Pritzker delivers State of the State address.
In an annual tradition, a joint session of the General Assembly listened to the State of the State address by Gov. Pritzker on Wednesday, January 29, where the Governor laid out his priorities for the 2020 spring session. Read More Here.
Gov. needs to act on property tax relief pledge.
While I’m glad the Governor reiterated his support for property tax relief in his recent State of the State address, we need serious action, not more talk. The Property Tax Relief Task Force proved a failure because House Democrats arbitrarily dismissed fact-based solutions offered by Republicans. If the Governor uses the power of his office to press Democrats to work with Republicans, there is no reason we can’t get something done. Read More Here.
More time needed to get foster care transition right.
In January, I sent a letter to Gov. Pritzker and the heads of DCFS and HFS to call for an additional delay to the transition of Illinois youth in care onto Medicaid managed care. While the transition of children in the state’s foster care system from traditional Medicaid to Medicaid managed care was recently pushed back again to April 1, there are still serious concerns that need to be addressed. These children are our responsibility and we must get this transition right. Read More Here.
Legislative priorities this spring.
Over the past several weeks, my colleagues and I have been drafting new legislation and determining which legislation filed in 2019 we want to prioritize for the new session. The Governor also gave us an idea of his priorities for the session during his recent State of the State address. Property tax relief, fighting corruption and reform at DCFS top my list this spring. Read More Here.
Out and about in District 64.
I was honored to speak at the Lake County Municipal League and Lake County Legislative Breakfast on Saturday. There was a great turnout with several Mayors from our district. Among the topics discussed, I spoke about the economic benefits of the Chain O’Lakes. I also had a great time attending Scout Troop 455’s Annual Pig Roast at the Johnsburg Community Club on Sunday. The 26th Annual Pig Roast helps to fund summer camp, high adventure and year-round outdoor programs. The scouts and volunteers did an outstanding job and there was a great turnout. I couldn’t think of a better way to celebrate Scout Sunday! See More Here.
Addressing flooding along Fox River and Chain O’Lakes.
Last week, I held a meeting of officials to address high water and flooding problems for communities along the waterway of the Fox River and Chain O’Lakes. Officials from the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, the Illinois Department of Natural Resources Office of Water Resources and the Fox Waterway Agency joined me for this special meeting. Read More Here.
2020 Legislative Survey.
There are several important issues – some of them controversial – that are expected to be brought forward through various pieces of legislation this year. As your representative, I want to provide you with an opportunity for you to express your opinions on these issues. I would appreciate you taking a moment to complete this brief survey so I can adequately represent the views and priorities of District 64. I truly appreciate your input. Take the Survey Here.
Advocacy groups sue State Police over FOID card backlog.
The lawsuit by the Illinois State Rifle Association (ISRA) and the Second Amendment Foundation was filed on Monday, February 3. Many gun owners have noticed that the State Police is getting slower and slower at responding to Illinois applications to get and renew a Firearm Owners’ Identification (FOID) Card, a required document when purchasing a gun from a registered gun dealer. The FOID Card law has been in place for more than 30 years. It is a “gun control” law unique to Illinois; no other state recognizes the Illinois FOID Card for purposes of gun ownership, and most U.S. states do not require gun owners to maintain identification cards at all. Read More Here.
Stay up-to-date by Liking my official Facebook page.
If you have not already Liked my official Facebook page, Click Here. Just like my website and this e-newsletter, I regularly post updates about legislation, news from Springfield and local activities throughout District 64 that may not always make into my e-newsletter. Click Here to Like.
Thank you for taking the time to read my newsletter. It is a high honor for me to represent you in Springfield and I appreciate the opportunity to work together to make District 64 the best place to live, work and raise our families.