SPRINGFIELD, Ill. (WAND) — This year was another busy year for Illinois politics. From Mike Madigan's downfall to a homeschool regulation plan failing, WAND is taking a look at the year's top political moments.
The year began with controversy in the Illinois House as some members of the Democratic caucus stood up against efforts to crack down on the intoxicating hemp market.Â
Gov. JB Pritzker advocated for legislation to ban packaging designed to look like food products and prohibit marketing targeted to children. The bill would also impose the same taxing and testing requirements the state has in place for recreational marijuana.
Intoxicating hemp would only be allowed to be sold to customers 21 and older at licensed dispensaries.
"This would've passed with a supermajority," Pritzker told reporters in January. "We know the vast majority of Democrats were in favor of it and the vast majority of Republicans were in favor of it. So the fact that it didn't get called, a bipartisan bill to safeguard the people of the state of Illinois, is a tragedy."
Illinois also saw the longest-serving statehouse speaker in U.S. history convicted and sent to prison this year. Michael Madigan reported to a West Virginia prison in October after a jury found him guilty of public corruption in February.
Madigan received a 90-month sentence, but the Velvet Hammer will also have to go through three years of probation and pay a $2.5 million fine for his illegal actions with Commonwealth Edison.
"We have got to get back to a place where people can trust government rather than grow government," said House Minority Leader Tony McCombie (R-Savanna). "We can't do it on the path that we're on."
The former Speaker requested an appeal of his case after sentencing, but the appellate court will not hold oral arguments for his case until well into next year. Madigan has also requested a pardon from President Donald Trump after he finishes his prison sentence.
Democratic leaders said they were fed up with the Trump administration's actions and needed to start focusing on putting up a strong fight to win up and down the ballot next year. They also celebrated Attorney General Kwame Raoul for his work defending the state in court battles against the president.
"I did get elected during Trump 1.0, but Trump 2.0 is something different," Raoul said during a Governor's Day rally at the Illinois State Fair. "It's an attack on our republic. It's an attack on our constitution."
Trump continued to influence the state's Republican party as more moderates retired and MAGA Republicans took office. The Illinois GOP tent was full of posters highlighting conservative values and goals at the Illinois State Fair.
"We believe in lower taxes and free speech," said IL GOP Chair Kathy Salvi. "That's why you hear so many diverse opinions in our party, right? God love it. If you want to have the iron fist of governance, go to a Marxist or communist country. Live a little while in Springfield."
Illinois House Democrats also paused action on a bill in April that would've created regulations for homeschooling after months of public backlash. The legislation required families to inform school districts if they choose to teach their children at home.
Parental figures would need to verify if they had a high school diploma or a GED to teach their children. Sponsors said they hoped the change would prevent abuse within homeschooling. Yet, Republicans and thousands of homeschool advocates said the plan was a government overreach.
"I am deeply sorry and disappointed that some people would use this as an opportunity to sow seeds of anger and fear by actively spreading misinformation to make people afraid rather than work together on the real issues," said former Rep. Terra Costa Howard (D-Lombard).
Republicans argued the idea was doomed to fail from the beginning.
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