Committee Deadline Heavily Favors Democrat Bills
Last week was “committee deadline week” in the House, when bills must pass out of House committees with recommendations to be heard on the House floor for discussion and debate. Thousands of bills are introduced in each General Assembly and only a fraction of them get a green light to move forward.
When the House adjourned on Friday, March 27, the committees had reported 500 bills to the House floor for further discussion and debate. Almost 90% of these 500 bills were filed by supermajority Democrats. Although millions of Illinoisans are represented by Republicans, only 56 of the 500 bills (11%) were filed by Republicans.
Weber Bill Ensures Coverage for Heart Disease Scan
Heart disease is the number one cause of death not only in the United States, but in the world, with heart attack and stroke causing 4 out of every 5 heart disease-related deaths. House Bill 4207 expands coverage for a simple preventive procedure called a coronary calcium scan that determines a person’s risk to both saves lives and lower long-term healthcare costs
Weber Calls for Action on Background Checks
From CBS Chicago: Two more women have filed lawsuits against Massage Envy, accusing the company of failing to protect them against sexual assaults by two of their therapists.
The latest women who came forward said they don’t want to be identified, but hope these cases prevent what they say happened to them from happening to anyone else.
Meantime, an Illinois state lawmaker is renewing efforts to put more protections in place in the industry. […]
[…] “The way IDFPR works is, you get your initial background check, and then after that we rely on people to call in and self-report,” said Illinois state Rep. Tom Weber (R-Lake Villa).
Weber first pushed for stricter regulations in Illinois in 2023, when a series of reports from CBS News Chicago exposed the state wasn’t automatically barring massage license applicants with criminal histories. Those reports revealed lapses in communication between the state agencies taking criminal complaints and the agency maintaining those licenses. […]
To read the complete story from CBS Chicago – Click Here.
The Public Safety Failures of Sanctuary State Policies
On March 19, in a devastating act of violence, a Loyola University student was tragically shot and killed by an illegal immigrant who had an outstanding arrest warrant. It is yet another deadly consequence of Illinois’ failed sanctuary and public safety policies.
18-year-old college student Sheridan Gorman was shot and killed on the Chicago lakefront, a place Governor Pritzker often claims is safe, by an illegal immigrant with prior offenses who was allowed to stay on our streets.
The alleged murderer, Jose Medina, is a Venezuelan national who was apprehended by the U.S. Border Patrol and released into the country under the Biden Administration. He was then released again on June 19, 2023, following an arrest for shoplifting in Chicago.
Sheridan Gorman’s murder is not the first such incident of violent crime committed by illegal immigrants since the start of 2025:
- Katie Abraham, and her friend Chloe Polzin, were killed in January 2025 in Urbana when a drunk driver, who was an undocumented immigrant, struck their car.
- Baltazar Perez-Estrada was charged with first-degree murder after prosecutors said he stabbed Maricela Simon Franco dozens of times, killing her in front of their children.
- Edwin Pacheco-Meza was charged with reckless homicide and aggravated DUI after Illinois State Police said a crash killed an Illinois couple.
- ABC7 reported Jose Luis Mendoza-Gonzalez, described by DHS as living in the U.S. illegally, was charged with concealment of a death, abuse of a corpse, and obstructing justice after Megan Bos, 37, was found dead in a container on his property.
We must fix the failures of Illinois’ public safety and sanctuary state policies before more horrific tragedies like those that happened to Sheridan Gorman, Megan Bos, and other innocent citizens happen again.
House Bill 1317 would repeal Illinois’ sanctuary state law, known as the TRUST Act, that prevents local law enforcement from coordinating with federal authorities. Click below to sign the petition in support of repealing the TRUST Act.
Sign the Petition: Repeal the TRUST Act
Helpful Resources and Tips for Tax Season
With the 2026 tax season upon us, the Illinois Department of Revenue (IDOR) and the Internal Revenue Service (IRS) are both accepting tax returns.
Build Your Emergency Kit for Spring Storm Season
The recent storms are a good reminder of the importance of having an emergency kit ready to go as the spring storm season ramps up. Emergency kits help ensure you and your family have the basic survival items that are necessary during a disaster.
You can find more information about preparing an emergency kit at from Ready Illinois.
Learn more from Ready Illinois
Applications Open for Illinois K-9 Memorial License Plate Supporting Retired Police Dogs
Illinois residents can now apply for the new K-9 Memorial License Plate, supporting a first-of-its-kind program to help cover veterinary expenses for retired police dogs across the state.
The specialty plate funds the Care for Retired Police Dogs Grant Program, created under House Bill 3140, legislation I was proud to carry through the legislature.
These K9s serve with courage and loyalty every single day. When their service ends, most of them go home to live with their handlers, the very partners they worked alongside for years. This program helps ensure those families aren’t burdened with significant veterinary costs and that these dogs receive the care they’ve earned in retirement.
The Care for Retired Police Dogs Grant Program will provide up to $1,500 annually to reimburse handlers or adoptive families for eligible veterinary expenses. To qualify, a K9 must have served at least five years, or at least three years if injured in the line of duty.
The program will be fully funded through the sale of the K-9 Memorial License Plate, ensuring no cost to taxpayers. To guarantee long-term sustainability, it will only be launched once a minimum of 2,000 license plate applications are received by January 2028.
Illinois drivers interested in supporting retired police K9s can download the specialty plate application at the link below.
Weber Lambastes Democrats for Laughing Off Cost to Taxpayers
How much a piece of legislation is going to cost the taxpayers of Illinois is no laughing matter, but that is exactly what happened with Democrats in committee last week. Whether a bill costs $160 million or $400 million matters a lot! Especially when that cost is going to be passed onto schools and local property taxpayers.
This has to stop! The residents of Illinois need relief from crushing property taxes, not millions more in costs coming down from the state of Illinois!
Weber Recognizes Purple Day to Raise Epilepsy Awareness
March 26th was Purple Day. A day dedicated to raising epilepsy awareness so that those living with this disease know that they are not alone. 3.4 million Americans and their families are living with epilepsy, including my own family.
Just days after my son turned 30 years old, he suffered his first epileptic seizure. That day forever changed his life and the lives of our family.
So, in recognition of Purple Day, I encourage everyone to learn more about the signs of epilepsy and what we can do as a society to reduce the stigma. The Epilepsy Foundation is a great resource to learn more.
I hope you’ve found this update helpful. I’m honored to serve you as your State Representative. As always, please feel welcome to call or e-mail me with any questions, concerns, or feedback on these or any other issues.
Sincerely,
Tom Weber