We don't write papers, we build scrapbooks
We don't write papers, we build scrapbooks
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On November 5, voters across the country went to the polls at near-record numbers. Early voting and vote-by-mail participation also reached historic highs. But amid this surge in voter engagement, there remains a significant divide in how states approach one of the most fundamental aspects of our elections: voter identification. According to a 2024 review by the National Conference of State Legislatures, nine states—Arkansas, Georgia, Indiana, Kansas, Mississippi, North Carolina, Ohio, T...
This time of year, motorists share the road with a special group of people who measure time by the acre rather than by the hour. Its harvest season in Illinois! Agriculture is the top industry in Illinois and a key driver of our state’s economy. This is due to the rich, fertile soil, and temperate climate during growing season. According to the IL Department of Agriculture, about 75% of the state’s total land mass— 27 million acres, is dedicated to agriculture, and 96% of Illinois’ farms a...
Political corruption undermines and erodes public trust in government. There should be no place in our political landscape for those who would use their elected position for personal gain. On this, there should be full bipartisan agreement. This week, the highest profile political corruption trial of our time will take center stage in a federal courtroom in Chicago. Former Illinois Speaker of the House Michael Madigan will face 22 counts of racketeering conspiracy, attempted extortion, and wire...
At a recent series of town-hall-style events I hosted across the 45th Senate District, residents took advantage of the opportunity to voice their opinions on various topics. Events were held in Genoa (DeKalb County), Rockton (Winnebago County), Machesney Park (Winnebago County), Savanna (Carroll County), Freeport (Stephenson County), Elizabeth (Jo Daviess County), and Oregon (Ogle County). Local mayors, county board chairs, and other elected officials co-hosted these Community Connections...
As the State Senator representing the 45th District in Northwest Illinois, it is important to me to seek input from my constituents on a regular basis. Several weeks ago I mailed a fall survey to households across the 45th Senate District. The survey was mailed without regard to political affiliation. Republicans, Democrats, Independents, and others received it to ensure accurate results. While the results cannot be considered “scientific,” they do provide an excellent representation of how tho...
In a remarkable turn of events last week, Republicans and Democrats were aligned on supporting police and using fences and walls to keep people outside of spaces where they’re not supposed to be. No, pigs weren’t flying, and the underworld had not frozen over. Last week, the Democratic National Convention (DNC) was hosted in Chicago. When it came to protecting the Democratic elite, no expense or protective measure was spared. The Democratic bigwigs and the locations where they were meeting and...
Most of us know the process of how a bill becomes a law. While that process directs the flow of bills that are filed, just how do thousands of policy ideas each year become bills in the first place? As of this writing, just under 3,000 Senate and House bills have been filed this year alone. Generally, these policy ideas come from one of four places. Many good bills are the result of a constituent who contacts their elected Senator or State Representative with an issue that cannot be resolved...
Those who follow the activity of state government may recall that earlier this year a bill protecting children was stripped of its language and replaced with politically-motivated wording that, among other things, prevented the practice of “slating” candidates for General Assembly races after primary elections were complete. “Slating” allows political party leaders to place an individual on a ballot in races where the party had no candidate who ran in the primary election. Republicans have us...
My advocacy for the constituents of the 45th District is three-fold. It includes bills I file, bills I co-sponsor, support, and help get passed, and those I fight against. The column two weeks ago highlighted some of the more egregious bills I fought against this year. This week I would like to focus on some of the positive pieces of legislation that I sponsored or co-sponsored this year that will soon become laws. Senate Bill 2767 is a big win for hunters because it allows wild turkey hunters...
Of the 500 or so bills that passed this year, several good ones are headed to the Governor for final action, and I will write about some of them in an upcoming column. This week, however, I want to highlight some really bad bills— those that make you scratch your head and wonder what in the world the bill sponsors and supporters were thinking. I have been vocal with my views about the Fiscal Year 2025 budget that dictates how public funds will be spent from July 1, 2024, to June 30, 2025. The F...
Those of us who grew up in stable homes with solid role models are very fortunate. While most of us probably did not know or appreciate it at the time, we were taught from an early age the difference between right and wrong, the proper way to treat people, respect toward others, and the importance of telling the truth and obeying the law. We were told that school was important, homework was to be done, and curfews were to be met. We had siblings that looked out for us. When we broke the rules, o...
As your Senator of the 45th District, I am privileged to be the legislative voice of about 220,000 citizens in Northwest Illinois. I gauge opinions and priorities by reaching out to the public through mailed surveys, town hall meetings, telephone town hall events, conversations at coffee shops and other places where people gather, or by simply stopping by your door for a quick chat. The results of these efforts are three-fold. First, they ensure my constituency is appropriately represented in...
