ISACo

In a landmark ruling for the state’s renewable energy sector, the Illinois Third District Appellate Court has solidified the "Solar Amendments" to the Counties Code. By affirming that local governments must approve commercial solar facilities that meet state-mandated standards, the court has signaled a definitive shift away from local zoning discretion in favor of Illinois’ aggressive clean energy goals. This decision provides a clear legal roadmap for developers while narrowing the authority of county boards to block green energy infrastructure. Click on the title to read the story.

Storms finally reached the Champaign-Urbana area around 2:00 a.m. on Wednesday. By that time the National Weather Service in Central Illinois had canceled the Tornado Watch. Still, the rain was steady with some lightning and thunder.

Illinois policymakers are weighing whether the state’s incentives for data center development remain the right tool as electricity demand rises and energy affordability becomes a growing concern. A proposal by Governor JB Pritzker to pause these incentives has sparked debate among business leaders, labor groups and environmental advocates about the balance between economic development, energy usage and long-term costs for Illinois residents. Click on the title to read the story.

Illinois Treasurer Michael Frerichs today announced that an estimated 250,000 Illinoisans with a disability are now eligible to open ABLE accounts that allow them to save and invest money to improve quality of life without risking federal benefits. The Achieving a Better Life Experience (ABLE) Act Congress passed in 2014 required that people had to have acquired their disability before their 26th birthday. A change in the law effective this year raised the age limit to before a person’s 46th birthday, meaning about 6 million more people across the country can start ABLE accounts.

The Illinois Student Assistance Commission (ISAC) and global education company Kaplan today announced that Illinois’ first-in-the-nation free test preparation program – the Prepare for Illinois’ Future Program – will continue through the end of the academic school year. Additionally, Governor JB Pritzker has proposed to fund the program through the FY27 budget for another year as part of his Affordability Agenda and commitment to strengthening access to postsecondary opportunities.