By Andrew Thomason | Illinois Statehouse News   SPRINGFIELD — A legislative commission bucked parts of Gov. Pat Quinn’s facility closure plan, voting along regional lines to keep two prisons and a facility for those with developmental disabilities open.

  By Andrew Thomason | Illinois Statehouse News SPRINGFIELD — Indicted state Rep. Derrick Smith was a no-show for the second hearing of a special committee charged with deciding whether the Illinois House should move forward with disciplining the Chicago Democrat.

By Andrew Thomason | Illinois Statehouse News SPRINGFIELD — Two health-care advocacy groups are predicting thousands of job losses and billions of dollars in economic damage to Illinois, if Gov. Pat Quinn’s plan to conjure $2.7 billion in savings from the Medicaid program is implemented.

By Jayette Bolinski | Illinois Statehouse News   SPRINGFIELD — Tuesday's audit of Illinois’ prepaid college tuition program contained no surprises, according to a lawmaker who is awaiting the results of a separate investigation into the troubled program.

By Scott Reeder | Statehouse News Online SPRINGFIELD — Northstar Lottery Group won a 2010 contract to manage the Illinois State Lottery that could enrich the firm by more than $300 million over five years, but a Franklin Center investigation has discovered that irregularities marred the state’s selection process.

By Andrew Thomason | Illinois Statehouse News SPRINGFIELD — The number of electric vehicle quick-charging stations in the Chicagoland area alone? 26. The number of vehicles registered with the Illinois Secretary of State that can use those stations? 18.