Illinois Secretary of State Alexi Giannoulias joined state and local leaders in warning of a deluge of text scams that arrive on targets’ phones disguised as official court or government communications.

From Capitol News Illinois: A House education committee unanimously approved the latest version of a bill that would require school boards to prohibit public school students from using their cellphones in the classroom

From Capitol News Illinois: Midwestern governors, including Illinois’ JB Pritzker, are seeking a permanent solution to being able to use the ethanol blend E15 gasoline that’s cheaper but some say more polluting at a time when gasoline prices are rising

From Capitol News Illinois: A Cook County judge will hear arguments next month over a petition to appoint a special prosecutor to investigate and charge alleged crimes committed by federal immigration agents during last fall’s “Operation Midway Blitz”

The storms will be rapidly developing and pushing southeastward across the region, according to the National Weather Service.

From Capitol News Illinois: State Rep. Jeff Keicher, R-Sycamore, who works as an insurance agent, said the new bill was an improvement over earlier versions. But he said it does not address the factors that he said are the real causes of rising premiums

The shift could restore treatment options for menopausal women who were discouraged from using hormone replacement therapy, even when they might benefit

From Capitol News Illinois: Raw milk advocates saw Robert F. Kennedy Jr.’s appointment as Health and Human Services Director as a win, but it hasn’t translated to loosened regulations in Illinois

Most Illinois schools haven’t seen U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement agents at their doors, but officials say the federal crackdown is still impacting their classrooms