Services on Thursday for more restrictions on...
Federal judge grants Illinois restraining order against Trump for Guard deployment
By Jim TalamontiThe Center Square A federal judge has granted the state of Illinois’ request for a temporary restraining order to prevent the Trump administration and the U.S. Army from...
Senate to vote on bill authorizing $925 billion for military, national security
By Thérèse BoudreauxThe Center Square The National Defense Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 2026, a $925 billion bill setting funding levels for America’s national defense spending, has finally hit the...
New York AG Letitia James indicted on fraud charges
By Chris WadeThe Center Square A federal grand jury in Virginia on Thursday indicted New York Attorney General Letitia James on mortgage fraud charges. U.S. Attorney for the Eastern District...
Poll: University presidents, athletics directors sour on competition trends
By David BeasleyThe Center Square Leaders at U.S. colleges and universities in the top athletic division aren’t happy with the way the high-level competition is trending, including the increasing costs...
Palisades Fire report praises firefighters, cites challenges
By Dave MasonThe Center Square Los Angeles’ initial response to the fast-spreading Palisades Fire was hampered by communications breakdowns and problems with the Los Angeles City Fire Department leadership, according...
Lawmakers propose amendment to overturn Citizens United
By Elyse ApelThe Center Square Democratic lawmakers in four states have proposed a constitutional amendment to overturn the U.S. Supreme Court’s decision in Citizens United v. Federal Election Commission. That...
WATCH: Noem says DHS ‘doubling down’ in Chicago
By Greg BishopThe Center Square The U.S. Department of Homeland Security is getting more property in Chicago for federal law enforcement efforts, according to Secretary Kristi Noem. DHS has been...
Illinois gas price drop sparks mileage tax talk, road fund healthy
By Catrina Barker | The Center Square contributorThe Center Square (The Center Square) – As gas prices fall across Illinois, state and local governments may see a decrease in revenue...
