🪅New Year, New Laws, and a New Term!
Dear Neighbor,
I hope you and your loved ones had a wonderful holiday season and a great start to 2025. With the start of the new year, several new Illinois laws went into effect. I’m proud to have had a hand in a few of them. Specifically, this year is the culmination of maybe the most significant journey of my career: after years of gradual increases, Illinois finally has a $15 minimum wage thanks to a law I passed in 2019. Back then the minimum wage was $8.25 an hour. Inflation and high costs have been brutal in recent years, but at least we’ve ensured that wages keep up for folks on the low end of the spectrum. Just imagine trying to survive on $8.25 in this economy.
We also enacted discrimination protections for family caregivers. That means that people who take care of children or family members can’t be demoted, fired, or passed over for promotion just because they look after loved ones. Regular readers of this newsletter will remember this fight from last year’s legislative session.
Last week, we wrapped up the 103rd General Assembly with a “lame duck” session. During that time in Springfield, two important bills that I served as chief sponsor on passed the House and Senate – HB 4410 and SB 867. HB 4410 establishes protections for sex workers against abuses by law enforcement, automatically seals related court records, and removes dehumanizing language from Illinois law. I’ll talk in more detail about SB 867 later this week — it returns the Shabbona Lake State Park to the Prairie Band Potawatomi Nation. It’s one of the most historic bills I’ve had the chance to work on in my ten years as a legislator.
On January 8th, I was inaugurated for my sixth term in the Illinois House. I’ve also been appointed to be an Assistant Majority Leader and Co-Budgeteer for the House Democratic Caucus. I'm deeply grateful for the opportunity and responsibility to represent you in the legislature, and I look forward to working together on issues to address the needs and priorities of working people and families in our district and throughout Illinois.
All my best,
Will
Property Tax Appeal Events
Appeal your property tax assessment at two upcoming events, as Jefferson Township is open for appeals until January 17.
Wednesday, January 15, from 5 to 7pm at 2934 N Milwaukee Ave. Unit C
Thursday, January 16 from 6 to 8pm at St. Ferdinand Catholic School Cafeteria, 3145 N Mason Ave.
NWS Know Your Rights and ICE Watching Training
On Thursday, January 16 at 6pm, join Chicago's Northwest Side Progressive Coalition for an online training designed to empower our community with essential knowledge on your rights when interacting with ICE or other law enforcement officials and how to identify ICE activity in our communities. Here is the Zoom webinar registration link.
Office Closure for MLK Jr. Day
Our office will be closed on Monday, January 20 in observance of Martin Luther King Jr. Day. We will reopen on Tuesday, January 21 from 9am to 5pm.
Suicide Prevention Training
Learn to identify the warning signs of suicide, take immediate steps to reduce risk, and connect individuals with appropriate, professional care. This training fosters community connection and equips participants with the knowledge to address suicide and mental health challenges effectively. Upon completion, participants will receive a QPR Gatekeeper Certificate.
đź“… Date: Thursday, January 16
⏰ Time: 4:00 to 5:30pm
đź“Ť Location: Portage-Cragin Library, 5108 W Belmont Ave.
đź“ť Register: Scan QR code or Click Here