By Joselyn Varghese In recent years, municipalities have been attempting to combat higher rainfall and stormwater flooding. Many of these municipalities are having to extend and expand their stormwater management systems to account for the added moisture. However, these expansions can be costly and requires municipalities to offset such costs. The Appellate Court of Illinois, […]
By Thomas Condon “Gone are my blues and gone are my tears, I\’ve got good news to shout in your ears, the long lost Dollar has come back to the fold…” are lyrics from the 1933 Song by the Gold Diggers, “We’re in the Money”. Those words may be appropriately sung by the leadership of […]
By Shantel Perez The Illinois General Assembly has approved and the governor is poised to sign a bill legalizing the recreational use of marijuana, making it the first state to do so through its legislature and the 11th overall to legalize it. The bill permits marijuana possession and may clear the way of hundreds of thousands of […]
By Patrick Connelly After a historic week in Springfield, Governor Pritzker is poised to sign the Cannibals Regulation and Tax Act (“the Act”) which made its final passage through the General Assembly on Friday May 31st. The sweeping bill which goes into effect on January 1, 2020 will bring a number of critical decisions to local government […]
Reminder! As of June 1, 2019, Illinois municipalities will no longer be required to approve a prevailing wage for public work projects. This change is a result of the passage of Public Act 100-1177, which amended the Prevailing Wage Act (820 ILCS 130/0.01 et seq.), to grant the Illinois Department of Labor (Department) the sole authority to ascertain […]
Short term vacation rentals are one of the fastest growing businesses in the country today. They are a part of rising trend of startup companies facilitating individuals to share what one person already owns.
By Shantel Perez In a vehicle negligence case, the admissibility of post-accident vehicular photographs has been a point of contention amongst Illinois Appellate Courts with differing opinions on whether photographs of vehicle damage are admissible absent expert testimony. Illinois courts have consistently suppressed photographs in a typical automobile accident unless an expert witness explained to the jury […]
By Thomas Condon In most instances, governmental bodies’ board meetings occur without consternation; they are rote. The board runs through their agenda items. The floor is open for public comment, a few people, most likely regular attendees, give their thoughts. The meeting is adjourned. Undoubtedly, however, every governmental body will have to deal with an unexpected calamity […]
Governor JB Pritzker recently signed SB 337, which aims to combat the proliferation of illegal gun trafficking in Illinois. This bill regulates gun sales twofold, by creating the Firearm Dealer License Certification Act and the Gun Trafficking Information Act. The Governor’s approval of the bill offers Illinois a new weapon in the fight against gun violence […]
By Patrick G. Connelly One of the most precarious situations under the umbrella of FOIA occurs when documents are being requested that are or will be prominently involved in pending litigation or criminal matters. Many times, elected officials, officers, and government employees have difficulty understanding why those records which are subject to a host of discovery […]