WASHINGTON, July 17 -- A coalition of State Attorneys General from 15 states has submitted a public comment letter to the U.S. Department of Energy (DOE), challenging the agency's proposal to withdraw its determination that air cleaners are covered consumer products under the Energy Policy and Conservation Act (EPCA). The coalition argues that eliminating the associated energy conservation standards and test procedures would negatively impact energy efficiency and increase consumer costs. The l  more

SPRINGFIELD, Illinois, July 16 (TNSLrpt) -- A compliance examination released today by the State of Illinois, Office of the Auditor General has revealed 12 new and recurring findings of noncompliance within the Illinois Law Enforcement Training and Standards Board (ILETSB). The report, issued by Auditor General Frank J. Mautino, highlights deficiencies in equipment controls, computer security, and officer training oversight for the two years ended June 30, 2024. According to the audit, conducte  more

WASHINGTON, July 15 -- Sen. Tammy Duckworth, D-Illinois, issued the following news release: * * * Duckworth Stresses Urgent Need to Modernize Our Air Traffic Control Systems at Summit * July 15, 2025 [WASHINGTON, D.C.] - U.S. Senator Tammy Duckworth (D-IL)--a member of the U.S. Senate Committee on Commerce, Science and Transportation (CST) and Ranking Member of the Aviation Subcommittee--today underscored both the long-term and immediate actions the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) mu  more

WASHINGTON, July 16 -- Sen. Tammy Duckworth, D-Illinois, issued the following news release: * * * Duckworth, Young, Colleagues Reintroduce Bipartisan Bill to Increase Investment in Small Businesses * July 16, 2025 [WASHINGTON, D.C.] - U.S. Senator Tammy Duckworth (D \- IL) joined U.S. Senators Todd Young (R \- IN), Ruben Gallego (D \- AZ) and Jim Risch (R \- ID) in reintroducing the Investing in Main Street Act to increase investment in small businesses by permitting banks to invest up to   more

SPRINGFIELD, Illinois, July 17 (TNSrep) -- The Illinois Department of Public Health issued the following news on July 16, 2025: * * * IDPH Posts Nursing Home Violations for First Quarter of 2025 SPRINGFIELD - The Illinois Department of Public Health (IDPH) announced that it has posted the 2025 First Quarter Report of Nursing Home Violations. Details on the 243 violation reports completed in the first quarter of 2025 may be found HERE on the IDPH website (https://dph.illinois.gov/topics-servic  more

SPRINGFIELD, Illinois, July 16 (TNSLrpt) -- The Illinois Auditor General issued the following report involving Department of Commerce and Economic Opportunity -- Compliance Examination. Here are excerpts: * * * SYNOPSIS * (24-4) The Department did not comply with various statutory mandates. * (24-5) The Department did not comply with the Energy Transition Act (20 ILCS 730). * (24-6) The Department's organizational chart contains excessive vacancies and no longer reflects a usable represent  more

SPRINGFIELD, Illinois, July 16 (TNSLrpt) -- The Illinois Auditor General issued the following report involving Department of Insurance -- Compliance Examination. Here are excerpts: * * * SYNOPSIS * (24-01) The Department of Insurance (Department) did not have adequate controls over the collection of its accounts receivable. * (24-02) The Department did not timely submit its vouchers for payment to the Office of Comptroller and had processing weaknesses during the examination period. * (24-  more

SPRINGFIELD, Illinois, July 16 (TNSLrpt) -- The Illinois Auditor General issued the following report involving Department of Military Affairs -- Compliance Examination. Here are excerpts: * * * SYNOPSIS * (24-6) The Department of Military Affairs (Department) did not exercise adequate internal control over its commodities inventories. * (24-7) The Department failed to fully comply with the Fiscal Control and Internal Auditing Act and International Standards for the Professional Practice of   more

SPRINGFIELD, Illinois, July 16 (TNSLrpt) -- The Illinois Auditor General issued the following report involving Department of Revenue -- Financial Audit. Here are excerpts: * * * REPORT DIGEST DEPARTMENT OF REVENUE FINANCIAL AUDIT FOR THE YEAR ENDED JUNE 30, 2024 Release Date: July 15, 2025 FINDINGS THIS AUDIT: 0 FINDINGS LAST AUDIT: 1 State of Illinois, Office of the Auditor General FRANK J. MAUTINO, AUDITOR GENERAL To obtain a copy of the Report contact: Office of the Auditor General, 40  more

SPRINGFIELD, Illinois, July 16 (TNSLrpt) -- The Illinois Auditor General issued the following report involving Summary Report on Follow-up to Performance Audit Recommendations. Here are excerpts: * * * Background: The State Auditing Act empowers the Auditor General to conduct performance audits when directed by a resolution of the Legislative Audit Commission, House of Representatives, or Senate. A Public Act may also be enacted directing an audit. The Performance Audit Division of the Offic  more

SPRINGFIELD, Illinois, July 16 (TNSLrpt) -- The Illinois Auditor General issued the following report involving Human Rights Commission -- Compliance Examination. Here are excerpts: * * * SYNOPSIS * (23-1) The Human Rights Commission's (Commission) internal controls over its voucher processing function were not operating effectively during the examination period. FINDINGS, CONCLUSIONS, AND RECOMMENDATIONS VOUCHER PROCESSING INTERNAL CONTROLS NOT OPERATING EFFECTIVELY The Human Rights Commis  more

SPRINGFIELD, Illinois, July 16 (TNSLrpt) -- The Illinois Auditor General issued the following report (No. xx) involving Illinois Department of Transportation -- Financial Audit. Here are excerpts: * * * INTRODUCTION The Department of Transportation (Department) is responsible for administrating and supervising the State's transportation activities, including highways, rail, public transportation, and aeronautics. This digest covers the Department's financial audit as of and for the year ende  more

