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BELLEVILLE, Ill. (AP) - A southwestern Illinois village clerk seeking to be mayor is free on bond after being accused of sneaking a cellphone to a jailed relative while working as a records clerk for the sheriff's department.

Alorton Village Clerk JoAnn Reed was arraigned Monday on charges of official misconduct and bringing contraband into a penal institution.

St. Clair County Sheriff Rick Watson says he suspended Reed with pay in the wake of allegations she smuggled food and a cellphone to her niece while that relative was jailed Feb. 3 in Alorton on charges that accused her of assaulting a pregnant woman.

Reed's attorney, John O'Gara, declined to comment after Monday's court appearance.

The charges are the latest involving officials in Alorton. A former mayor and a former police chief are in prison.

Governor Pat Quinn wants Illinois residents to be able to register to vote online. The Chicago Democrat says the state's election process must move into the 21st century.

Supporters of the plan say online registration would make the process simpler and attract younger voters.

Republicans say they don't oppose the idea, but think the state should first focus on fixing its worst-in-the-nation pension crisis.

More than a dozen states, including Colorado, Nevada and Indiana, already offer online voter registration.

SPRINGFIELD, Ill. (AP) - Illinois House Speaker Michael Madigan is seeking public input on concealed carry of firearms and gun safety at two hearings later this month.

The Chicago Democrat announced Thursday that the Judiciary Committee will have public hearings Feb. 19 at the state Capitol and Feb. 22 in Chicago.

Madigan says the hearings will allow gun-rights advocates, gun-control supporters and police to "offer their views and argue their cases" on the issues.

A federal court rejected the state's concealed-carry ban in December and demanded the Illinois Legislature adopt some form of firearms possession.

Madigan says hearings are important after the court decision and the December school massacre in Connecticut.

Concealed-carry legislation that narrowly failed in 2011 has been re-introduced in the Illinois House.

CHICAGO (AP) - An Illinois Senate committee has approved legalizing gay marriage for the second time in a month.

The Executive Committee voted 9-5 Tuesday to move legislation giving marital rights to same sex couples to the Senate floor. Democrats with a 40-member majority say they have the needed votes.

The same committee OK'd a similar measure just after the New Year -- in the final days of the last General Assembly. But a floor vote was scuttled because supporters feared they were short of the 30 necessary votes.

Sponsoring Sen. Heather Steans reworded the legislation at insistence of Republicans. The Chicago Democrat says the new language makes clear that places of worship don't have to open their doors to gay-marriage ceremonies.