Newsletters

Call for Volunteers
Hey 7th District!

The summer is upon us and with that comes a large array of opportunities to get involved and engage in all the communities across the 7th district! I am always looking to expand our team of volunteers, and we would love to have you join the team! If you are interested in helping me continue to engage in community events and outreach throughout the summer, please sign up to join the team by completing the form below. My office will contact you with further details about opportunities to get involved in the 7th district! Action with my team or I could include anything from attending block parties to answering phone calls or even walking in the Chicago Pride Parade! Sign up Here!

Alzheimer’s and Brain Awareness Month

More than 6 million Americans live with Alzheimer’s. This Alzheimer’s and Brain Awareness Month, I want to highlight ways to improve care and preventative strategies to spread awareness on ways to end this devastating disease. If you or a loved one needs any help in accessing state resources in combating these conditions, please visit the Illinois Department of Aging’s website, and do not hesitate to contact my office if you have any questions. Additionally, the Alzheimer’s Association is always working to support people with dementia and their families. Learn more at www.alz.org.

State Farm Letter with LGBTQ Colleagues

Last Thursday, I was proud to join my LGBTQ colleagues in the General Assembly in condemning State Farm for pulling its support for The GenderCool Project. This organization provides LGBTQ+ affirming books in classrooms, and State Farm’s decision to step back from supporting this important work while claiming to stand with our community is hypocritical and reeks of insincerity in light of the repressive attacks we’re seeing around the county on LGBTQ+ communities. This Pride Month, we will not allow them to market themselves as inclusive and allies of queer communities until the company reverses this abrupt decision.

Learn more about our statement here.

State of Uptown 2022 Recap

I recently attended Uptown United and Uptown Chamber of Commerce’s State of Uptown 2022 and had an informative discussion on the state of affordable housing, public safety, and local businesses in the community. It was great to connect again with some of Uptown’s key leaders, including the inspiring Jackie Taylor of Black Ensemble Theater. I look forward to working with all of these leaders, aldermen, and Representative Harris further to help continue to keep Uptown strong in our district! Big thank you to Sarah Wilson and Greg Carroll of Uptown Chamber of Commerce for running such a great event, and thank you to Furama for serving some delicious food!

Peterson Elementary Visit

I was so glad to visit Peterson Elementary in the North Park section of our district last week for their career fair and speak with some of the students as they planned for high school and beyond. We talked about recent school shootings, a typical day in the life of an elected official, how exceptionally diverse our neighborhoods are in this part of the state, and how many options they have for their futures. It was an inspiring visit, and I want to give a hearty thank you to Principal Nieves, Assistant Principal Hurley, and all the teachers and students who welcomed me to your classrooms!

Constituent Museum Pass

With the school year coming to an end and so much extra free time, what better way to enjoy the summer than by exploring Chicago’s world-class museums! I have partnered with Museums in the Park to provide residents of our district with a museum passport that grants complimentary General Admission at the following institutions:

• Adler Planetarium
• The Art Institute of Chicago
• Brookfield Zoo/CZS
• Chicago Academy of Sciences/Peggy Notebaert Nature Museum
• Chicago Botanic Garden
• Chicago Children’s Museum
• Chicago History Museum
• DuSable Museum of African American History
• The Field Museum
• Illinois Holocaust Museum & Education Center
• Lincoln Park Zoo
• Museum of Contemporary Art
• Museum of Science and Industry
• National Museum of Mexican Art
• National Museum of Puerto Rican Arts & Culture
• John G. Shedd Aquarium

How it works:
The Constituent Education Resource Card provides admission for the cardholder plus three guests.
The Resource Card can be rented directly from my district office. Contact my district office at 773- 769-1717 or via email at This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. for additional details.
You must be a resident of the 7th district to rent the pass.

SCAM ALERT: Medicare Scams Notice

Unfortunately, I have been getting many phone calls from constituents questioning the legitimacy of supposed medicare eligibility documents they are receiving in the mail. Below are a few examples of mail that is NOT government-affiliated. If you ever have any questions about the legitimacy of any medicare-related mail you are receiving, please give my office a call at 773-769-1717 or reach out via email at This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.. My team would be happy to help you figure out if the piece of mail is legitimate.

Resources for Reporting Medicare / Medicaid Fraud or Scams

Medicaid Fraud and Abuse Information (Centers for Medicaid and Medicare Services)
1-800-HHS-TIPS (1-800-447-8477) TTY: 1-800-377-4950

Illinois State Police Medicaid Fraud Control Unit
Investigates long-term care facility complaints related to Medicaid Fraud, Abuse and/or Neglect
To report Medicaid Fraud, Abuse or Neglect, call 1-888-557-9503

Senior HelpLine (Illinois Department of Aging)
Toll-free: 1-800-252-8966
For deaf and speech-impaired communication over the telephone, dial Illinois Relay at 711.
Phone: 217-524-6911
Email: This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.
 

Indigenous Edgewater Historical Society and Museum

Please do not hesitate to contact me or my staff if you have questions or would like to voice your opinion about legislative or budget issues. I would like to reiterate that our office is here to help. We are a non-judgment, welcoming place where 7th district residents are encouraged to contact us to request constituent services.

