Illinois
Capitol Briefs: Federal agency opposes new state law; Pritzker to lead trade mission to Japan | Capitol News Illinois
The Biden administration is asking a federal judge to halt Illinois’ first-in-the-nation law curtailing credit card “interchange fees” before it goes into effect next summer.
When fully implemented in July 2025, the law will curtail banks’ ability to charge those fees on the tax and tip portion of debit and credit card transactions.
After a coalition of financial institutions sued over the law in federal court this summer, federal officials this week sided with the banks. The Office of the Comptroller of the Currency – an independent bureau within the U.S. Department of Treasury – wrote in a legal brief that Illinois’ law is both “bad policy” and in conflict with federal law.
The filing, published Wednesday, frames interchange fees as a “core feature of an intricately designed nationwide payments system.”
“The Illinois Interchange Fee Prohibition Act is an ill-conceived, highly unusual, and largely unworkable state law that threatens to fragment and disrupt this efficient and effective system,” the brief said. “Although the IFPA’s requirements are vague and ambiguous in many respects, this much is clear: the IFPA prevents or significantly interferes with federally-authorized banking powers that are fundamental to safe and sound banking and disrupts core functionalities that drive the Nation’s economy.”
The law, which Gov. JB Pritzker and Democrats in the General Assembly approved as part of the state’s budget process earlier this year, was a concession to the Illinois Retail Merchants Association. Retailers had been opposed to the governor’s proposed cap on a tax deduction historically granted to them for collecting the state sales tax.
IRMA leaders defended the law last week, while Pritzker on Thursday said the Biden administration’s filing was “not something that I’m deeply concerned about.”
“When things get brought to court, you never know how they’ll turn out,” he said at an unrelated event. “I think this one is one that can be defended well and we’ll end up with the law we have on the books being affirmed.”
Pritzker’s Japan trade mission
Pritzker is also set to join state legislative and business leaders on a trade mission to Japan next week to explore clean energy, manufacturing, life sciences, quantum, and other “key growth industries,” according to the governor’s office.
Members of the delegation will meet with their counterparts in Tokyo to discuss strengthening economic ties between the state and the island nation.
The delegation represents what the governor’s office calls “Team Illinois” – a group of government and business officials that work to secure business and economic development partnerships. While it started informally, it’s now a key element of the Pritzker administration’s five-year plan for attracting businesses to the state.
In total, about four dozen lawmakers, economic development officials, academics and businesspeople will join the governor on the trip. Among them are House Speaker Emanuel “Chris” Welch, D-Hillside, and Senate President Don Harmon, D-Oak Park.
Christy George, the CEO of Intersect Illinois, is also joining the delegation. Intersect Illinois is the private economic development organization started by then-Gov. Bruce Rauner that has since become a go-between for businesses looking to relocate to Illinois and state government. It works on marketing and site selection in partnership with the state’s Department of Commerce and Economic Opportunity.
George stepped into the role in mid-September after working as the executive director of the Democratic National Convention’s 2024 Host Committee. Prior to that, George worked in Pritzker’s administration as an assistant deputy governor and as the executive director of the Illinois Commerce Commission.
Others heading to Japan include representatives of PsiQuantum and TCCI, both of which have received multimillion-dollar tax incentives from DCEO since last summer. The heads of the state’s major utilities, representatives from the University of Illinois and University of Chicago, and heads of several business-related lobbying organizations are also set to join the delegation.
The Pritzker administration has led similar trade missions to the United Kingdom and Canada in recent years. The governor’s first trade mission, in 2019, was also in Japan.
Since then, Illinois exports to Japan have increased 31.7% while imports from Japan have fallen 22.4%, according to the governor’s office.
Capitol News Illinois is a nonprofit, nonpartisan news service that distributes state government coverage to hundreds of news outlets statewide. It is funded primarily by the Illinois Press Foundation and the Robert R. McCormick Foundation.
Article Summary
- In an annual May ceremony, friends, family and supporters of law enforcement honored two Illinois police officers who died in the line of duty in 2025.
- The event included a squad car processional and interfaith church service, ending in a ceremony at the Illinois Police Officers Memorial outside the state capitol.
