Illinois news in brief

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[March 27, 2021]    The Center Square

Illinois reports climbing COVID-19 metrics

Illinois is one of many states where there has been an uptick in COVID-19 cases.

The Illinois Department of Public Health on Thursday reported 2,190 new confirmed and probable cases of the coronavirus, with 35 additional deaths. Many of the new cases are people under the age of 30.

 

The Peoria County Health Department is blaming spring high school sports and St. Patrick’s Day gatherings for the surge.

State investigates sale of fake vaccine cards

Illinois authorities are investigating the sale of bogus vaccination cards.

The fake vaccination cards are being sold on eBay and Craigslist for prices from a few dollars to a few hundred dollars.

They are often described as “novelty items” and one ad in Winfield included a disclaimer, “I am not liable for any illegal use.”

Illinois lawmakers could expand lockbox-restricted road fund uses

Illinois lawmakers are seeking to expand how state transportation tax revenue should be spent.

Members of the Illinois House Revenue and Finance Committee have advanced a bill that would allow suburban Chicago counties to spend tax revenue that is protected by the state constitution’s lockbox amendment on “nonvehicular public travel, sidewalks and bicycle paths.”

Republicans fear the expanded use of the protected funds will lead to the neglect of ailing roads and bridges.

Pritzker vetoes prejudgement interest litigation bill

Gov. J.B. Pritzker issued a rare veto Thursday.

He struck down a bill that would grant prejudgment interest in personal injury cases. Another bill that does nearly the same thing passed in the state Senate moments after the veto announcement.

Business and health care groups opposed the measure.

State transportation revenue falls amid pandemic

Illinois came up $1 billion short in expected transportation tax revenue last year.

Due to COVID-19, the Illinois Economic Policy Institute estimates the state's travelers did so up to 40% less compared to 2019.

Taxes on things like fuel pay for infrastructure spending.

Unemployment numbers decline

Illinois' jobless numbers are improving.

The Illinois Department of Employment Security says the unemployment rate decreased -0.3 percentage point to 7.4 percent.

Nonfarm payrolls are up +21,100 jobs in February.

 

 

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