Illinois Housing Inventory Still Trails Pre-Pandemic Levels
Although housing inventory has largely recovered nationwide, Illinois continues to lag significantly behind. Recent data show Illinois has regained only 38% of its pre-pandemic housing inventory, compared to approximately 92% nationally. In the Chicago area, available homes remain more than 50% below 2019 levels. The persistent shortage of homes has coincided with substantial increases in
Illinois’ Public Pension Costs Continue to Raise Funding Concerns
Illinois’ public pension system has faced financial challenges for decades, and benefits paid to some of the state’s highest-earning retirees continue to draw attention to the system’s long-term costs. In 2025, 184 retirees across Illinois’ five state-run pension systems received enough in annual pension benefits to place them among the top 5% of income earners
Pritzker Rarely Uses Veto Power as Illinois Governor
Gov. J.B. Pritzker has rarely used his veto authority during his time in office, signing most of the legislation that reaches his desk. In 2025 alone, he issued just four vetoes while 436 bills were passed. That pattern continued in 2026, when nearly 400 bills passed during the General Assembly’s second regular session and Pritzker
Pharma Companies Seek to Block State Expansion of Discount Drug Program
On August 7, 2026, Governor JB Pritzker signed into law a Senate Amendment to House Bill 2371, expanding the federal 340B Drug Pricing Program in Illinois. The federal program allows drug manufacturers that participate in Medicaid to offer discounts to participating clinics and hospitals, who, in turn, are expected to use the savings to reduce
Illinois Enacts the Chemicals in Cosmetic Products Act
Illinois has enacted new legislation that will impact manufacturers, distributors, and retailers of cosmetic and personal-care products. Governor J.B. Pritzker recently signed House Bill 3409, creating the Chemicals in Cosmetic Products Act, which takes effect on July 1, 2028. Under the Act, businesses may not knowingly manufacture, sell, deliver, hold, or offer for sale cosmetic
Illinois Population Decline Forecast to Accelerate Through 2033
Illinois’ population decline is forecast to accelerate over the next several years, with the State losing an additional 600,000 residents (450,000 of whom are considered prime working age) by 2033. The population of Illinois residents under the age of 20 decreased by 6.8% between 2020 and 2025. In 2024, 83,000 Illinois residents left the state,
Proposed MOVE Act Seeks to Expand Access to Portable Mortgages
Federal lawmakers recently introduced legislation that could change how homeowners approach moving while carrying an existing mortgage. On August 3, 2026, Representative Thomas Kean Jr. introduced the Making Ownership Viable for Everyone (“MOVE”) Act, a proposal designed to expand the availability of portable mortgages in the United States. Unlike a traditional mortgage tied to a
SEIU Donates $1.1 Million to Chicago School Board Candidates Amid Ongoing CTU Dispute
The Service Employees International Union SEIU has donated $1.1 million to candidates in the upcoming Chicago School Board election. This is the latest step in an ongoing feud between SEIU Local 73 and the Chicago Teachers Union (CTU), former political allies that both represent Chicago Public Schools CPS employees. The feud dates to February 2025,
Federal Court Strikes Down Houston’s Race-Based Public Contracting Program
A federal court recently struck down the race-based components of Houston’s Minority, Women, and Small Business Enterprise (“MWSBE”) Program, concluding that portions of the City’s longstanding public contracting program violated the Equal Protection Clause of the Fourteenth Amendment. In Landscape Consultants of Texas, Inc., et al. v. City of Houston, et al., the U.S. District
Illinois Tollway Approves Historic Toll Increase Beginning in 2027
Yesterday, the Illinois Toll Board approved the largest toll increase in Illinois history. All 8 members of the Illinois Toll Board voted for the historic toll hike to fund a $ 26.5 billion, 15-year capital improvement plan. The capital improvement plan is designed to fund major transportation infrastructure projects across northern Illinois, including roadway reconstruction,