Illinois Insights: An Update from Cozen O’Connor (8/3)

August 3, 2026

ILLINOIS | AROUND THE STATE

Federal judge tosses Trump administration lawsuit seeking full access to Illinois voter rolls

“A downstate federal judge has rejected an effort by President Donald Trump’s administration to obtain full access to Illinois’ voter registration database, including sensitive personal data on more than 8 million residents statewide,” by the Chicago Sun-Times.

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Gov. JB Pritzker says the Trump’s halting of Brandon Road carp project an attack on Great Lakes water 

“President Donald Trump’s administration has stopped work on a project to slow the spread of invasive carp in the Great Lakes, a move Gov. JB Pritzker on Friday said amounted to a major attack on Illinois’ and the nation’s freshwater supply,” by the Chicago Tribune.

Pritzker signs law regulating how social media platforms interact with children 

“Gov. JB Pritzker signed sweeping regulations Friday aimed at social media companies and cracking down on “addictive algorithms” that keep kids glued to their screens,” by Capitol News Illinois.

An ex-staffer and the Illinois speaker: 2 differing responses to the Harry Benton harassment report 

“Following the release on Friday of the Illinois legislative inspector general’s long-awaited investigatory report concluding that disgraced former state Rep. Harry Benton’s sexual harassment of women violated state law, there were two notable, and pointedly opposite, responses,” by the Chicago Tribune.

CHICAGO | MORE FROM CITY HALL

Illinois Secretary of State Alexi Giannoulias announces run for Chicago mayor

“Illinois Secretary of State Alexi Giannoulias announced Sunday he will run for mayor of Chicago, ending over a year of speculation and making official his frontrunner status in the already-crowded field,” by the Chicago Tribune.  

Seeking to reverse layoffs, Chicago school board approves budget, assuming more state money will come

“Bucking warnings from Chicago Public Schools CEO Macquline King, the school board amended and narrowly passed a roughly $10 billion budget proposal Thursday that assumes the district will receive $150 million more in state funding than projected,” by Chalkbeat Chicago.

Welch ‘committed’ to more funding for Chicago Public Schools — and the school board is banking on it 

“The calls for further state aid to the Chicago Public Schools accelerated this week when House Speaker Emanuel ‘Chris’ Welch, D-Hillside, told members of the Chicago Teachers Union that he’s ‘committed’ to supporting a supplemental budget bill that would increase funding for the district,” by Crain’s Chicago Business.

City Council urged to postpone police superintendent search until after mayoral election

“A key member of a Chicago police oversight body urged the City Council Wednesday to postpone the search for a permanent replacement for retired Police Supt. Larry Snelling until after the mayoral election,” by the Chicago Sun-Times.   

FEDERAL

Cozen Currents: Trump v. The World’s Most Deliberative Body

A challenging national environment has put the Senate majority within Democrats’ reach. Even so, securing an outright majority remains an uphill climb because the chamber turns over only about a third of its seats at a time and the battleground is tilted toward GOP-leaning states.

Even if Republicans retain the Senate, their majority will likely shrink, implying that the upper chamber may be more willing to push back against the White House than it has been in Trump’s second term.

Although currently not the base case, a Democratic-controlled Senate could change the course of the remainder of President Trump’s second term through oversight and a blockade of his nominations. Read the Cozen Currents here.

The Beltway & Beyond: Budget Season Wrap-Up: What States Can Tell Us About Governing

Budget season offers a window into state priorities, policy choices, and the challenges lawmakers are working to address. As state negotiations wrap up in Illinois, New York, and Virginia, we explore the tradeoffs, areas of agreement, and key decisions that shaped this year’s legislative sessions. What do these budgets reveal about governing today, and what do they signal for the road to the November midterms? Featuring Public Strategies’ Julia Hammond (VA), Sydney Holman (IL), and Katrell Lewis (NY). Listen here.

Authors

About Cozen O’Connor Public Strategies

Cozen O’Connor Public Strategies, an affiliate of the international law firm Cozen O’Connor, is a bipartisan government relations practice representing clients before the federal government and in cities and states throughout the country. With offices in Washington D.C., Richmond, Albany, New York City, Philadelphia, Harrisburg, Chicago, and Santa Monica, the firm’s public strategies professionals offer a full complement of government affairs services, including legislative and executive branch advocacy, policy analysis, assistance with government procurement and funding programs, and crisis management. Its client base spans multiple industries, including healthcare, transportation, hospitality, education, construction, energy, real estate, entertainment, financial services, and insurance.

About Cozen O’Connor

Established in 1970, Cozen O’Connor has over 775 attorneys who help clients manage risk and make better business decisions. The firm counsels clients on their most sophisticated legal matters in all areas of the law, including litigation, corporate, and regulatory law. Representing a broad array of leading global corporations and middle-market companies, Cozen O’Connor serves its clients’ needs through 31 offices across two continents.

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