Audit outlines series of failures in state’s response to COVID outbreak at Veterans Home In the fall of 2020 more than 30 veterans lost their lives at the LaSalle Veterans…

Reminder: Pontiac Correctional Center town hall is Tuesday May 10 On Tuesday May 10 Senator Jason Barickman and I will be hosting a town hall meeting for members of the…

Illinois’ transit mask mandates lifted Last week a federal judge struck down the federal mask mandate on airplanes. The judge who made the ruling did not say anything either way…

Legislation passes to better protect DCFS caseworkers A few months ago I told you about the tragic death of Deidre Silas, a Department of Children and Family Services (DCFS) caseworker…

House pulls all-nighter, passes budget at 6 a.m. Saturday After a marathon session Friday night and into Saturday morning, the House passed a $46.5 billion budget that increases spending by…

Final hours of session underway Today is scheduled to be the final day of the spring session of the General Assembly. Before things get too hectic around the Capitol I…

State Police celebrate 100th birthday Today is the 100th birthday of the Illinois State Police. The state’s premier traffic safety and law enforcement agency was created on April 1, 1922,…

Bill would create tax credit for volunteer firefighters This week I spoke at a press conference in support of Senate Bill 3027, legislation I am co-sponsoring to create a tax…

Some Illinoisans still waiting for unemployment answers one year later As the pandemic hit and the lockdowns began, hundreds of thousands of Illinoisans lost their jobs. Many were forced into…

Bennett-sponsored education bills pass House I am proud to be the lead sponsor and the chief co-sponsor of a pair of bipartisan bills to help our schools. Both passed the…