(SPRINGFIELD) The Illinois Department of Revenue is reminding taxpayers that the upcoming deadline is quickly approaching for filing 2023 state and federal individual income tax returns. If a taxpayer electronically fires an error-free return, they should receive a direct deposit refund in approximately four weeks. Of the nearly 6.2 million IL-1040 returns filed last year in Illinois, close to 5.6 million were filed electronically. That’s at just over 90%. This year’s tax filing deadline is next Monday, April 15th.
(SPRINGFIELD) The Illinois Department of Public Health has alerted healthcare facilities and hospital emergency departments in upstate Illinois to be on heightened lookout for patients with symptoms similar to botulism. This comes after two cases were reported on people who received injections in LaSalle County of Botox, or a similar possibly counterfeit product. The IDPH is working with the LaSalle County Health Department and the Illinois Department of Financial & Professional Regulation on the investigation of the cluster.
(SPRINGFIELD) Illinois House Bill 2601 has passed unanimously out of the Agriculture and Conservation Committee in Springfield. Sponsored by State Representative Adam Niemerg (102nd District), the proposal will make changes to the “Meat & Poultry Inspection Act” by cutting back on government redundancy and regulation, plus it will cut back on the cost of the wrapping paper used in the meat processing industry. Niemerg and other downstate lawmakers say this has been a huge issue for many downstate area farmers who process meat. The bill now goes to the full State House for future consideration there.
(SPRINGFIELD) The Illinois Secretary of State’s office is spearheading legislation to enhance penalties against people who threaten libraries. House Bill 4567 passed through its committee vote late last week and now heads to the State House floor. With an uptick in threats of violence against libraries, mostly those in northern Illinois, the proposal would make individuals that send two “threatening messages” by electronic media subject to a Class 2 felony, plus give law enforcement more tools to investigate such threats.