Overview Before he was the architect of the Affordable Care Act (ACA), the nation’s most significant health care legislation since Medicare and Medicaid, Barack Obama’s passion for providing health insurance to low and middle class families stemmed from his time as a state legislator in the General Assembly. As a state senator representing Chicago’s Southside,Continue reading “Obama’s healthcare fight in the General Assembly”
Category Archives: Politics
How federal stimulus money will be allocated in Illinois
Overview President Biden recently signed into law a $1.9 trillion package to help further stimulate the economy in the wake of COVID. The massive amount of money will be allocated to all 50 states in various ways. This piece analyzes how much Illinois will receive and how that money will be allocated throughout the state.Continue reading “How federal stimulus money will be allocated in Illinois”
How Redistricting Works
Overview The Illinois Constitution of 1970 mandates that legislative maps are changed every 10 years. Additionally, the Federal government also requires that a U.S. census be commissioned ever 10 years as well to record data on demographic and socio-economic changes in the country. The census data is used as a mechanism so that the newlyContinue reading “How Redistricting Works”
Partnerships
FYM Podcast Two midwestern feminists break down the political news you need to know, and none of the misinformation you don’t. What’s going on, and how do these issues affect everyday Americans? Tune in for fact-based analysis delivered with humor, and weekly actions listeners can take to be informed and engaged citizens. Prairie State PolicyContinue reading “Partnerships”
Illinois’ First Minimum Wage Law
Overview The U.S. Federal minimum wage was first implemented in 1938 under the Roosevelt administration with the Fair Labor Standards Act (FLA). However, FLA did not mandate a universal minimum wage for all industries and were subject to exceptions. By the early 1970s, many state legislatures convened to address these issues by passing legislation toContinue reading “Illinois’ First Minimum Wage Law”
Illinois-Centric Books for the Holiday Season
Here at Prairie State Policy we like to read. In fact, some of our published work came from ideas or citations from Illinois-centric books. With many staying indoors this holiday season due to COVID-19, we decided to compile a list of Illinois-centric books for the savvy reader and Illinois politico. We hope this list containsContinue reading “Illinois-Centric Books for the Holiday Season”
Pat Quinn’s Cut Back Amendment
The Initiative that Created the Modern Organizational Structure of the General Assembly Topic: Politics & Public Management Overview Prior to 1980, the structure of the General Assembly looked very different. Instead of having one House representative per House district, each district contained three state representatives, plus a Senator. This resulted in bigger legislative districts andContinue reading “Pat Quinn’s Cut Back Amendment”
What is Home Rule?
Background The concept of home rule was first adopted in Article VII, Section 6 of the Illinois Constitution of 1970 to give units of local government greater power to pursue, implement, and administer its own policy initiatives, rather than the intervention of the state’s interests and power. Specifically, it allows municipalities of populations greater than 25,000 toContinue reading “What is Home Rule?”
An Overview of the Illinois Tollway
By: Ryley Bruun A Brief History In 1953, the Illinois State Toll Highway Commission was formed. The original intent of the tollway was for interstate travel across the county, rather than domestic commuters. With the Toll Highway Act, the Illinois State Toll Highway Authority (ISTHA) was given power to generate revenue via tolls to payContinue reading “An Overview of the Illinois Tollway”
Dissecting Illinois’ Pension Problem Part IV: History of Neglect (The 2010s)
The following is a continuation of Dissecting Illinois’ Pension Problem Part IV: History of Neglect (The 2000s) Illinois Public Act 96-0889 (2010) This legislation created a new tier of benefits for public employees hired after January 1, 2011 in lieu of the rising liabilities and was signed April 4, 2010 by Governor Quinn. Tier 1 membershipContinue reading “Dissecting Illinois’ Pension Problem Part IV: History of Neglect (The 2010s)”
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