Under the Dome

Candidates have turned in their nominating petitions for the March 20 primary. Now, some of those petitions are being objected to. We talk about who might get kicked off the ballot. Plus, Democratic candidate for governor J.B. Pritzker picked up some more high-profile endorsements last week. Is he going to run away with his party's nomination? And we also talk about the property tax assessments process in Chicago and how it is playing into the increasingly contentious race for Illinois governor.  All this and more coming up next on this week's episode of Under the Dome.

Candidate filing for Illinois' March primary election ended earlier this week. And one state senator surprised people by saying he's out. Or is he? Gov. Bruce Rauner, the highest-ranking elected official in Illinois, declares he is not in charge of Illinois. And local members of Congress weigh in on the sexual misconduct controversy surrounding U.S. Senator Al Franken, who announced his resignation as we taped our podcast today. All this and more on Episode 14 of Under the Dome.

On this week's episode of Under the Dome: Although you've been hearing about the election for weeks now, election season officially began this week as candidates began filing to get onto the ballot. In addition, questions swirl about how many billions the state will be spending to move Medicaid recipients into managed care. And recreational marijuana – is this something in Illinois' future?

Governor's race hits the road, sexual harassment at the Capitol, Rodney Davis - Ep. 12

Scrambling to address sexual harassment, veto overrides and Girl Scout cookies - Ep. 11

Sexual harassment at the Capitol and Gov. Rauner has a GOP challenger - Ep. 10

The first week of the Illinois General Assembly's fall veto session is in the books. We recap the action, including the House's defeat of a bill that would have banned bump stocks from being installed on firearms, the open letter circulating at the Capitol about sexual harassment within Illinois government, Gov. Bruce Rauner officially starting his re-election campaign and a new Rauner ad that features other states' governors "thanking" Speaker Michael Madigan for driving jobs and businesses to their states.

SJ-R Statehouse reporter Doug Finke and Executive Editor Angie Muhs talk about the veto session, Rauner's recent cuts to some state departments, Rauner's tax returns and Speaker Michael Madigan's new website and Facebook page that has him looking happy and relaxed.

The fallout after Gov. Rauner signed HB 40

This week, the SJ-R Under the Dome crew talks about the various lieutenant governor candidates that are emerging, Gov. Bruce Rauner's Asian trade mission and the departure of the state's education secretary and poet laureate. Yes, the state of Illinois has an (unpaid) poet laureate.

The Illinois General Assembly has finally reached a deal to fund public education in the state, which means we're out of the woods in terms of any immediate financial crises on the horizon.

Doug, Bernie and Angie talk about the latest Statehouse news

SJ-R Under the Dome Ep. 1 We have a budget; now what

SJ-R Under the Dome Ep. 2 Will Illinois schools get state funding

SJ-R Under the Dome Ep. 3 Previewing today's school funding special session