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Mawa Iqbal

Statehouse Reporter

Mawa is a statehouse reporter, covering the Illinois legislature for WBEZ and Illinois Public Radio. Before coming to Springfield, Mawa worked as a general assignment reporter at WYSO, the NPR-affiliate station for Southwest Ohio. There, she covered policing and local government.

Mawa earned a bachelor’s degree in journalism from the University of Missouri. In her free time, she is either learning how to play guitar or watching bad reality TV shows.

Logan
Criminal Justice
Illinois lawmakers call for more details on plan to replace prisons
An advisory commission was supposed to vote on the plan Friday, but couldn’t because not enough lawmakers showed up to the meeting.
By Mawa Iqbal
 
Monica Alvarez at a press conference supporting Karina's Bill.
Criminal Justice
For third time, Illinois lawmakers fail to pass Karina’s Bill aimed at protecting domestic violence victims
The legislation, which has bipartisan support, would take guns from people with restraining orders against them.
By Mawa Iqbal
 
Image of 21st Ward candidate Ronnie Mosley voting at Wendell Green Elementary at 1150 W 96th St, Tuesday, April 4, 2023.
Politics
Illinois is considering ranked choice voting. What does that mean?
By Mawa Iqbal
 
U.S. House incumbents (left to right) Democrat Sean Casten in 2022; Republican Mike Bost last year; Democrat Bill Foster in 2020.
Politics
Trump nod helps Republican Bost beat Bailey downstate, Democrats Foster, Casten win in suburbs
By Mohammad Samra , Mawa Iqbal , and 2 more
 
Kelly Cassidy
Politics
Democratic Illinois lawmakers propose ways to protect — or expand — IVF
By Mawa Iqbal
 
Springfield gun shop owner
Criminal Justice
After Illinois banned assault weapons, rural gun owners registered very few of them
By Mawa Iqbal , Amy Qin , and 1 more
 
First grade students practice spelling and reading Wednesday morning at Hamilton Elementary School, 1650 W. Cornelia Ave., on the North Side.
Education
Illinois OKs plan to revamp how reading is taught
By Mawa Iqbal
 
People walk in and out of the George N. Leighton Criminal Courthouse on the Southwest Side, Monday, Sept. 18, 2023.
Criminal Justice
Illinois became the first state to fully eliminate cash bail. Here’s how it’s working.
By Mawa Iqbal
 
crisis pregnancy centers
Environment & Public Health
Illinois agrees to stop enforcing a controversial new law cracking down on crisis pregnancy centers
By Mawa Iqbal
 
Students and parents call on the Illinois General Assembly to save the Invest in Kids tax credit scholarship program at St. Sabina Academy at 7801 S. Throop St. in Chicago's Auburn Gresham neighborhood on Sept. 13, 2023.
Education
Illinois’ controversial private school scholarship program is ending
By Mawa Iqbal
 
Rep. Sean Casten speaks at a microphone in Washington in 2021
Politics
Illinois lawmakers warn that a government shutdown would ripple through the state
By Mawa Iqbal
 
Madison County No Bail
Criminal Justice
Courts in counties across Illinois take first steps into a world without cash bail
By Will Bauer , Mawa Iqbal , and 2 more
 
downtown Gillespie, Illinois on sunny day
Criminal Justice
Downstate leaders say they will need help handling the historic end to cash bail
By Mawa Iqbal
 
Crisis pregnancy center
Environment & Public Health
Crisis pregnancy centers outnumber abortion providers in Illinois by nearly 3 to 1
By Claire Kurgan  and Mawa Iqbal
 
guns
Illinois Supreme Court decision means future sales and possession of AR-15s will be banned
By Mawa Iqbal
 
State capitol
Politics
Thousands of Illinoisans lose health insurance as pandemic-era protections end
By Mawa Iqbal
 
A card holding "A pro-choice catholic was here" is held in front of a federal building
Environment & Public Health
Catholic abortion doulas comfort the faithful in a post-Roe world
By Mawa Iqbal
 
abortion advocate holds a sign in front of pro-life protesters
Environment & Public Health
Illinois continues to enact abortion protections a year after Roe v. Wade reversal
By Mawa Iqbal