Rephonic
Artwork for Sound of the State

Sound of the State

Illinois Senate Democrats
Illinois
Illinois Senate
Illinois Senate Democratic Caucus
Springfield
Equine Therapy
Clean Slate Act
Chicago
Artificial Intelligence
HIV/AIDS
Education
Digital Assets and Consumer Protection Act
Moody's Investors Service
Plug-In Solar
Mental Health
Housing Affordability
Homelessness
Education Policy
Cryptocurrency
HB 5511
Children's Online Social Media Safety Act

Follow our channel for the latest news from the Illinois Senate Democratic Caucus.

PublishesWeeklyEpisodes782Founded7 years ago
Number of ListenersCategories
PoliticsNews

Listen to this Podcast

Artwork for Sound of the State

Latest Episodes

State Senator Lakesia Collins joins the Sound of the State to discuss Illinois' efforts to improve maternal health outcomes. From expanded postpartum coverage and access to doulas to addressing racial disparities and maternal mortality, Collins exami... more

State Senator Cristina Castro joins the podcast to discuss new protections for immigrant children and a law that will keep social media and other digital distractions out of the classroom. The conversation dives into what inspired both laws, the issu... more

Today’s parents face an ever-changing world of social media algorithms designed to keep children scrolling. State Senator Willie Preston discusses the Children’s Online Social Media Safety Act, recently signed into law to provide age verification, no... more

State Senator Javier Cervantes discusses efforts to make higher education more accessible for Illinois students, including his partnership with Hope Chicago and legislation giving students dedicated time and assistance to complete the FAFSA, as well ... more

Could a solar panel on a balcony, patio or yard help Illinois residents lower their electricity bills? State Senator Rachel Ventura joins the Sound of the State to explain plug-in solar, who could benefit from it, and how her legislation would establ... more

In this edition of the Majority Report, Illinois takes a national lead on AI safety with landmark transparency and accountability standards, and new laws make it easier for patients to access hospital financial assistance and protect homeowners from ... more

Members of the Illinois Senate Democratic Caucus react as the budget, revenue package, and other items are signed into law for the upcoming fiscal year beginning on July 1st.

Why has housing become one of the biggest affordability issues facing Illinois families? In this episode, members of the Illinois Senate Democratic Caucus discuss a new legislative package focused on expanding housing supply, reducing barriers to dev... more

Key Facts

Contact Information
Podcast Host
Number of Listeners
Find out how many people listen to this podcast per episode and each month.

Similar Podcasts

People also subscribe to these shows.

Recent Guests

Javier Cervantes
State Senator, guest discussing education policy and funding
Illinois Senate
Episode: Expanding Access to Education with Senator Javier Cervantes
Norma Hernandez
State Representative
Illinois General Assembly
Episode: News Brief - May 20, 2026
Lamont Robinson
Alderman
City of Chicago
Episode: News Brief - May 20, 2026
Mike Simmons
State Senator
Illinois Senate
Episode: News Brief - May 20, 2026
Robert Martwick
State Senator proposing limits on AI in grading and classroom use
Illinois State Senate
Episode: Balancing Innovation and Protection in the AI Age
Steve Stadleman
State Senator proposing ticketing bots regulation and anti-deceptive practices
Illinois State Senate
Episode: Balancing Innovation and Protection in the AI Age
Mary Edlee Allen
State Senator introducing legislation on AI safety and transparency
Illinois State Senate
Episode: Balancing Innovation and Protection in the AI Age
Karina Villa
State Senator proposing restrictions on AI use in schools and student data
Illinois State Senate
Episode: Balancing Innovation and Protection in the AI Age
Graciela Guzman
State Senator addressing housing affordability and algorithmic pricing
Illinois State Senate
Episode: Balancing Innovation and Protection in the AI Age

Host

Colby Huff
Host of the podcast, frequently contributing to Sound of the State and related segments.

Top Politics Podcasts

Pod Save America
Pod Save AmericaPod Save America
Psycho Politics with George Conway
Psycho Politics with George ConwayPsycho Politics with George Conway
Candace
CandaceCandace Owens
Letters from an American
Letters from an AmericanHeather Cox Richardson
Bulwark Takes
Bulwark TakesThe Bulwark
The New Yorker Radio Hour
The New Yorker Radio HourWNYC Studios and The New Yorker
Still Counting
Still CountingCrooked Media

Talking Points

Recent interactions between the hosts and their guests.

