Governor gives boon to trial lawyers, vetoes treasurer

Illinois Gov. JB Pritzker signed 266 bills into law Friday in Springfield. The Associated Press

Illinois Gov. JB Pritzker signed 266 laws on Friday, moving closer to finalizing his part in approving — or rejecting — more than 430 laws sent to him by lawmakers this spring.

The new laws include measures to make public defenders more independent, tighten safety regulations at warehouses and increase the age for required annual driver tests.

Pritzker also vetoed two bills, a somewhat rare move from a governor of the same party as the legislature’s supermajorities. One veto was somewhat technical — a budget provision already implemented the policy — but the other highlighted a policy disagreement between him and the state treasurer.

Toxic substance lawsuits

One of the bills Pritzker signe