Tight state resources and decreased property values have left many school districts across Illinois scrambling to balance their budgets. In far too many cases, school districts have resorted to cutting staff and eliminating extracurricular activities.  

The reality of reduced state resources has given a new push to the decades-long and unresolved question of how to more equitably fund education in Illinois.

Leading this discussion has been State Senator Andy Manar (D – Bunker Hill), who recently introduced a resolution creating a committee to review how education dollars are currently distributed and recommend ways to implement a fairer way of funding education.

Read more: Education funding reform gaining steam

A walk around the Capitol on Wednesday, May 1 may have left some people puzzled or perhaps even downright confused. 

A minor exception was made to the generally conservative Senate dress code allowing, and in some cases requiring, Capitol goers to trade out their dress shoes for athletic shoes. 

The ‘Illinois Suits and Sneakers’ event was held in conjunction with Coaches vs. Cancer and was created to promote cancer prevention studies and to raise awareness about the importance of cancer research.  The event was coordinated by the American Cancer Society and the Cancer Action Network.

Read more: Kicks for Cancer

State Senator Tom Cullerton’s (D-Villa Park) proposal to reduce government in DuPage County passed the Senate on Thursday. This proposal gives the DuPage County Board the ability to consolidate smaller levels of local government.

"It's no secret Illinois has way too many layers of government,” Cullerton said. “My goal here is to make DuPage County a leader in streamlining government, while at the same time ensuring taxpayers get quality services."

Read more: Tom Cullerton’s bill to shrink government moves forward (VIDEO)

At a press conference Tuesday morning, a not-for-profit preservation group announced its list of the 10 Most Endangered Historic Places for 2013.

Bonnie McDonald, president of Landmarks Illinois, announced the list to media and dozens of concerned citizens from all across who gathered in a third-floor conference room in the Stratton Building in Springfield.

Read more: Group names Illinois' most endangered historic places

Yesterday marked the deadline for passing Senate Bills out of the Senate. The chamber’s focus will shift to House Bills for the remainder of session. Since the beginning of the 98^th General Assembly in January, the Senate has passed 341 legislative items.Read the complete list of passed bills.