SPRINGFIELD, Illinois, July 16 (TNSLrpt) -- The Illinois Auditor General issued the following report involving Intermediate Service Center #2: West Cook -- Financial Audit. Here are excerpts: * * * SYNOPSIS * (21-1) The Intermediate Service Center #2 did not provide completed financial statements in an auditable form by the August 31 deadline. * (21-2) The Intermediate Service Center #2 did not have adequate internal control procedures. * (21-3) The Intermediate Service Center #2 lacked  more

SPRINGFIELD, Illinois, July 16 (TNSLrpt) -- The Illinois Auditor General issued the following report involving Legislative Information System -- Compliance Examination. Here are excerpts: * * * REPORT DIGEST SYNOPSIS * (24-03) The Legislative Information System (System) did not have adequate controls over its change management process and had not adequately controlled developers' access to the production environment. FINDINGS, CONCLUSIONS, AND RECOMMENDATIONS WEAKNESSES IN CHANGE CONTROL   more

SPRINGFIELD, Illinois, July 16 (TNSLrpt) -- The Illinois Auditor General issued the following report involving Performance Audit of Medicaid Eligibility Determinations for Long-Term Care. Here are excerpts: * * * Background: On August 25, 2017, the Governor signed into law Public Act 100-380 which amended the Illinois Public Aid Code. This amendment to the Illinois Public Aid Code requires that beginning July 1, 2017, the Auditor General is to report every three years to the General Assembl  more

SPRINGFIELD, Illinois, July 16 -- The Illinois State Treasurer issued the following news release on July 15, 2025: * * * Illinois State Treasurer Michael Frerichs Returns Record $303 Million to People, Businesses, Nonprofits in Fiscal Year 2025 $200,000 to Orphans of the Storm Animal Shelter in Lake County * Illinois State Treasurer Michael Frerichs returned a record $303.8 million in missing money to nearly 312,000 residents, businesses and organizations through the I-CASH program during F  more

WASHINGTON, July 17 -- Sen. Patty Murray, D-Washington, vice chair of the Senate Appropriations Committee, issued the following news release on July 16, 2025: * * * Murray Slams Republicans' Rescissions Package on Senate Floor ICYMI: Vought Refuses to Rule Out More Illegal End-Runs Around Congress & Refuses to Detail How Trump Will Execute Cuts If Rescissions Bill Passes * Today, U.S. Senator Patty Murray (D-WA), Vice Chair of the Senate Appropriations Committee, delivered the following rem  more

WASHINGTON, July 17 -- Sen. Patty Murray, D-Washington, vice chair of the Senate Appropriations Committee, issued the following news release on July 15, 2025: * * * Murray Urges Colleagues to Vote Down Rescissions Package in Its Entirety ICYMI: Vought Refuses to Rule Out More Illegal End-Runs Around Congress & Refuses to Detail How Trump Will Execute Cuts If Rescissions Bill Passes * Today, U.S. Senator Patty Murray (D-WA), Vice Chair of the Senate Appropriations Committee, delivered the fo  more

WASHINGTON, July 17 -- One Hope United (OHU), Chicago, Illinois, has submitted a public comment letter to the U.S. Department of Defense, addressing the 2027 State Priorities Impacting Service Members and Their Families. The organization highlights the challenges faced by military families when navigating adoption across state lines, calling for enhanced support and coordination. Military families often encounter unique barriers concerning adoption, largely due to the varying child welfare laws  more

WASHINGTON, July 16 -- Nearly 60 national and state-level organizations representing the needs of young children and families submitted a public comment letter to the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, urging the agency to ensure that any changes to regulations prioritize child and family wellbeing. The letter responds to the department's Request for Information titled "Ensuring Lawful Regulation and Unleashing Innovation To Make America Healthy Again." The organizations emphasize th  more

ST. LOUIS, Missouri, July 17 -- The Federal Reserve Bank of St. Louis issued the following news release on July 16, 2025: * * * St. Louis Fed Releases Beige Book * ST. LOUIS -- The Federal Reserve Bank of St. Louis released its portion of the Federal Reserve's latest Beige Book, published today. The local report summarizes economic conditions for the Eighth District, which is based in St. Louis and covers all of Arkansas and parts of Illinois, Indiana, Kentucky, Mississippi, Missouri and Ten  more

WASHINGTON, July 17 -- The coalition of State Attorneys General has formally submitted a public comment letter to the U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) opposing its proposal to withdraw the classification of portable air conditioners as covered consumer products under the Energy Policy and Conservation Act (EPCA). The federal agency's recent announcement included plans to eliminate the relevant energy conservation standards for these appliances, raising concerns among the states and local governme  more

WASHINGTON, July 16 -- The U.S. Department of Education issued the following news release: * * * U.S. Department of Education Announces Additional Trump-Vance Appointees * The U.S. Department of Education announced today new appointees who will support the Trump Administration's mission of returning education to the states, reforming higher education, and advancing the President's historic America First agenda. John Huston - Deputy General Counsel John Huston joins the Department as a De  more

WASHINGTON, July 17 -- Sen. Sheldon Whitehouse, D-Rhode Island, ranking member of the Senate Environment and Public Works Committee, issued the following news release on July 16, 2025: * * * Whitehouse Opening Statement at Surface Transportation Reauthorization Hearing Today, Senator Sheldon Whitehouse (D-R.I.), Ranking Member of the U.S. Senate Environment and Public Works (EPW) Committee, delivered the following opening statement at today's hearing, titled "Constructing the Surface Transpor  more