Senate Republican caucus members voted this week to retain State Senator Bill Brady as Senate Republican Leader.

Deer hunters are reminded to focus on safety as the 2018 Illinois Firearm Deer Season opens this week. The seven-day firearm season begins this Friday, Nov. 16 through Sunday, Nov. 18. A second round of firearm deer hunting will be held from Nov. 29-Dec. 2.

First Lady Diana Rauner is leading an effort to provide holiday cheer for Illinois members of the military.

Unemployment insurance rates will be lower in 2019 for more than 92 percent of the state’s employers required to register and pay state Unemployment Insurance (UI) taxes, according to the Illinois Department of Employment Security (IDES). IDES said Illinois business owners are on target to pay $240 million less in UI taxes in 2019 compared to 2018. UI taxes paid by Illinois businesses this year topped $1.9 billion. Employers are expected to pay $1.66 billion in 2019.

The Illinois State Board of Education (ISBE) introduced a new and improved Illinois Report Card . The new 2018 Illinois Report Card has many innovative features and provides more constructive data about our schools than ever before.

Dozens of bills will be up for debate and discussion when the scheduled fall “veto session” begins Nov. 13. Members of the General Assembly will return to Springfield to either accept or override measures vetoed by Gov. Bruce Rauner earlier this year.

As daylight-saving time comes to an end at 2:00 a.m. on Nov. 4, Illinois residents are reminded to set their clocks back an hour.

The Illinois Department on Aging’s (IDoA) Senior Health Insurance Program (SHIP) is reminding seniors of the free counseling assistance available to Medicare-eligible individuals and their caregivers during Medicare Open Enrollment occurring October 15th through December 7th.

Illinoisans with an interest in history and the Mother Road are encouraged to nominate themselves for open seats on the recently created Route 66 Centennial Commission.

Gov. Bruce Rauner announced the state has acquired 2,629 acres of property in LaSalle County to protect natural resources and expand recreation opportunities, tourism and economic development near Starved Rock and Matthiessen state parks.

Recently, more than $14 million in capital improvement project funds were released by the Governor’s Office for the Department of Natural Resources’ state parks and recreation areas across the state. 

This week, the Governor’s office announced 11 Illinois communities are to receive a total of nearly $1.6 million to be used for recreational trail development projects intended to improve trails and outdoor recreational facilities. 

Election officials recently outlined steps they are taking to eliminate hacking risk and ensure voter information and votes aren’t compromised in the upcoming election. 

State Sen. Sue Rezin (R-Morris) is encouraging constituents to submit a tribute and photo of their loved ones who served our country to be displayed on the Veterans Day “Wall of Honor” in the Illinois Capitol Nov. 5-16.

Dozens of high school students from across the 38th Senate District participated in a unique, hands-on experience in public policy, state government, and leadership Oct. 10, as members of State Sen. Sue Rezin’s Youth Advisory Council.

Senator Rezin is reminding constituents her Morris office can help those in the 38th Senate District apply for a concealed carry license.

ComEd has some important tips to help customers protect their personal information and avoid falling victim to scams.

In just three years, the number of kindergarten through 12th grade school districts in Illinois able to access the internet at speeds of 100 kbps per student has improved by 25 percent—going from 71 percent to 96 percent. The report, done by EducationSuperHighway, tracks progress toward K-12 connectivity across the United States.

In preparation of the fiscal year 2020 budget, the Illinois State Board of Education (ISBE) has scheduled three statewide budget hearings in an effort to hear funding recommendations for public education. Educators, advocates, and community members are encouraged to communicate their funding requests in person at one of the upcoming hearings.

Legislation was filed this week to keep people who have been convicted of tax fraud out of public office.

If you are planning on hunting or trapping this year, make sure you know all the hunting periods, limits, application periods, and lottery dates before you go.

State Sen. Sue Rezin (R-Morris) will be joined by State Rep. David Welter (R-Morris) and State Rep. Tom Demmer (R-Dixon) for their “Coffee & Conversation,” an open conversation event for constituents Tuesday, Oct. 2 in Mendota.

The Illinois Department of Transportation announced that statewide car seat checks are being held as part of National Child Passenger Safety Week through Sept. 29. IDOT, the Illinois State Police and the secretary of state are partnering with dozens of agencies to check car seats and educate caregivers on appropriate selection, installation and use.

Are you looking for a job in Illinois? Are you looking to move elsewhere in the state? WalletHub released a list of more than 120 Illinois cities, ranking them based on their labor-market health.

Illinois will receive $43.5 million through a federal grant to be used in the fight against opioid abuse. About $29 million of that will go to increase the availability of addiction treatment and to help reduce overdose-related deaths through prevention, treatment, and recovery initiatives.