It’s no secret that Governor JB Pritzker is the most liberal governor our state has ever seen. After all, he made Illinois the abortion capitol of the United States and brought us mandatory LGBTQ curricula in schools, free healthcare to migrants and illegal immigrants, and the SAFE-T Act, which eliminated our cash bail system. The Governor is also responsible for appointing people to serve on a little-known panel called the Prisoner Review Board (PRB), a 15-member group that serves as I...
Northwest Illinois is home to some of the most fertile soil in the state, nation, and world, and the farmers who work this land are vital to this state’s top economic driver- agriculture. Knowing this, when I was elected to the Illinois General Assembly in 2018, one of the first things I did was form an Agriculture Advisory Committee. I was raised in this region, so I recognized at an early age the impact farming and agribusiness have had on people’s livelihoods. Having grown up around the ind...
As a public official, I have always fought to lower taxes for my constituents. From my time on the Freeport City Council to my tenure in the Illinois House of Representatives to my current role as the State Senator for the 45th District in Northwest Illinois, lightening the tax burden for Illinoisans has always been a focal point of my legislative agenda. When Governor JB Pritzker recently announced he wanted to eliminate the state sales tax on groceries, I was surprised, but also encouraged....
My office recently completed its first annual Valentines for Seniors program, and the response from the community exceeded all expectations. Between February 14th and 15th, my staff and I delivered over 2,300 valentines to 30 different nursing homes and assisted living, rehabilitation, and memory care centers in the seven-county region that makes up the 45th Senate District. The smiles on the seniors' faces were priceless, and it was evident they felt appreciated and valued. Cards were made by...
The same Chicago Democrat who brought us the SAFE-T Act (House Bill 3653) has filed new legislation that would further threaten public safety and impede law enforcement efforts to keep our communities safe. As you may recall, the so-called SAFE-T Act was pushed through in the middle of the night when fewer eyes were following the legislature’s action. As I have stated many times, this law does nothing to improve safety in our communities. It heaped a slew of new mandates on police officers r...
During the 2023 session, Republicans in the Senate and House fought hard to continue a tax credit scholarship program for low-income Illinois school children. Through private donations made to a special fund, children in schools that were failing them for whatever reason had an opportunity to improve their chances for academic success by moving to a learning environment that met their needs. Donors to the program received a 75% Illinois income tax credit in exchange for their donations. It was i...
For the last 18 months, Governor JB Pritzker has quietly issued consecutive 30-day disaster proclamations for the State of Illinois as it relates to the migrant crisis and the hordes of non-citizens making their way to Illinois from the U.S. southern border. These orders grant him massive power to bypass the Legislature, a co-equal branch of government, and move and spend budget dollars how he sees fit. Indeed, Governor Pritzker and I do not agree on much, but we agree that the flood of...
Christmas is right around the corner, and once the hectic pace of the holidays subsides, Illinoisans will reflect and also look forward with hope as they make resolutions for the new year. Everyone’s slate is clean on January 1. New stories can be written based on decisions people make each day. If you could place Illinois on a better path, what changes would you resolve to make? I dream of an Illinois where people can afford to support their families without the continuous worry of higher t...
The General Assembly recently completed the 2023 Fall Veto Session, and there was no shortage of political gamesmanship on display. It is typical during veto session to examine bills with upcoming sunset dates and determine which ones will be continued. Two sunsetting bills took center stage during this year’s veto session. The first is 2017 legislation sponsored by Senator Kwame Raoul who now serves as Illinois’ Attorney General. The legislation, SB1722 (Public Act 100-0003), established hig...
Multiple news sources recently reported that in September, U.S. border agents processed more than 200,000 migrants who crossed into the United States illegally. That’s an average of over 6,600 people per day. The actual number is much higher! As the southern U.S. border crisis continues to consume and overwhelm available resources in border states like Texas and Arizona, desperate state leaders are doing everything they can to handle the influx of illegal immigrants. Part of their response is t...
Legislators are preparing to head back to Springfield for the Fall Veto Session, which is scheduled for October 24-26, and November 7-9. Veto Session is the time when legislators can act on items that received full or partial (amendatory) vetoes from the Governor. As the Senator for the 45thDistrict, I look forward to representing the values of Northwest Illinois families during the upcoming veto session. During the spring 2023 legislative session, more than 550 bills were approved and sent to...
Illinois’ annual celebration of agriculture just ended with the closing of the Illinois State Fair on August 20th. We had some livestock participants and winners in various categories from the 45th District, and I want to thank all the FFA, 4-H, and other livestock exhibitors who took the time to raise, groom, feed, and prepare their animals for the show. I am sure it was a great experience. Our area was on the receiving end of another distinct honor this year, as the State Fair’s coveted “Bu...
What would happen to your family budget if you doubled your spending over a six-year period? I think we all know it would be an unsustainable and irresponsible path that leads to a lot of credit card debt and an eventual fiscal cliff. Yet that is exactly what your state government has done with the General Fund and other state and federal budget funds since Governor JB Pritzker took office. Between Fiscal Year 2018 and Fiscal Year 2024 (current year), state government appropriations have...
