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Axios
07-03-2025
- Politics
- Axios
Illinois Republicans endorse Indiana's move to annex counties
The Indiana Legislature has Illinois in its crosshairs, renewing a storied state rivalry. Why it matters: The political maneuvering could reimagine how both states look — or might just poke at your civic pride. The latest: The Indiana House has passed two bills in recent weeks, one targeting downstate counties and another targeting Chicago sports teams. But these measures may be designed more for political posturing than reality. The big picture: The majority Republican state seems to be emboldened, aiming for Gov. JB Pritzker and the majority Democratic state of Illinois. In Illinois, Democrats hold all statewide elected offices and a supermajority in the House and Senate. In Indiana, the GOP holds all statewide elected offices and supermajorities in both of its chambers. Zoom in: One bill would annex several downstate Illinois counties that approved ballot measures to separate from the state. Reality check: Indiana can't just grab counties, especially since most of the ballot measures weren't about leaving Illinois, but splitting with Cook County. Plus, Illinois would need to play along and OK the deal — which, in 2025, under Democratic control, is not happening. What they're saying: Illinois Republicans are seizing on the move to emphasize their frustrations with Democrats, pointing out their own bill to split the state. "The frustration in rural Illinois is real, and it is growing by the day, and so it is good to see Indiana continuing its efforts to support the liberation of Illinois counties," state Rep. Brad Halbrook (R-Shelbyville) tells Axios. "I hope Illinois considers following Indiana's lead. HB 1500 deserves a hearing in Illinois." HB 1500 would require Pritzker to appoint a commission to study adjusting the state boundaries if Indiana passes its bill. Yes, but: If Indiana did annex the 33 conservative-leaning downstate counties, Illinois Republicans would lose those voters. The intrigue: Indiana also seems to want to lure a Chicago sports franchise across the border. The House passed a bill to establish a task force to explore building a stadium for a sports franchise like the Bears. Zoom out: The Bears are pushing for the state of Illinois to invest billions for a new stadium on the Museum Campus or in Arlington Heights, but the governor and the legislature haven't shown much interest in making that happen on the state's dime. Even if the Bears, who haven't shown interest in relocating to Indiana, entertain the notion of building across the state line, it's highly unlikely the state of Indiana has billions of dollars to spend to make a new stadium a reality. Plus, Indiana already has an NFL team — the Indianapolis Colts. Between the lines: Indiana has made it clear that any sports franchise looking for a new stadium would be welcome, which could include other franchises in need of a new home — namely, the Chicago White Sox. That could be more appealing since Indiana does not have an MLB team. The bottom line: These latest moves may heat up an ideological fight between the two states, but the reality is that it may be more bluster than beef. What's next: The Indiana Senate would have to approve the two bills for either to be passed into law.
Yahoo
02-03-2025
- Climate
- Yahoo
When does Daylight Savings start 2025? When the clocks go forward in Illinois
Get ready, Illinois: We're just under two weeks away from more sunlight. Daylight Saving Time in Illinois will begin at 2 a.m. on Sunday, March 9. While President Donald Trump has spoken about eliminating the practice, Illinois, like most states, continues to observe. From when DST takes effect to exactly why the U.S. established it, here's what you need to know about "springing forward" this year. In states that participate in Daylight Saving Time, clocks will turn forward one hour on the second Sunday of March. For 2025, that's March 9. Clocks will spring forward at 2 a.m. on Sunday, March 9. Illinois weather: Here's what two popular almanacs predict for spring 2025 weather in Illinois Yes, Illinois does observe Daylight Saving Time. State law gives individual states the option to exempt themselves from DST, and Illinois lawmakers have attempted to do in recent years. Illinois State Representative Brad Halbrook filed a bill in January, claiming the rationale for switching clocks was outdated. Other lawmakers have been debating the idea as far back as 2019, when the Senate passed a bill approving daylight saving time as the year-round standard in Illinois. In 2021, some state representatives filed bills to move Illinois to standard time, while others filed bills to mandate DST all year. None of those bills passed into law. We lose one hour of sleep when the clocks are turned ahead at 2 a.m. and Daylight Saving Time Begins, meaning the next day will likely leave many Americans sleepier than usual. According to the U.S. Department of Transportation, all states except Hawaii and Arizona — with the exception of the Navajo Nation — observe Daylight Saving Time. The following U.S. territories also do not change their clocks: American Samoa, Guam, Northern Mariana Islands, Puerto Rico and the Virgin Islands. The Uniform Time Act of 1966 allows individual states to exempt themselves from DST without permission from the DOT. However, states can only opt out, meaning they cannot choose to observe permanent Daylight Saving Time. Time zones and the length of DST are determined by the federal government and do not fall under state jurisdiction. In December, President Donald Trump stated in a Truth Social post the Republican Party would intend to do away with DST once he took office. 