Quick Hits: Illinois News Briefs For June 4

From The Center Square:

More than 46,500 additional unemployment claims

Another 46,500 Illinoisans have filed for unemployment.

While that’s a lower weekly number of filers from the weeks before, it adds to the more than 1.2 million workers across the state that have filed for unemployment since the beginning of March.

State revenue falls by $341 million in May

Illinois’ nonpartisan government forecasting group reports another drop in state revenue.

The Commission on Government Forecasting and Accountability reported $341 million less revenue for the month of May. That will likely mean less money for local governments from state funds

Experts weigh in on state's pandemic response

A survey from the Institute of Government and Public Affairs of experts in medicine, economics and social work found differing opinions on the level of restrictions to address a pandemic. But there was consensus around taking a more regional than statewide approach.

A separate, independent review by a UIS professor of a variety of COVID-19 stats shows Illinois’ statewide shutdown led to lower positive cases per capita when compared to other states without such orders, but there were higher COVID deaths per capita.

Public health officials report 97 additional COVID-19 deaths

In the last 24 hour report, Illinois public health officials say there were more than 24,400 COVID-19 tests performed with 982 positive cases.

The seven-day positivity rate is 6 percent.

Officials also report an additional 97 COVID-19-related deaths for a total of 5,621 since the pandemic began earlier this year.

Sheriffs' group sues over inmate transfers

Illinois’ county jails have been filling up with hundreds of inmates since late March due to Gov. J.B. Pritzker’s executive order halting transfers to state prisons.

Sheriffs hope a judge will force the state to accept them and clear out their jails.

The Illinois Sheriffs' Association filed a lawsuit last week in Logan County Circuit Court seeking to force the state prisons to accept transfers and to compensate the counties for housing the inmates.

Davis seeks clarity on use of PPP funds for Illinois nonprofits

Illinois’ Republican congressional delegation wants clarity from Gov. J.B. Pritzker on the use of Paycheck Protection Program funds by nonprofit human service organizations.

The letter the GOP sent the governor says the U.S. Congress didn’t intend for PPP funds to offset state spending for such programs, but a recent review showed that’s what may be happening in Illinois.

The focus of the work of The Center Square Illinois is state- and local-level government and economic reporting that approaches stories with a taxpayer sensibility. For more stories from The Center Square, visit TheCenterSquare.com.