Peter Hancock
Reporter | Capitol News IllinoisPeter Hancock joined the Capitol News Illinois team as a reporter in January 2019.
Before that, Hancock covered Kansas state government for much of the past two decades. For the previous 4 years, Hancock had been the statehouse reporter for the Lawrence Journal-World. He provided year-round daily coverage of the Kansas Statehouse, state government, appellate courts, elections and Kansas’ congressional delegation. He previously worked for 8 years as a statehouse reporter for Kansas Public Radio, and with the Kansas Health Policy Authority and the Kansas Education Policy Report.
“As a longtime veteran of statehouse reporting in Kansas, I know how challenging it is for individual newspapers to make that kind of commitment,” Hancock said. “Capitol News Illinois offers a unique opportunity for newspapers throughout the state to pool their resources and enable a small team of reporters to deliver critical news and information about state government to communities throughout the state.
“ I covered state politics and government in Kansas for the better part of the past 20 years, working in both print and broadcast journalism. I graduated from the University of Kansas with bachelor’s degrees in political science and secondary education. Although I was born and raised in the Kansas City area, I have deep family roots in central and southern Illinois, and so coming to Springfield is a bit like coming back home.”
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The law at question bans the sale and manufacture of a long list of firearms defined as “assault weapons." -
After a judge found fault with often-used legislative shortcuts, high-ranking Illinois officials are preparing for a legal fight over the recently-passed assault weapons ban. -
The federal case, which centers on what protections are guaranteed by the 2nd amendment, will be heard in the Southern District of Illinois.
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Illinois becomes ninth state to ban military-style guns. -
Darren Bailey continued hammering away at Gov. JB Pritzker over issues including crime, education and state spending while Pritzker continued to cast Bailey as a conservative extremist who criticizes the state but has no plan for how to solve any problems. -
A bill pending in the General Assembly would make it a felony to buy or sell assault-style rifles and high-capacity magazines. -
The field includes a conservative farmer and state lawmakers, the mayor of Illinois’ second largest city, a former state senator and three political newcomers. -
The special session of the General Assembly in the coming weeks to focus on legislation to strengthen women’s access to abortion and other reproductive health services in Illinois. -
Survey data shows 6 states undercounted, 8 overcounted. The error has implications for political districts and federal funding availability. -
Democrats say the expansion will lower health care costs by reducing care administered at emergency rooms, while Republicans argue it will incentivize illegal immigration and overburden the state’s health system. -
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Sangamon County judge says Gov. J.B. Pritzker's emergency masking rules were improper.
