WUIS News

Illinois is throwing a bone to businesses who complain about high worker's compensation premiums.  The plan headed to the Governor would lower reimbursements for health care workers, cap payments to employees with certain injuries and add more scrutiny to the process in an effort to reduce fraud.  But not everyone agrees the changes will help make Illinois more business friendly. Sean Crawford reports...

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The Illinois Senate has passed a state budget that makes deep cuts to Governor Pat Quinn's original spending plan. The proposal approved by legislators last night cuts about $1.6 billion from Quinn's plan. The Illinois House passed the measure earlier in the day. (AP)

State lawmakers have passed the Illinois Dream Act. The House approved the measure by eight votes yesterday, and the bill now heads to Governor Pat Quinn's desk. The Dream Act would allow privately funded scholarships for children of both legal and illegal immigrants. (AP)

The Illinois Senate Executive Committee has approved a bill that would abolish the state's workers' compensation system. Democrats say it's time to start over after efforts to fix the system have failed, while critics call the idea irresponsible. The legislation now heads to the Senate floor, where passage would put it on Governor Pat Quinn's desk. (AP)

Legislation that would borrow money to let the state pay its overdue bills has failed in the Illinois Senate. Lawmakers considered one part of the plan to borrow nearly $6.2 billion last night, and the sponsor didn't call any other pieces of legislation after the first one was unsuccessful. Republicans say it's a mistake to pay bills by borrowing more money. (AP)

Gov. Pat Quinn is accusing Illinois House Republicans of wasting a rare chance to improve the state's workers' compensation system. The workers' compensation plan failed in the House 55-39 Sunday night. It needed 60 votes to pass. Republicans objected because most of the plan's savings came from cutting payments to doctors and hospitals. (AP)

The Illinois House has rejected a major overhaul to the state's workers' compensation system. The measure that would have cut business costs by more than $500 million fell five votes shy of passage last night. Governor Pat Quinn says House Republicans wasted a rare chance to improve the system. (AP)

Illinois' Constitution says public employees' pensions cannot be "diminished or impaired."  In other words, it's unconstitutional to cut the retirement benefits of state workers, university faculty, and teachers.  The clause was meant to keep legislators from cutting pensions as an easy way to cut costs. What's unclear is if there is any wiggle room.  The leaders of the Illinois House want to give it a try.  Their plan would leave retirees untouched.  But it would cut current workers' pensions going forward.  As Amanda Vinicky reports, unions are geared up to fight it. 

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Talks on how to reform the Illinois workers' compensation system could be paying off. Two key lawmakers says  there's a tentative plan to control the program's cost to business and address worries about corruption. Democratic Senator Kwame Raoul of Chicago says the plan would set up a medical network to handle workplace injuries. (Luke Runyon)

June First marks the first day in Illinois in which couples can apply for a civil union. As Jenna Dooley reports...that means same sex couples can enjoy many of the rights of marriage. But it also means there are plenty of details to work out.

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