As always, please do not hesitate to contact my office at 773-769-1717 if we can help you with anything.

Sincerely,

Mike Simmons

State Senator | 7th District

Dear Neighbor,

We’ve wrapped up the spring legislative session! We passed a historic budget that includes a provision to expand the earned income tax credit, which I personally fought hard for. Alongside the budget, I was able to secure the passage of 10 pieces of legislation covering a range of issue areas including youth mental health. I also helped drive the passage of several bills as a chief cosponsor including groundbreaking gun safety legislation and a Medicaid expansion. The Senate finished its final session going late into the night and adjourning at 3 am!

Here are some highlights from the budget:

$1.83 Billion in Tax Relief for Working Families

• Permanently expands the earned-income tax credit for those currently eligible– putting an additional $105 million per year back into the pockets of low-income households
• Expands eligibility for the earned-income tax credit to adults 18-24 years old, ITIN filers, and seniors 65 and older
• Provides direct checks to working families: $50 per individual and $100 per child, up to three children per family
• Helps teachers buy supplies for their classroom through a tax credit up to $500
• Back to school tax relief on school clothes and materials for families and teachers – saving consumers $50 million
• Suspends the tax on groceries for one year – saving consumers $400 million
• Freezes the motor fuel tax for six months – saving consumers $70 million
• Doubles the property tax rebate – up to $300 per household

We also secured a wage increase for 60,000 homecare workers who often care for seniors. My bill SB4030 bill details (homecare wage increase) originally called for a $1.56 increase and was partially included in the final budget providing a 70 cent per hour pay increase.

Supporting Arts, Theater and Music Venues, Restaurants, Breweries, and Small Businesses – All Key Wins for Our District

The budget includes $50 million for arts and cultural organizations and $50 million for restaurants, bars, and breweries. License fees for bars and restaurants are also being suspended.

It also includes $16 million for community navigators for small business technical assistance, and funding for low-interest loan programs for business expansion. Additional funding includes $20 million for business attraction and retention and $50 million for the Employer Training Investment Program.

Paying Down Debt and Fulfilling Pension Promises

The budget meets the state’s full pension commitment while adding $200 million to pay down debt, bringing total extra pension payments to $500 million and saving taxpayers more than $1.8 billion. A $1 billion Rainy Day Fund is also included for emergency stability.

Investing in Education

The FY23 budget invests nearly $600 million in early childhood education and an additional $350 million for K-12 evidence-based funding.

College financial aid includes $122 million for MAP grants: MAP grant program details .

Prioritizing Mental Health

The budget allocates $5 million for crisis response services through the 988 hotline and increases addiction treatment funding by $50 million.

Legislative Updates

I am proud to share that I have ten bills heading to the governor’s desk for signing:

• HB 4369 bill status: Lead inspection enforcement improvements
• SB 4028 bill status: Student mental health education and council
• HB 4430 bill status: Access to HIV prevention medication
• SB 702 bill status: Senior Residents Council creation
• SB 3865 bill status: Removal of outdated terminology from statutes
• SB 3136 bill status: Medicaid continuity for housing insecure individuals
• HB 4589 bill status: Men’s Health Division creation
• HB 5016 bill status: Remote learning for incarcerated youth
• HB 5201 bill status: Agricultural Equity Commission
• HB 5525 bill status: Commission on Children of Incarcerated Parents

Additionally, I helped secure passage of HB 4383 ghost guns legislation details .

Join us Saturday, April 30th for our Northside Resource Day Event at Swift Elementary. The Secretary of State’s Office will provide ID and driver services.

View required documents and service details for Northside Resource Day

7th District candid photo taken at Bowmanville garden near Rosehill Cemetery.

Apply for Illinois Homeowner Assistance Fund: Homeowner mortgage and tax relief application portal

Cook County gun violence prevention grant program: Cook County ARPA grant application information

Illinois Works Pre-Apprenticeship Program: Apply for Illinois Works training program

Please contact my office at 773-769-1717 for constituent services or support.

Sincerely,

Mike Simmons

State Senator | 7th District

Dear Neighbor,

The last two weeks have been highly productive. I secured passage of several equity-focused bills that will lead to better health outcomes and well-being for many underserved people.

Legislative Updates

Sen. Simmons during Senate floor debate on HB4430

Dear Friend,

The legislative session is well underway, and last week I secured passage of three equity-focused bills out of the Senate! All three came directly from our People’s Legislative Councils, or from constituent phone calls and meetings. I am so proud that we consistently lift up the voices of residents of the 7th District, and we will continue to take a participatory approach to introducing and passing legislation. Your eagerness to participate and communicate with our district office has made it clear that residents' voices matter.

I would like to reiterate that our office is here to help. We are a non-judgment, welcoming place where 7th District residents are encouraged to contact us to request constituent services or to voice their opinions about legislative issues.

The Senate will reconvene next week. I will continue asking thoughtful questions in legislative committees, researching each bill under review, and working to ensure we produce quality and equitable legislation.

Continue reading for information on COVID-19 resources, my upcoming community town hall, and other community resources you or those you love may need.