General Updates from Senator Mike Simmons

Greetings 7th District residents! I wanted to touch base with you to provide a recap of the last couple weeks or so. First, I’d like to cover a couple new initiatives we’ve rolled out or resumed that should be good for our district. On Saturday, Nov. 12th my team and I rolled out our new constituent services program where we will go out into the district and doorknock to introduce ourselves to constituents, educate them on what our office can do for them, and find ways to help constituents with state resources.

So many people don’t have a clear sense of what the state legislature can do, or need help and have no idea where to start, so I am happy we are proactively taking state government to the people. Our inaugural doorknock was done in the Budlong Woods section of our district, which is located in Lincoln Square near where I grew up.

We also continued the 7th District people’s legislative council initiative, a participatory space where we organically convene constituents across the district who reflect particular lived experiences that are amplified and shape legislation I introduce. The child tax credit legislation I introduced last year came out of the legislative councils with single mothers, and on Wednesday, November 9th we convened residents of our district who are survivors of gun violence. We had participants from Uptown, Ravenswood, Roger Park, and Edgewater in the room.

I am so thankful for each participant for sharing their experiences with gun violence, and working with me to help advocate for legislation such as a statewide ban on assault weapons, and other sensible gun laws. We will resume with future legislative councils for people living with disabilities in early 2023. If you’d like to participate, please call my office at 773-769-1717.

The veto session is upon us, and we are expecting to take up a handful of trailer bills to existing legislation. See below under legislative updates for some highlights from the first week of the veto session.

Lastly, we will be holding a Virtual Town Hall on Tuesday, December 6th at 6:30 p.m. I thoroughly enjoy opening up government and policymaking to our constituents, and invite you to join us as I provide general legislative and community updates, and take questions from residents.

As always, my office is available at 773-769-1717 if we can be of assistance. Read on for legislative updates, community recaps, and for a list of helpful resources.

 

Sincerely,

Mike Simmons

State Senator | 7th District

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I recently sat down with the Sound of the State to discuss the importance of #TransgenderAwarenessWeek. As the first openly gay person in the Illinois Senate, it is important that I uplift the Transgender community and recognize their long legacy of advocating for the rights and liberties of the entire LGBTQ+community. We must work together to protect our Transgender friends and family members and honor those we have lost. I hope you enjoy this short podcast recording! Click here to listen: http://bit.ly/3hDihVi

CHICAGO – With the intention to understand the concerns and needs of community members, and to proactively connect his constituents to state resources, State Senator Mike Simmons visited the Budlong Woods neighborhood this past Saturday knocking on doors and introducing residents to state resources and meeting those residents face-to-face. 

“Meeting residents in-person, where they’re at, encourages them to voice their concerns and needs in an informal way,” said Simmons (D-Chicago). “Engaging with the community in their neighborhoods helps to ensure they feel seen, heard, respected, and helped.”

During the day, Simmons addressed topics such as property taxes, commercial and residential development, recent gun violence, and small businesses. Simmons grew up in the Budlong Woods neighborhood and was able to connect with long-time residents as well as introduce himself to the new families along Farragut Avenue. He also handed out flyers with state-level resources including services his district office offers. 

“It was cathartic to meet with families one-on-one this past weekend in Budlong Woods, which is located in Lincoln Square, the area where I grew up and where my family racially integrated the neighborhood in the early 1980s,” Simmons said. “As my team and I talked to our neighbors, many being long-time residents, I felt a sense of pride and responsibility in helping to lift up the needs of households in the area." 

If residents have questions about the next opportunity to meet him in the neighborhood, or would like information about local resources, Simmons urges them to contact his office at 773-769-1717.

This week is #TransgenderAwarenessWeek, an occasion to raise the visibility of transgender people and address issues members of the community face. As the first openly gay state senator in Illinois, this topic is deeply personal to me and I stand in solidarity with our trans siblings in fighting for justice, peace, and empowerment.