Maureen Foertsch McKinney
Maureen Foertsch McKinney is the NPR Illinois News Editor and a lead editor of Illinois Issues' feature articles, working with freelance writers, and is curator of the Equity blog. Maureen joined the staff in 1998 as projects editor. Previously, she worked at three Illinois daily newspapers, most recently the suburban Chicago-based Daily Herald, where she served stints as an education reporter and copy editor. She graduated in 1985 with a bachelor's in journalism. She also has a master's degree in English from the University of Illinois at Springfield.
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A leaked U.S. Supreme Court draft opinion raises the possibility that Roe V Wade will be overturned after nearly five decades. That has Illinois lawmakers, providers, legal groups and advocates strategizing about what they will do if abortion rights are no longer the law of the land. With the projection of a court sealing Roe’s fate, 26 states are expected to ban abortion, and many of them surround Illinois. -
Governor J.B. Pritzker signed a new law this summer that mandates — starting with the 2022-2023 school year — all public elementary and high schools be required to offer a unit of study on Asian American history in the state, Midwest and country. -
The new law, which takes effect in January, requires pharmacists to get education that will include how to counsel patients and an assessment for screening. -
A child poverty report released Monday shows major improvement in the last decade, but for kids in many rural pockets of the state, progress was less significant. -
Reforms include required implicit bias training for medical professionals. Before Vallena Adkinson’s 35-year-old daughter Helen Heath died in March from... -
Democrats want to repeal Ilinois' Parental Notification of Abortion Act, seven years after its enforcement began. Abortion opponents are out in force,... -
The Illinois Legislative Black Caucus succeeded earlier this month in ushering in legislation that would, among other things, end cash bail. If signed... -
A group of Illinois Republican lawmakers is demanding Gov. J.B. Pritzker call a special session of the General Assembly to deal with persistent state... -
Ending cash bail doesn't lead to an increase in crime, according to a new report from researchers at Loyola University Chicago. -
Members of the Illinois General Assembly’s Black Caucus Tuesday released a four-pronged agenda that they say will dominate this fall’s legislative...
