Illinois

Passage of two bills would undermine growing tech ecosystem in Illinois | Opinion

Published

8 months ago

May 9, 2025

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Passage of two bills would undermine growing tech ecosystem in Illinois | Opinion

Katherine Kirkpatrick Bos
| Special to the State Journal-Register

The Illinois Digital Assets and Consumer Protection Act (DACPA) could stifle the state’s tech growth by over-regulating blockchain and cryptocurrency startups.
The Illinois Department of Financial and Professional Regulation (IDFPR), tasked with DACPA oversight, lacks the resources and technological readiness to effectively regulate this complex sector.
The proposed regulations risk creating a two-tiered system favoring large companies and potentially driving innovation out of Illinois, similar to New York’s BitLicense experience.

Last month, the Illinois General Assembly advanced a sweeping bill that could severely undermine the state’s growing tech ecosystem.

The Digital Assets and Consumer Protection Act (DACPA), while framed as consumer protection, would impose burdensome licensing requirements and broad regulatory authority over hundreds of Illinois startups innovating in blockchain and cryptocurrency.

If signed into law, DACPA would task the Illinois Department of Financial and Professional Regulation (IDFPR) with overseeing one of the most complex and fast-moving sectors in the world.

But IDFPR is still in the midst of modernizing its own processes, relying primarily on paper applications and, just last year, described its own delays as a “crisis.” While IDFPR has launched a new online system, only a handful of the 300+ licenses it oversees have been converted—and full rollout is expected to take more than two years. It’s not feasible to expect the agency will be ready to regulate a cutting-edge, highly technical industry within the year.

Let’s be clear: the blockchain and crypto community supports smart, targeted regulation that protects consumers and holds bad actors accountable. But DACPA misses the mark on several fronts.

First, it gives Illinois consumers a false sense of security. Most crypto scams originate offshore, far beyond the reach of state regulations. DACPA would do little to deter those bad actors—but it would impose significant costs and compliance burdens on legitimate Illinois-based startups who are building real-world tools using blockchain.

Second, the bill’s scope is overly broad. It doesn’t just target centralized exchanges or companies holding crypto on behalf of users, but also attempts to govern students, developers, and entrepreneurs experimenting with decentralized technologies that never interact with consumer funds. This could create a two-tier system where only large, wealthy companies can afford to navigate the complex licensing regime.

That runs contrary to Illinois’ values of equity and opportunity.

Importantly, many of these companies are already subject to extensive oversight. Illinois crypto firms may hold a Money Transmitter License or operate under existing state and federal regulation through agencies like the SEC, CFTC, and DOJ. DACPA introduces new layers of confusion and cost without clear benefit—exactly the kind of regulatory overreach that drives innovation out of state.

We’ve seen this play out before. New York implemented a similar system—the BitLicense—in 2015, approving just over 30 licenses since then. Many crypto companies have opted to geoblock New York residents altogether, stifling access and thwarting innovation. Illinois’ proposed regime is even broader in scope, which means the consequences here could be even more severe.

Now is not the time to over-regulate. With tech companies increasingly reshoring, Illinois should be rolling out the welcome mat—not standing up new barriers. The state has a chance to become a leader in responsible blockchain development, but only if it creates a regulatory framework that is clear, functional, and appropriately scaled to the risk.

Until that happens, lawmakers should reconsider Senate Bill 1797 and House Bill 742.

Katherine Kirkpatrick Bos is board member of the Illinois Blockchain Association and General Counsel of StarkWare, the developer of a cryptographic zero-knowledge proof system that seeks to improve scalability in blockchains. Prior to StarkWare, she was Chief Legal Officer of CBOE Digital, a U.S. regulated exchange and clearinghouse for spot crypto and crypto derivatives markets; and General Counsel of Maple Finance, a capital-efficient corporate debt marketplace which facilitates crypto institutional borrowing via liquidity pools funded by the DeFi ecosystem. She lives in Winnetka.

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Illinois

Candy Cane Lane celebrating 45 years in southern Illinois

Published

11 hours ago

December 22, 2025

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Candy Cane Lane celebrating 45 years in southern Illinois

FRANKLIN COUNTY, Ill. (KFVS) – A beloved Christmas tradition in southern Illinois is celebrating 45 years this holiday season.

Organizers say Candy Cane Lane is a unique and completely free Christmas display that brings holiday magic to life!

Committee members say 2025 is the biggest year ever for Candy Cane Lane, which now features over 100,000 sparkling lights, more than 500 characters, and 90 incredible scenes inspired by Disney, Universal, Nickelodeon, Warner Brothers, and many more.

Candy Cane Lane began in 1980 and was created by Mr. Tim Murphy. Murphy was an inspiring art teacher in West Frankfort whose creativity and holiday spirit touched countless lives, according to committee members.

Over the years, Tim’s many art students helped his vision grow brighter and bigger.

In 2019, Candy Cane Lane was featured on ABC’s The Great Christmas Light Fight, gaining national recognition for its charm and artistry.

Tim Murphy passed away in 2020 from complications with COVID-19; his dear friends, Iris and Bobby Kohzadi, vowed to keep his legacy.

