ILLINOIS
AROUND THE STATE
After State Farm rate hike, legislators are pressured to provide relief. Here’s what could be on the table.
“Gov. JB Pritzker wasted no time in calling on state legislators to do something about rising insurance rates after State Farm announced it was hiking homeowners insurance by 27.2% beginning this month, citing rising costs due to extreme weather events and pricier repairs,” by the Chicago Tribune.
Gov. Pritzker to sign Illinois "Squatter Bill" into law, spokesperson says
“Illinois Governor JB Pritzker is expected to sign Senate Bill 1563, or the Squatter Bill, into law. The bill addresses the squatter problem in Illinois, making it easier for police to remove squatters from someone's home, bypassing the months-long eviction process,” by CBS Chicago.
Chicago activists urge Pritzker to pass law to make polluters pay for climate change damages
“Young climate activists from Chicago called on Gov. JB Pritzker to enact legislation that would make the fossil fuel industry — instead of taxpayers — responsible for funding green, resilient infrastructure and disaster response in the face of climate change, following similar bills recently passed in Vermont and New York,” by the Chicago Tribune.
Gov. JB Pritzker joins letter demanding release of federal education funding, with billions still in limbo
“Gov. JB Pritzker signed a letter with 17 other Democratic governors Thursday, calling on the Trump administration to release nearly $7 billion in withheld federal education grants. The grants, already appropriated by Congress, were abruptly frozen the day before they were set to be disbursed July 1,” by the Chicago Tribune.
Gov. Pritzker Presses PJM on Energy Affordability Crisis and Power Grid Reliability
“Governor JB Pritzker alongside a bipartisan group of nine governors from across the country, issued a letter to PJM Interconnection, the grid operator for Northern Illinois, urging the group to implement governance reforms to meet the ongoing energy affordability crisis and ensure power grid reliability for Illinois working families and businesses,” by the RiverBender.
CHICAGO
MORE FROM CITY HALL
Mayor Brandon Johnson again faces thorny politics of picking Zoning chair, other council appointments
“As the departure of Ald. Walter Burnett leaves Mayor Brandon Johnson with the challenge of picking his third Zoning Committee chair, the City Council’s Black and Latino caucuses have already begun jockeying for the highly coveted leadership spot,” by the Chicago Tribune.
City Council members pushing to legalize video gambling — at Chicago airports or even citywide
“City Council members are revving up the fight to legalize video gambling in Chicago — even after Mayor Brandon Johnson’s financial team argued that the meager jackpot is not worth pursuing. Two ordinances were introduced at Wednesday’s Council meeting, the last before the August recess,” by the Chicago Sun-Times.
Realtors push against bailing out CTA via real estate tax
“The statewide Realtors group plans to spend about half a million dollars warning suburban residents that Springfield might increase real estate transfer taxes statewide as a source of funding for the Chicago Transit Authority,” by Crain’s Chicago Business.
City Leaders Call On State Legislators To Act To Unmask ICE Agents
“City leaders, including Mayor Brandon Johnson, are calling on state legislators to ban federal law enforcement agents from concealing their identities. Alds. Michael Rodriguez (22nd) and Andre Vazquez (40th) on Wednesday introduced a resolution to the City Council that calls on state legislators to pass laws banning federal agents who are conducting arrests from wearing masks,” by Block Club Chicago.
Chicago inspector general drops push for second term
“Deborah Witzburg, Chicago's inspector general who has clashed with Mayor Brandon Johnson, will not seek appointment to a second four-year term as the city's top internal cop after previously signaling she intended to stay,” by Crain’s Chicago Business.
FEDERAL
Cozen Currents - Is Three a Crowd?
Elon Musk has announced his desire to build a third party but money alone isn’t enough to build a sustainable third party in modern-day America.
Uncertainty is a feature, not a bug, of President Trump’s trade policies, and the dizzying array of tariff threats underscores the never-ending questions and instability that the actions raise.
House Speaker Mike Johnson (R-LA) and GOP fiscal hawks are already talking up the possibility of passing a second (and even a third) reconciliation bill before the midterms, but neither time nor legislative history are on their side
Read the Cozen Currents here.
Beltway Briefing - Summer Snapshot: Epstein, AI and Public Trust
What’s top of mind for voters this summer? While the Epstein files dominate airwaves, pocketbook issues remain center stage. How are leaders leveraging infrastructure investments—especially in artificial intelligence—to spur economic growth? And how does voter trust vary across levels of government when it comes to delivering on these promises? Featuring Public Strategies’ Howard Schweitzer, Towner French, and Jim Davis.
Listen to the Beltway Briefing here.
