An Illinois lawmaker from Glen Ellyn who heads a child welfare committee said the state must strengthen its laws and policies to protect homeschooled children facing inadequate education, abuse and neglect.

A Sangamon County judge on Wednesday blocked the Illinois State Board of Elections from enforcing a new law that would have prevented certain General Assembly candidates who didn’t run in the March primary from getting on the November ballot.

At 9 years old, L.J. started missing school. His parents said they would homeschool him. It took two years — during which he was beaten and denied food — for anyone to notice he wasn’t learning.

Dozens more former youth inmates filed lawsuits seeking millions of dollars in damages for sexual abuse they allegedly endured at Illinois detention centers dating back to the late 1990s.

Illinois primaries traditionally are held in March. But the General Assembly delayed the 2022 primary until June to give officials more time to incorporate 2020 census data into mandatory redistricting plans.

The Illinois Supreme Court may issue an opinion on Tuesday that could decide whether cashless bail for criminal defendants will be implemented in the state.

A health alert has been issued about a recent outbreak of E. coli that is possibly linked to Portillo’s in Glendale Heights, according to the Illinois Department of Public Health Friday.

Local health departments, some pharmacies to begin taking appointments Monday for residents who qualify for Phase 1B

Nationally, anticipated doses reduced from about 16 million to 8 million