A dedicated Candy Cane Lane committee was formed, and the holiday attraction is now a licensed nonprofit organization.

Leaders say they continue to expand and enhance Candy Cane Lane each year, ensuring that Tim Murphy’s spirit of joy, community, and creativity lives on for generations to come.

The non-profit is run strictly off of donations, which also help fund a scholarship program at Frankfort Community High School.

Candy Cane Lane is located at the West Frankfort Community Park at 1100 E. Cleveland Street, and is open nightly through December 27, 2025, at 9:00 p.m.

For more information or to donate to Candy Cane Lane, visit their Facebook page.

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Illinois

Late Heroics Lift Meseraull In Southern Illinois Center – SPEED SPORT

Published

24 hours ago

December 21, 2025

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Late Heroics Lift Meseraull In Southern Illinois Center – SPEED SPORT

DU QUOIN, Ill. — Thomas Meseraull used late-race heroics to earn his 10th career feature win while battling inside the Southern Illinois Center with the POWRi National Midget League on Saturday night.

Meseraull led the final 10 laps of the feature honoring industry icon Junior Knepper at the Du Quoin State Fairgrounds.

High-point qualifier Zach Daum and fast-timer Brylee Kilmer battled as the green flag waved, with Daum gaining the initial advantage on the opening lap as Trey Marcham, Meseraull, Daniel Robinson and Kilmer all kept pace inside the early top five.

Leading steadily, Daum would appear in fine form inside the Southern Illinois Center as the laps ticked away, with Meseraull, Marham, Frank Flud, Robinson, Christopher Bell, Chris Andrews, Corbin Rueschenberg,and Kole Kirkman contending.

Using precision driving through lapped traffic, Meseraull would strike for the top spot with only 10 laps remaining as Daum stayed within striking distance while keeping Marcham, Flud and Daniel Robinson at bay.

Holding steady over a late-race restart, Meseraull would not be denied in earning his second POWRi National Midget feature win inside the Southern Illinois Center over the past three years.

“This Ford was hooked up and ripping’ tonight,” said Meseraull. “Feels great to finally get it done in 2025 after having a rough year. This place can turn into bumper cars, and you’ve got to do what you’ve got to do to get it done here.”

Remaining up front early-leader of 30 laps, Daum would place runner-up with Marcham finalizing the podium placements. Hard-charging from starting 19th, Kyle Jones finished fourth, with Robinson fifth.

The finish:

Feature (40 Laps): 1. 7S-Thomas Meseraull[3]; 2. 5D-Zach Daum[1]; 3. 32-Trey Marcham[5]; 4. 7TX-Kyle Jones[19]; 5. 57-Daniel Robinson[7]; 6. 81F-Frank Flud[6]; 7. 95-Chris Andrews[10]; 8. 6-Brylee Kilmer[4]; 9. 17R-Rylan Gray[15]; 10. 14J-Wout Hoffmans[22]; 11. 23-Devon Dobie[17]; 12. 77J-John Klabunde[21]; 13. 67-Kole Kirkman[8]; 14. 15V-Cole Vanderheiden[12]; 15. 15-RJ Corson[16]; 16. 23T-Ashton Thompson[13]; 17. 26-Corbin Rueschenberg[14]; 18. 21-Christopher Bell[9]; 19. 7G-Parker Perry[11]; 20. 2F-Casey Friedrichsen[20]; 21. 4-Kale Drake[2]; 22. 71C-Gunnar Pike[18]

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Illinois

Illinois State defeats Villanova in the 2025 FCS playoff semifinals, advances to national title

Published

1 day ago

December 21, 2025

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Illinois State defeats Villanova in the 2025 FCS playoff semifinals, advances to national title

Illinois State dominated Villanova on the road from start to finish en route to a 30-14 FCS semifinal win.

Illinois State set the tone early with a 53-yard bomb to star wide receiver Daniel Sobkowicz who finished with seven catches for 97 yards and two touchdowns. His second touchdown put the Redbirds up 21-6 entering halftime, putting the game out of reach.

In the second half, Illinois State leaned on a third-straight career-high day on the ground from running back Victor Dawson, who rushed for 155 yards after going for 148 and 137 in his last two games. Dawson and the ground attack dominated the time of possession for 36:48. Click or tap here for final stats from the game.

HOW ABOUT THOSE REDBIRDS!!!!!!!!!#ValleyFootball x #FCS x @RedbirdFB x @ISURedbirds x @NCAA_FCS x @ESPNCFB x @espn pic.twitter.com/otoo7t1YoM
— Valley Football (@ValleyFootball) December 21, 2025
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Illinois State becomes the first team in the 24-team FCS playoff era to make the national championship game after playing all road games and only the second unseeded team in the 24-team era to make the national championship game.

Overall, it’ll be Illinois State’s first FCS Championship game appearance since 2014. The Redbirds have never won a national championship.

You can catch the 2025-26 FCS Championship Game on Monday, January 5, 2026 at theFirstBank Stadium on the campus of Vanderbilt University in Nashville, Tennessee.

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