Reflection

February marks Black History month and I want to start off by recognizing  the accomplishments of our first ever Black Speaker of the House, Emanuel “Chris” Welch. I was honored to usher in a new day in Springfield with my vote for Speaker Welch in January of 2021 and I am proud to serve under his leadership. Speaker Welch has fostered a culture of teamwork and equity as we work to pass critical legislation that will help Illinoisans thrive. I look forward to working with the Speaker to create an Illinois that works for us all.   

Maura

Around the District

Representative Hirschauer Tours Hanover Township  February 4, 2022

I visited Hanover Township and learned about the various services it offers to our constituents. Aging Services, Community Health, and Youth and Family services name just a few. Hanover Township has friendly staff and volunteers ready to assist. Thank you for the wonderful tour of Hanover Township, Supervisor McGuire and staff! 

Click here to access Hanover Township full list of services. You can also contact our office at 331-465-9661 and we will connect you to the services. 

Speaking to Professor Phelps’s Social Policy Classes February 4, 2022
I had the honor to speak to a group of bright talented social work students at Aurora University.  We had a terrific discussion about the power of mentorship, the importance of finding and using your voice to enact change, and the impact of listening and leading with empathy. Our future is brighter because of them. 
Thank you to Dr. Don Phelps for inviting me to speak and for his work in educating and mentoring social workers in Illinois.

In Springfield

February is a busy month in Springfield as my colleagues and I work hard to move our bills through committees. Since my election I have spent many hours listening to the needs of our constituents and learning from them and these conversations guide the legislation I draft. This week I introduced HB5193, a bill to ensure that safe gun storage information is included in our public schools’ handbooks to aid in the reduction of gun violence. Mental health crises are on the rise in our school aged population and it is important to understand the dangerous intersection of access to unsecured guns and mental health. Addressing the role of firearms is essential in suicide prevention, and our schools play a valuable role in sharing that information with families. Promoting positive messages about keeping children and communities safe through safe gun storage is a key strategy to reducing unintentional gun injuries and death, death by homicide, and suicide. Learn more about safe gun storage here.

I also passed SB1711 through the Revenue Committee. SB1711 made key changes to improve the Historic Tax Credit Act and will serve to preserve our historic buildings and revitalize communities and spur economic growth.

I am here to listen to the needs of all constituents. Feel free to reach out to my office at 331-465-9661 for any issues or concerns. I am here to serve.

2021 Legislation

I had a productive first year in the House, sponsoring or having a strong roll in bills that will reduce trauma, support victims, and help the most vulnerable.

• Gun Violence Prevention
  • School Law Enforcement Drills (HB2400)
  • Fix the FOID (HB1092)
• Education
  • Special Ed Resources (HB290)
  • School Law Enforcement Drills (HB2400)
  • Financial Literacy (SB1830, HR270)
• Survivors of Sexual Violence
  • Sexual Assault Evidence Tracking (HB1739)
  • Civil No Contact Orders- family member (HB1742)
• Immigration
  • Undocumented Resources (HB3438)

Additionally, I am proud to have been a part of the 102nd General Assembly that

• passed strong ethics reform (SB539)
• added voting protections (SB825)
• expanded & protected telehealth access (HB3308)
• started Illinois toward a carbon-free future with nation-leading Climate and Equitable Jobs Act (HB2408 – here’s a great blog post from J.C. Kibbey of the Natural Resources Defense Council that sums it up!)
• recognized and acted on a criminal justice trailer bill for which I worked with local law enforcement, Kane County State’s attorney, and Kane County Sheriff to arrive at a consensus bill that removed all opposition

District Office in Action

On Fridays, the District Office staff is getting into the community. Recently they were at St. Andrew Church in West Chicago helping prepare for their Saturday community food distribution. Thanks to the hard work of volunteers, St. Andrew Church is able to feed over 400 families. If you are interested in volunteering opportunities contact us at 331-465-9661. You can also reach out to St. Andrew Church directly at 630-231-3787.