Senator Meg Loughran Cappel Discusses the Impact of Federal Budget Decisions on Education in Illinois
Q: What actions is the state taking to protect education funding amid federal trims?
The state is advancing protections for minority teacher scholarships, continuing evidence-based funding, and ensuring some line items in special education and transportation receive support despite federal reductions.
Senator Meg Loughran Cappel Discusses the Impact of Federal Budget Decisions on Education in Illinois
Q: How does the Grad Plus program impact teachers and other professionals seeking advanced degrees, and what happens if it's phased out?
Grad Plus helps educators and other professionals fund master's degrees; phasing it out will deter people from pursuing advanced degrees, exacerbating teacher shortages and limiting career advancement.
Senator Meg Loughran Cappel Discusses the Impact of Federal Budget Decisions on Education in Illinois
Q: What does the federal budget mean for Illinois families when nutrition and health programs are cut, and how does that affect schools?
Cuts to SNAP and Medicaid translate into fewer resources for families, leading to students arriving hungry, which harms concentration, behavior, and learning; as a result, schools face greater burden and students' academic outcomes decline.
Senator Cristina Castro discusses Ashley’s Law and Illinois’ new school cellphone ban
Q: What does the statewide student cell phone policy look like, and what exemptions are built in?
The policy implements a bell-to-bell ban on non-school-issued technology, with exceptions for high school students during passing periods and for those with valid needs under ELL/ESL or IEP/504 plans, aiming to keep classroom time focused while allowing safe communications and reducing distractions and misinformation during crises.
Senator Cristina Castro discusses Ashley’s Law and Illinois’ new school cellphone ban
Q: Tell me the story behind that law. Who was Ashley, and what specific problem was this law written to address?
Ashley's Law creates a pathway within the federal immigration system for unaccompanied minors who have been abused, neglected, or abandoned to receive special immigrant juvenile status, enabling the state to intervene, provide protective custody when needed, and prevent deportation in vulnerable cases. The law moved quickly through the legislature due to urgent cases of minors in detainment and limbo under the previous framework.

Audience Metrics

Listeners, social reach, demographics and more for this podcast.

Listeners per Episode
Gender Skew
Location
Interests
Professions
Age Range
Household Income
Social Media Reach

Frequently Asked Questions About Sound of the State

What is Sound of the State about and what kind of topics does it cover?

A policy-focused series centered on Illinois state government, featuring in-depth conversations with state senators, representatives, and other policymakers. Episodes cover education funding, energy policy, AI governance, housing, consumer protections, health care, and budget commentary, often tying legislative moves to real-world impacts for residents. The show often emphasizes accountability, transparency, and pragmatic policy solutions, with occasional cross-promo segments and Spanish-language variants. It's likely to appeal to policymakers, government affairs professionals, researchers, and politically engaged listeners who want concrete context on Illinois legislation and governance, sometimes highlighting local anecdotes and district-... more

Where can I find podcast stats for Sound of the State?

Rephonic provides a wide range of podcast stats for Sound of the State. We scanned the web and collated all of the information that we could find in our comprehensive podcast database. See how many people listen to Sound of the State and access YouTube viewership numbers, download stats, audience demographics, chart rankings, ratings, reviews and more.

How many listeners does Sound of the State get?

Rephonic provides a full set of podcast information for four million podcasts, including the number of listeners. View further listenership figures for Sound of the State, including podcast download numbers and subscriber numbers, so you can make better decisions about which podcasts to sponsor or be a guest on. You will need to upgrade your account to access this premium data.

What are the audience demographics for Sound of the State?

Rephonic provides comprehensive predictive audience data for Sound of the State, including gender skew, age, country, political leaning, income, professions, education level, and interests. You can access these listener demographics by upgrading your account.

How many subscribers and views does Sound of the State have?

To see how many followers or subscribers Sound of the State has on Spotify and other platforms such as Castbox and Podcast Addict, simply upgrade your account. You'll also find viewership figures for their YouTube channel if they have one.

Which podcasts are similar to Sound of the State?

These podcasts share a similar audience with Sound of the State:

1. The Bulwark Daily

How many episodes of Sound of the State are there?

Sound of the State launched 7 years ago and published 782 episodes to date. You can find more information about this podcast including rankings, audience demographics and engagement in our podcast database.

How do I contact Sound of the State?

Our systems regularly scour the web to find email addresses and social media links for this podcast. We scanned the web and collated all of the contact information that we could find in our podcast database. But in the unlikely event that you can't find what you're looking for, our concierge service lets you request our research team to source better contacts for you.

Where can I see ratings and reviews for Sound of the State?

Rephonic pulls ratings and reviews for Sound of the State from multiple sources, including Spotify, Apple Podcasts, Castbox, and Podcast Addict.

View all the reviews in one place instead of visiting each platform individually and use this information to decide if a show is worth pitching or not.

How do I access podcast episode transcripts for Sound of the State?

Rephonic provides full transcripts for episodes of Sound of the State. Search within each transcript for your keywords, whether they be topics, brands or people, and figure out if it's worth pitching as a guest or sponsor. You can even set-up alerts to get notified when your keywords are mentioned.

What guests have appeared on Sound of the State?

Recent guests on Sound of the State include:

1. Javier Cervantes
2. Norma Hernandez
3. Lamont Robinson
4. Mike Simmons
5. Robert Martwick
6. Steve Stadleman
7. Mary Edlee Allen
8. Karina Villa

To view more recent guests and their details, simply upgrade your Rephonic account. You'll also get access to a typical guest profile to help you decide if the show is worth pitching.

Find and pitch the right podcasts

We help savvy brands, marketers and PR professionals to find the right podcasts for any topic or niche. Get the data and contacts you need to pitch podcasts at scale and turn listeners into customers.
Try it free for 7 days