The Illinois State Board of Elections will decide next week whether it should follow a hearing officer’s recommendation and reject state Senate President Don Harmon’s appeal of a nearly $10 million fine for accepting campaign contributions in excess of state campaign finance limits.

The U.S. Supreme Court heard arguments Wednesday in a case that could decide whether political candidates have the right to challenge Illinois’ vote-by-mail law in court.

Daley and LaHood’s group, Fair Maps Illinois, is beginning the process of gathering the signatures necessary to put a referendum on the ballot, and that’s no small feat. They’ll need about 400,000 folks to sign their petition by May, a process they estimate will take as much as $4 million to accomplish.

— APPOINTED: Margaret DeLaRosa has been appointed state representative in the 42nd District, filling the seat held by Terra Costa Howard, who is becoming a circuit court judge. DeLaRosa lives in Glen Ellyn, has served on the Glenbard Township District 87 School Board since 2015 and is former president of the Glen Ellyn League of Women Voters.

House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries has held discussions with Maryland and Illinois Democrats about new maps as he vows to further respond to GOP efforts.