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Mike Riopell

State Government Writer

Mike Riopell is the Daily Herald's state government writer, working out of the Capitol Complex in Springfield. He started there the day after Election Day 2010 after several years reporting on politics and government for several downstate newspapers. Earlier, he worked in the Daily Herald's Lake County bureau.

Riopell tries to cover the machinations of state government and politics from a suburban perspective, focusing on local politicians and policy that has a big impact in the suburbs. This includes the Friday Suburban Political Recount column he co-writes with political writer Kerry Lester and their blog of the same name.

He particularly enjoys stories that take data the state keeps - from gambling revenues to food stamps usage and child support delinquency - to reveal changes to life in the suburbs.

He has a master's degree in public affairs reporting that he earned partly via an internship in the Daily Herald's Statehouse bureau in 2005.

Riopell lives in Springfield with his wife and daughter, and enjoys haphazard attempts at home repair, being outside and cycling, particularly his bicycle commutes to work at the Capitol Complex.

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Officials ask for more federal flood help

May 23 2013 | 6:38 pm - Two weeks after President Barack Obama declared last month's flooded suburban counties as disaster areas, top Illinois leaders are asking him to make additional federal money available for local governments, too.

Lawmakers move to allow betting on horses online

May 23 2013 | 6:17 pm - Almost five months after the expiration a law allowing Illinoisans to bet on horses online, lawmakers have moved to try to legalize the practice again.

State senate votes to ban cellphones while driving

May 23 2013 | 6:11 pm - The Illinois Senate Thursday voted to ban the use of cellphones behind the wheel unless the driver uses a hands-free device. The proposal now goes back to the Illinois House, which has already approved a similar plan.

Senate budget could freeze suburbs' tax share

May 22 2013 | 9:51 pm - Illinois Senate Democrats could propose a budget that would freeze individual suburbs' share of the state's income taxes, an idea local mayors have fought hard against in recent years.

House approves raising interstate speed limit to 70

May 23 2013 | 1:04 pm - The Illinois House Wednesday voted to raise interstate and tollway speed limits to 70 mph. Suburban counties would be allowed to opt out of the higher limit if officials wanted to.

Analysis: Pension cuts might save less than thought

May 21 2013 | 10:58 pm - Number crunchers at the Illinois pension funds say a union-backed plan to cut public employee benefits might not save the cash-strapped state as much money as previously believed.

Push to insure student athletes goes to governor

May 20 2013 | 6:22 pm - A bill that former Rolling Meadows High School football player Rob Komosa pushed for before his death that would requrie Illinois high schools carry catastrophic accident insurance goes to Gov. Pat Quinn.

Illinois headed to limiting high-capacity ammo magazines?

May 21 2013 | 5:45 am - Following the pleas of parents whose children were killed during the Sandy Hook school shooting last year, an Illinois Senate panel agreed to move forward with state Sen. Dan Kotowski's plan to restrict the sale of ammunition magazines that hold...

Lawmakers split as Senate OKs medical marijuana

May 17 2013 | 4:30 pm - Gov. Pat Quinn will get the final say on whether Illinoisans should be allowed to use medical marijuana to help cope with the pain caused by serious diseases. The Illinois Senate approved the controversial proposal Friday after a lengthy debate over...

Pension cost shift talks continue

May 16 2013 | 5:56 pm - House Speaker Michael Madigan said he'll be talking with school leaders over the next week about a plan to have suburban and downstate schools pay millions of dollars toward teachers' pension costs.

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