Jack O'Connor

Jack O'Connor is a former intern who covered the Illinois General Assembly.

Homewood-Flossmoor Community High School in Flossmoor, April 14, 2026. A bill in the Illinois legislature would mandate one-year expulsions for any student who commits or attempts to commit sexual assault. In 2022, an alleged sexual assault took place at Homewood-Flossmoor High School and the perpetrator went unpunished, according to the victim's mother. (Antonio Perez/Chicago Tribune)

Illinois bill would force one-year expulsions for students who commit sexual assault

April 20, 2026 at 9:33 a.m.

The parents of students who were sexually assaulted in school are pushing Illinois lawmakers to support a bill to mandate a one-year expulsion for students who commit sexual assault.

Dental assistant Cerrita Mills checks a preschooler’s teeth while paraprofessional educator Rosie Sierra holds the child’s hand at Kimberly Heights School on April 1, 2026, in Tinley Park. The dental clinic was run by Universal Dental Clinics. They expected to see over 100 preschoolers and kindergarteners during the session. (Stacey Wescott/Chicago Tribune)

As participation declines, dentists are pushing to hand the state oversight of program that helps Chicago students

April 9, 2026 at 6:22 a.m.

Some dentists are backing legislation in the Illinois General Assembly to end Chicago's ability to run its own program for students to get dental care at CPS schools and replace...

David Diller, left, a member of the Illinois State Rifle Association board of directors, fires a Glock 17 Gen. 5 next to Mandi Ehler, behind him, the ISRA director of education and training, who fires a Glock 43 at the Illinois State Rifle Association range in Bonfield, Illinois, on April 6, 2026. (Josh Boland/Chicago Tribune)

Illinois bill would force gunmakers to redesign pistols that can be converted to automatic weapons

April 8, 2026 at 6:49 a.m.

While supporters say the proposal would make it harder for criminals to obtain fully automatic firepower, gun rights advocates are already lining up to counter that it unfairly targets manufacturers...

Professors, students and supporters march around the quad on the University of Illinois Springfield campus, April 3, 2026, as the University of Illinois Springfield United Faculty goes on strike. (Jack O'Connor/Chicago Tribune)

U of I Springfield professors union goes on strike

April 3, 2026 at 3:10 p.m.

Tenured and tenure-track faculty members at the University of Illinois Springfield campus went on strike Friday morning over demands for better pay and protections against AI.

Lt. Gov. Juliana Stratton, the Democratic nominee for U.S. Senate, greets Amtrak police while thanking voters March 18, 2026, at the Great Hall in Union Station the morning after winning her primary election. (Brian Cassella/Chicago Tribune)

Lt. Gov. Juliana Stratton looking to make history in US Senate race against ex-Illinois GOP chair Don Tracy

March 18, 2026 at 5:07 p.m.

If she defeats Republican nominee Don Tracy in November, Democratic Lt. Gov. Juliana Stratton would become just the sixth Black woman — and the second from Illinois — to be...

Democratic Illinois senatorial candidate Raja Krishnamoorthi listens in as 8th District Democratic Illinois House candidate John Harrell speaks about Krishnamoorthi during a campaign stop at MacArthur’s Restaurant in Chicago’s Austin neighborhood on March 14, 2026. (Chris Sweda/Chicago Tribune)

On final weekend before Illinois primary, candidates try to keep it local despite flood of out-of-state money

March 15, 2026 at 6:12 p.m.

Candidates on the final weekend before Tuesday's primary fanned out across the state to hit traditional campaign stops, including the South Side Irish Parade, city churches and downstate rallies.

Sen. Sara Feigenholtz, D-Chicago, on Oct. 12, 2022. Feigenholtz faces 29-year-old Nick Uniejewski in the upcoming election. (E. Jason Wambsgans/Chicago Tribune)

Illinois Democrats spend $190,000 to defend state Sen. Sara Feigenholtz from progressive challenger

March 14, 2026 at 5:00 a.m.

The Democratic Party of Illinois' six-figure expenditure for mailers supporting state Sen. Sara Feigenholtz's campaign comes as she faces upstart challenger Nick Uniejewski, a former city policy analyst.

A person stands in front of a Meta sign outside of the company's headquarters in Menlo Park, California, on March 7, 2023. (Jeff Chiu/AP)

Meta set to spend $750K backing Illinois statehouse candidates as AI and social media legislation looms

March 5, 2026 at 5:00 a.m.

A super PAC created by Meta has spent nearly $340,000 on on mailers and digital advertising to support four Chicago and Chicago-area Democratic state House primary candidates.

Teacher Heather Debby collects cellphones in a classroom at Disney II Magnet School in Chicago on March 13, 2025. Students have the option to place their device in a phone locker or keep them in their backpacks, in addition to not allowing students to take their phone to the bathroom. (Antonio Perez/Chicago Tribune)

Gov. JB Pritzker renews call to ban cellphones in schools across Illinois after effort fell short last year

February 24, 2026 at 5:00 a.m.

The latest bill would require schools to adopt a “bell-to-bell” policy for K-12 students, while last year’s proposal only focused on banning phones during instructional time.

Senate Majority Leader Kimberly Lightford speaks among supporters on Feb. 17, 2026, about the Adequate and Equitable Public University Funding Formula at the Illinois State Capitol in Springfield. (Brian Cassella/Chicago Tribune)

Illinois lawmakers push university funding overhaul amid regional enrollment drops and U. of I. opposition

March 24, 2026 at 11:29 a.m.

As enrollments drop at so-called directional universities, lawmakers are pushing a revised higher ed funding plan this spring despite University of Illinois opposition.

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