An Illinois representative wants the Prairie State to be a leader in blockchain technology. But 23rd district Rep., Michael Zalewski says that the next step is to build a program that proves the technology works.
“We need to find something small like a pilot program that touches a small portion of the economy, like real estate transactions,” Zalewski told Cheddar. “If we do that, if we show a little bit of success, I think it’ll really paint the evidence down the line.”
Illinois has received blockchain and cryptocurrency fairly well, being home to the CBOE and CME, which trade Bitcoin futures. But not every government branch or financial institution is excited about the technology, given that the SEC has continued to issue warnings about the lack of regulations in digital currencies.
Zalewski says, however, that Illinois finds appeal in the technology behind digital coins.
“It allows us to hold information in an individualized way,” he said. “We want to make our government more efficient and leaner, and this has the opportunity to do that for us.”
For full interview [click here](https://cheddar.com/videos/will-chicago-become-the-capital-of-crypto).
A federal judge struck down Arkansas' first-in-the-nation ban on gender-affirming care for children as unconstitutional Tuesday, the first ruling to overturn such a prohibition as a growing number of Republican-led states adopt similar restrictions.
Climate change is on trial in Montana. In a landmark case, 16 young people are suing the state over effects like smoke, heat, and drought. It's just the first in a series of cases intended to pressure lawmakers into taking action on the environment. Here with more is Cheddar News Senior Reporter Chloe Aiello.
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