Statehouse Public Safety: Gov. JB Pritzker signed a law requiring fire departments to report and track firefighter deaths to the State Fire Marshal, including suicide and certain cancers, with an annual public report. Survivor Protections: A new Illinois law improves how police interview sexual assault survivors by requiring officers to inform survivors they can request an officer of their sex or gender and bring a support person; it takes effect Jan. 1. Disability & Driving: Illinois will launch a voluntary “Blue Envelope” program for drivers with autism spectrum disorder on Jan. 1, giving officers a quick communication cue during traffic stops. Courts & Immigration: A federal judge permanently barred Illinois from providing in-state tuition and education scholarships to unauthorized immigrants, striking down the RISE and Illinois DREAM acts. Food Access: Seven Chicago-area Save A Lot stores are set to close as SNAP cuts deepen pressure on already thin grocery margins. Southern Illinois Services: Lawmakers condemned DHS plans to scale back Choate Developmental Center operations, warning of job losses and care disruptions. Public Health: Southern 7 Health Department confirmed West Nile Virus in mosquitoes in Massac County, urging residents to reduce, repel, and report. Tech & Privacy Debate: Residents in Auburn and Grafton are debating automated license plate readers after local police signed Flock Safety contracts. Legal Liability in Health Care: An Illinois appellate ruling could reshape failure-to-warn claims in infant formula cases by extending the learned intermediary doctrine in NICU settings.