Author: Rock Fusco Connelly LLC
Illinois Lawmakers Advance New Regulations for Data Centers
With the rise in data centers, states like Illinois are considering regulations to control the booming artificial intelligence sector. Data centers underpin the technological revolution, but critics worry they drain vital resources like water and electricity. Illinois lawmakers are drafting legislation to address these concerns. The Illinois Data Center Energy and Water Reporting Act
Springfield Delays Swipe Fee Law for Second Time After Bankers Push Back
Originally set to take effect on July 1, 2025, the Interchange Fee Prohibition Act (IFPA), which will prevent financial institutions and payment card networks from charging or retaining interchange fees on the tax and gratuity portions of credit and debit card transactions, has been pushed back by Illinois lawmakers another year for an effective date
RFC Obtains Summary Judgment In Multi-Party Construction Negligence Lawsuit
RFC attorneys Cory D. Anderson and Sagar P. Thakkar recently obtained summary judgment on behalf of an RFC client named as a defendant in a multi-party negligence lawsuit arising from catastrophic personal injuries sustained on a construction job site in Cook County, Illinois. RFC’s client was one of multiple contractor defendants named in the litigation, and plaintiffs’
Transportation Chief Takes Action on English Test for Truck Drivers
On April 28, 2025, President Donald Trump issued an executive order enforcing the federal requirement that professional drivers be proficient in English. The President says that under Federal law, in order to operate a commercial vehicle, a driver must “read and speak the English language sufficiently to converse with the general public, to understand highway
Illinois Lawmakers Given More Time to Address CTA Service Cuts
As a result of anticipated 2026 budget cuts, funds originally set aside for both Metra and Pace are now being reallocated to the Chicago Transit Authority to help extend services further into next year. This has given legislators in the state more time to address the previously made cuts and attempt to fill the budget
Transportation Brokers Must Face Lawsuits Over Negligent Drivers, Illinois Court Rules
The Illinois First District Appellate Court recently decided that brokers for transportation and trucking services can no longer use federal law to shield themselves from liability in automobile death cases caused by drivers they hire. Amid an ongoing judicial debate over the application of The Federal Aviation Administration Act (“FAAA”) in state tort claims, the
Illinois Allowed to Refuse Assisting Federal ICE Agents but Cannot Interfere with Enforcement
On July 25th, U.S. District Judge Lindsay C. Jenkins threw out the Justice Department’s lawsuit which attempted to enforce Illinois into compliance with their requests for immigration enforcement assistance. While the Judge has sided with the state, she hasn’t provided a free pass to act against ICE’s recent measures. The Court ruled that while federal
CME Group Beats Class Action by Commodities Traders
Concluding a legal battle which has stretched more than a decade, a Chicago jury recently returned a verdict in favor of CME Group Inc., and against a group of commodities traders claiming wrongful denial of access to an Aurora data center specifically built by the exchange for high-speed algorithmic trading in 2012. After only four
Chicago Dead Last Among Major U.S. Metros on Building New Homes
According to data released by Construction Coverage, an analytics service for building and real estate professionals, Chicago has ranked last among the top metro areas in the county for the number of new homes built in 2024. Last year, the Chicagoland municipalities authorized 4.5 new homes for every 1,000 existing residential units. That’s less than
What the “One Big Beautiful Bill” Means for Your Taxes
On July 4, 2025, the federal government passed a major new bill known as the “One Big Beautiful Bill” (OBBB). This legislation extends many parts of the 2017 Tax Cuts and Jobs Act and introduces several new tax rules that could impact individuals, families, and business owners for years to come. Temporary Tax Cuts Are