'Daylight Saving Time is inconvenient, and very costly to our Nation,' Trump wrote. Similar to state discussions, there are currently no finalized plans to change DST. The U.S. Senate in 2022 approved the Sunshine Protection Act which would make Daylight Saving Time permanent for the entire year, but the measure was held back by the U.S. House of Representatives and not signed by former President Joe Biden. Making DST permanent would require approval from Congress. Daylight Saving Time originated as an effort to save fuel and energy during World War II, when DST was made permanent in the U.S. for the length of the war. In 1974, President Richard Nixon signed a law to establish permanent DST again, with the idea it would conserve fuel. However, the legislation was short-lived, and Congress voted to switch back to standard time later that year. DST is now widely considered a way to make better use of daylight hours and save energy. While changing the clocks at midnight might seem to make the most sense, we officially 'spring forward' at 2 a.m. because of railroad schedules during World War I. No trains were leaving New York City at 2 a.m. on Sundays, so the railroad industry made the decision to change the clocks at that time to avoid disrupting train travel. For subscribers: How a central Illinois reverend helped shape American civil and voting rights The spring equinox in Illinois takes place at 5:01 a.m. March 20. The time marks the moment when the planet is halfway between the summer and winter solstices. Winter in Illinois began with the winter solstice on Dec. 21, 2024. Daylight Saving Time will come to an end Nov. 2, the first Sunday of November, giving us back that extra hour of sleep. This article originally appeared on Journal Star: Daylight Savings Time: First day of Spring forward, time change in Illinois
Yahoo
20-02-2025
- Politics
- Yahoo
Indiana House passes bill to consider ‘adopting' Illinois counties that wish to secede
INDIANAPOLIS, Ind. (WTVO) — The Indiana House of Representatives passed a bill Thursday that would study the possibility of adopting 33 Illinois counties that have expressed their desire to secede. The bill, or the 'Indiana-Illinois Boundary Adjustment Commission,' now heads to the Indiana Senate for consideration. Illinois Rep. Brad Halbrook introduced a companion bill in Illinois, , which would supply Illinois representatives to a bi-state commission. It is currently held up in the Rules Committee of the Illinois House. To date, passed non-binding referendums calling for separation from Cook County and the state. Illinois voters who support the referendums argue that Chicago and Cook County voters hold an oversized sway in policies enacted by the state legislature, and do not align with the priorities of rural voters. But, the process to annex those counties into Indiana would have to go through both Illinois and Indiana statehouses and Washington D.C. Redrawing state borders would ultimately take an act of Congress. Indiana House Speaker Todd Huston (R), who authored HB1008, said the economy of downstate Illinois would flourish under his state's 'low taxes, low regulatory environment, a ton of economic development already taking place.' Legislators feel moving a state line may be more palatable than creating a separate state to the US Congress, which would have the final say. 'It's a stunt. It's not going to happen,' Pritzker said in January. 'I don't think that's attractive for anyone in Illinois, where wages are higher and the standard of living is higher, and we do provide health care for people in need.' HB1500 passed with a vote of 69-25. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
Yahoo
04-02-2025
- Politics
- Yahoo
Illinois lawmakers renew push for permanent daylight saving time
SPRINGFIELD, Ill. – Illinois lawmakers are once again pushing to make daylight saving time permanent, a move that would end the need to change the clocks twice a year. Two Illinois lawmakers, Rep. Brad Halbrook (R-Shelbyvile) and Rep. Bob Morgan (D-Deerfield), have introduced legislation that would make daylight saving time 'the year-round standard time in the entire state.' Legal fees soar past $130k in court fight to pick St. Louis County prosecutor The bills, which contain nearly identical language, aim to eliminate the two yearly clock changes in March and November by making daylight saving time permanent. If approved, the change could take effect in March 2026, provided it aligns with federal regulations. Both bills (HB 1400 and HB 0039) have advanced to the Illinois House Rules Committee, though similar proposals have stalled there in recent years. Because of that, it remains unclear whether either measure will gain enough support to move forward. The debate over daylight saving time continues to be a hot-button topic in many states. Supporters may feel that more daylight in the evening hours could benefit businesses and improve public safety, while opponents warn of potential disruptions to time zones and sleeping patterns. Close Thanks for signing up! Watch for us in your inbox. Subscribe Now The Uniform Time Act of 1966, approved by U.S. President Lyndon Johnson, created Daylight Saving Time to begin on the last Sunday of April and end on the last Sunday of October. The annual observance has been modified to begin in early-March and end in early-November in recent years, though not all states recognize the annual time changes. In any case that Illinois were to pass a law for a permanent daylight saving change, it would still need to comply with federal laws. States that didn't previously make a change around a Congressional Amendment in 1972 would need approval from U.S. Congress to otherwise make the change a reality. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
