This week, I was back in Springfield, but not for what you might think. It was a great honor to attend the FFA State Convention and to receive an Honorary State Farm Degree from the Illinois FFA. I enjoyed getting to watch all of the recipients being honored for the hard work. It brings back memories of all the good times I have had in the FFA. Congratulations to Everyone!
Legislative Update
It has been a month since the legislature adjourned, but there are still 461 pieces of legislation pending before the Governor for either signature or veto. One bill that is awaiting a signature by the Governor is similar to a bill that I introduced that will make it easier for Illinoisans to recycle paint. This bill, Senate Bill 836, passed unanimously and will have a great impact on our local area. The 109th legislative district is home to a paint recycling plant in Nashville, IL. The company’s name is GDB International and on Monday, my chief of staff and I toured the plant. It was very interesting and they are expecting to add 85 new jobs once the new law takes effect.
FOID Card Legal Battle Moves Forward In Sangamon County
A lawsuit challenging the legality of the Illinois FOID card was filed over three years ago and is now moving forward in a Sangamon County court. The case was initiated when Illinois residents were required to wait months or even years for the FOID card to be approved by the state. There is no doubt that waiting that long was unreasonable. Now, we will see if the FOID law is an unreasonable infringement on our Second Amendment rights altogether. This is a case I will be watching closely. You can read more about it here: https://www.wandtv.com/news/foid-card-legal-battle-moves-forward-in-sangamon-county/article_9e20a8e2-0fa7-11ee-a851-fb4c6263e069.html?fbclid=IwAR2Trxsk7TFkh-G5VJZYdYmUK6dYeFnOxajLWT9W5xXRJvEcOPqQrOxttzk
Join Me for a Teletownhall
Join me next Thursday June 29th, for a Telephone Town Hall at 6pm. I will be joined by State Representatives Kevin Schmidt and Amy Elik as we answer constituent questions and give you an update on the issues facing state government.
If you do not receive a phone call from us and would like to participate and ask questions, call 888-231-5462.
Illegal Immigrant Healthcare Program Changes
A couple of weeks ago, I wrote to you about the program passed by Democrats that allows for undocumented immigrants in Illinois to receive healthcare paid for by taxpayers. The program was initially estimated to cost $280 million a year but those costs ballooned to $1.1 billion last year alone.
As House Republicans, we pushed for the program to be paused and audited. Instead, House Democrats pushed the power over to the Governor’s office to manage. For an update on the latest actions on this program, you can read more here: https://repmccombie.com/2023/06/20/pritzkers-administration-will-close-enrollment-for-state-funded-health-insurance-for-immigrants/
This Week on the Farm:
Earlier this week was National Selfie Day. I celebrated by taking a photo with my neighbors Maisie and Amelia. They stopped by while I was combining wheat and wanted to take a quick ride.
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