- Seven historic honorees and one K-9 historic honoree were also included.
This summary was written by the reporters and editors who worked on this story.
In a ceremony at the state Capitol, family, friends and supporters honored the lives of two law enforcement officers who died in the line of duty in 2025.
The ceremony honored Officer Krystal Rivera of the Chicago Police Department and Detective Tim Jones of the Park Forest Police Department. Held annually on the first Thursday in May, the event is a tradition to honor law enforcement officers who died in the line of duty the previous calendar year.
“Today, as we remember your brothers, sisters, mothers, fathers, coworkers and friends who lost their lives in the line of duty, let us not remember them as indestructible superheroes that we may envision as children,” state Attorney General Kwame Raoul said. “Let’s remember them as human beings, in all their vulnerabilities and susceptibilities, who chose to take on the risk of the ultimate sacrifice to make others’ lives safer.”
This year’s memorial also included seven historic honorees who died from 1852 to 1936 and one K-9 honoree, Bear, who died in 1987.
“These officers represent the very best of what it means to be a public servant,” said Secretary of State Alexi Giannoulias. “They came from different communities, different departments and different backgrounds, but they were united by a common goal: to protect people they may never meet, to run toward danger while others run away and to always put service above themselves.”
In an emotional address, Giannoulias also spoke of “fellow Greek American” CPD Officer John Bartholomew, who was shot and killed while on duty in April. Bartholomew’s visitation and funeral services are set to take place this weekend.
State Treasurer Michael Frerichs also gave a short speech, speaking on his family history with law enforcement and loss: “I’m invited here today because it’s my title. I come here today because of family.”
Frerichs encouraged families of fallen officers to apply to the Fallen Heroes Scholarship Fund, which provides scholarships to children who lost a parent in the line of duty.
The event included a squad car procession at the state fairgrounds and an interfaith church service at the Cathedral of Immaculate Conception, ending in the ceremony at the Illinois Police Officers Memorial on the grounds of the state Capitol.
The mayor of Springfield, Misty Buscher, and the families of two 2025 honorees — Illinois State Police trooper Corey Thompsen and Chicago Police officer James Crowley — also spoke. Gov. JB Pritzker, Lt. Gov. Juliana Stratton and Comptroller Susana Mendoza were unable to attend.
Crowley’s sister Beth Carter gave a critical address, calling for reforms to the beneficiary system that she said left her with legal issues when her brother, a former police officer who was permanently injured while on duty, and her mother died within a month of each other.
Thompsen’s parents and brother also called for legislative reform. Thompsen was hit and killed by a driver who was later issued two tickets for an expired license and failure to yield. His family asked lawmakers to enact stricter consequences for crashes resulting in death and to communicate with other states about such events.
“If someone causes a crash that kills another person, there needs to be more of a consequence than two paid tickets for $500 each. We feel that the state of Illinois should notify the other state where the original license was issued, reporting that a fatality is caused by this person with an expired driver’s license,” Thompsen’s brother Ryan said. “As the state’s attorney told us, you won’t find any satisfaction here in the courthouse. How true that was.”
The Illinois Police Officers Memorial Committee, formed in 1987, organizes and maintains the monument located on the grounds of the Capitol. The memorial is self-funded and underwent a renovation and re-dedication in 2021.
Capitol News Illinois is a nonprofit, nonpartisan news service that distributes state government coverage to hundreds of news outlets statewide. It is funded primarily by the Illinois Press Foundation and the Robert R. McCormick Foundation.
DELAVAN, Wis. — A Delavan police officer has resigned immediately following his arrest on stalking charges in Illinois.
Joshua Bittner faces charges stemming from contacting a woman against the orders of the Winnebago County, Illinois, Sheriff’s Office. The woman detailed a long pattern of harassment in court documents obtained by TMJ4.
Before being hired by the Delavan Police Department in 2023, Bittner was an officer in Beloit. He resigned from that position while the police department investigated his behavior.
Bittner’s resignation takes effect immediately.
Watch: Delavan police officer resigns after arrest on stalking charges in Illinois
Delavan police officer resigns following arrest
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