Senate passes measure to decriminalize HIV

SPRINGFIELD – An antiquated part of the criminal code that penalizes Illinoisans living with human immunodeficiency virus would be repealed under a measure co-sponsored in the Senate by State Senator Mike Simmons (D-Chicago), which cleared its final vote in the General Assembly Tuesday.

“The law this measure repeals is a relic of homophobia,” Simmons said. “HIV is an illness that must be treated, not stigmatized. The Senate did the right thing today by passing this measure, and I urge Gov. Pritzker to act quickly to sign it.”

House Bill 1063 repeals the portion of the criminal code that gives prosecutors the ability to charge people living with HIV with a Class 2 Felony for having consensual sex, sharing needles, or donating organs or bodily tissues and fluids. HIV is currently the only communicable disease subject to such criminalization.

“The fact that no other condition is treated this way under the law should tell everyone all they need to know about the motivations behind criminalizing HIV positivity,” Simmons said. 

The Senate passed House Bill 1063 on Tuesday. It awaits the governor’s signature to become law.

Jett Hawkins Act Passes the House Elementary and Secondary Education Subcommittee on School Curriculum and Policies Committee

SPRINGFIELD – The House Education Elementary and Secondary Education Subcommittee on School Curriculum and Policies amended and passed Senate Bill 817, now known as the Jett Hawkins Act. This bill, sponsored by Senator Mike Simmons (D-Chicago) and carried in the House by Majority Leader Greg Harris (D-Chicago), ensures public, private, and charter schools cannot prohibit hairstyles historically associated with race, ethnicity, or hair texture.

This bill was inspired by the events of March 3, when 4-year-old Jett Hawkins was sent home from school for having braids that violated Providence-St. Mel School’s dress code. 

“This bill is about really putting into practice the things we say we believe and the values we espouse,” said Majority Leader Greg Harris. “If you wish to receive benefits from the state, you should agree not to discriminate unfairly against African-American youth because of their hairstyle.” 

Jett’s mother, Ida Nelson, testified before the committee.

“These policies skew their perceptions of self and create a feeling that something about them needs to be fixed,” Nelson said. “It is up to all of us adults to protect children, regardless of their phenotype, from any threat to their mental or emotional wellbeing.”

Lauren Leggett, a student at Providence St. Mel, also testified before the committee to share her experience and the dress code policy’s impact on students’ mental health. She said discriminatory policies like these make students feel like a detriment to society.

“That is the biggest distraction to our education,” Lauren said. “By supporting this bill, you are eliminating a lot of barriers Black children have to face before they even enter into the workforce and supporting them on that journey.”

The Jett Hawkins Act passed the committee with a 15-3 vote and will be considered on the floor of the House of Representatives. Senator Mike Simmons sponsored SB 817 in the Senate, where it passed 40-13.

Simmons announces $2.5 million road improvements plan for the 7th District

CHICAGO – State Senator Mike Simmons (D-Chicago) announced Friday that $2.5 million in construction projects in the 7^th Illinois Senate District will improve roads and make accessibility improvements as part of the Illinois Department of Transportation’s multi-year construction plan.

“These projects represent some much-needed improvements to major arterial streets in the 7th District,” Simmons said. “These improvements will upgrade our roads, make sure the streets and sidewalks are accessible for pedestrians and people living with disabilities, and generate good jobs at the same time.”

The projects will improve 1.8 miles of U.S. 14 between U.S. 41 and Ridge Avenue, and a mile of U.S. 41 from Ashland to Lake Shore Drive. The funding is part of the $20 billion Rebuild Illinois construction plan’s 2022 slate of construction. 

A further $2 million has been slated for later years, intended for pedestrian improvements to Ridge Boulevard from Howard Street to south of Pratt Boulevard.

For more details about the projects in the 7^th District, click here.

Senator Mike Simmons Marks 100 Days in Office Fighting for the 7th District, Has Plans for the Next 100

In his first 100 days, Senator Simmons has sponsored or cosponsored more than 100 pieces of legislation, resolved over 100 constituent casework requests, and answered more than 500 letters, phone calls, and email messages from 7th district constituents. 

It has been the privilege of a lifetime and a joy to serve the communities that raised me -- Lincoln Square, Uptown, Edgewater, Rogers Park, West Ridge, Ravenswood, Andersonville, and Evanston. I am proud to represent one of the most diverse Senate districts in the state. In this letter, I want to share with you updates from the capital, our district’s impact in Springfield, and what you can expect from me in the 100 days to come. Here is a quick video covering 100 days of representing the 7th District of Illinois!

From day 1, I promised that I would change the expectations for representative government in our district.  As the first Black and openly LGBTQIA+ Senator for the 7th district, I am committed to working tirelessly to amplify the voices and urgent needs of the residents of our district: Our immigrants, those struggling with access to housing, seniors, people in-between jobs, single mothers, returning citizens, LGBTQIA+ people, young people, and others hit hardest by the pandemic. Let me catch you up on my first 100 days:

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