In this episode of the Sound of the State, State Senator Laura Ellman sits down with first-term State Senator Rachel Ventura for a New Member Monday conversation to get to know Senator Ventura and discuss plans for her first term in Springfield.

Senators Adriane Johnson and Willie Preston join the Sound of the State for a discussion about Black History Month, how they see their roles as Black lawmakers, and more.

In this episode, members of the Illinois Senate Democratic Caucus give their reaction to Governor JB Pritzker's introduced budget proposal for FY2024.