General Updates from Senator Mike Simmons

Dear Neighbor,

I hope you are well. It has been a challenging week for many in the community, and I want to reassure anyone who is struggling, that you are not alone. If you need help, please do not hesitate to reach out to my office or to a trusted community resource. Just below this letter is a list of resources.

I am heartened to reflect back on the events and updates below as they are an example of what is to come for the future. My office and I will remain focused on making sure that everyone in Illinois - whether your family has lived here for generations or just arrived for the first time - has access to the most basic of human dignities; food, housing, healthcare, childcare, wellness, and safety.

As I ender my next term as your state senator, I want to express that it is the honor of my life to serve you and the community that I grew up in. Your needs and lived experiences directly inform legislation, outreach, and advocacy from my office. As always, should you need to reach us please do not hesitate to call our office at 773-769-1717 or email This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it..

Sincerely,

Senator Mike Simmons
State Senator | 7th District

Dear Neighbor,

I have a very important event to share! Tomorrow, October 24th I am hosting a Mobile Office Hours event in partnership with DHS, from 12-3pm at the Institute of Cultural Affairs building at 4750 N. Sheridan Road. There will be on-site DHS caseworkers in addition to my staff to help fill out SNAP and Medicaid applications or renewals in-person. Senior service assistance with ride-free transit passes and license plate discounts will also be available. This is a wonderful resource for those looking for help with these services and more. Please stop by if you are looking for support!

Este jueves, el 24 de octubre, de 12-3pm, organicé un evento de horas de oficina móvil en colaboración con el DHS en el Institute of Cultural Affairs, ubicado en 4750 N Sheridan Rd. Habrá asistentes sociales del DHS con mi equipo para ayudar a completar las aplicaciones para SNAP y Medicaid en persona. También habrá disponible asistencia para personas mayores con pases de transporte gratuitos y descuentos en matrículas. Este es un recurso maravilloso para quienes buscan apoyo con estos servicios y más. ¡Ven si necesita ayuda!

Sincerely,

Mike Simmons
State Senator | 7th District

Transportation Updates from Senator Mike Simmons

Dear Friend,

In addition to a summer full of outreach, community events, and constituent casework, I want to take the opportunity to update you on what I have been working on in the area of transportation. As a member of the Senate Transportation Committee and a life-long cyclist and public transit user, I have made a point to bike to hearings in Naperville and Elgin, where I advocated for the prioritization of pedestrian/cyclist safety, multimodal transportation, and all-things CTA from improved service and safety on all buses and trains, bus rapid transit, and the elimination of ghost buses.

As your Senator, I know the future of transportation is at a generational crossroads. This Transportation focused e-blast covers the latest related to transportation issues, including the redesign of North Dusable Lake Shore Drive, ongoing discussions about potential reforms of our mass transit systems currently operating as the Regional Transit Authority (CTA, Metra, and Pace), and even a few fun highlights of biking through the State and District with my colleagues.

As reform talks continue, it is more important than ever to remember that above all else, we must strive for a transportation system that is safe, accessible, and sustainable for all.

The next Senate Transportation Hearing takes place on Wednesday, October 16th at 10:00 a.m. and will be live-streamed on ilga.gov. I encourage you to tune in!

In addition, this fall I am focused on fighting for the House passage of my bill, SB899, which passed the Senate this past spring. This bill will advance more than two dozen traffic calming and road safety infrastructure improvement projects in high-crash corridors across the state, including in our district. Specifically, this bill advances new pedestrian and cyclist safety design requirements by clarifying state and city jurisdiction over project management of these road improvements.

If you have any questions, opinions, or comments you want to share on anything related to the future of transportation, please feel free to reach out via the contact form on my website or by giving my office a call at 773-769-1717. Thank you!

Sincerely,

Senator Mike Simmons
7th Senate District

Dear Neighbor,

What a summer! It is hard to capture everything that has happened but I want to make sure to share as much as possible about what I and my district office team have been up to. We have gotten to see so many of you at summer celebrations, block parties, and outreach events - it has been wonderful.

My office has also fielded hundreds of walk-ins, referrals, and phone calls to address constituent needs. Accessing stable, affordable housing is the number one issue that comes to our office. Just last week we had 27 cases on this issue. If you are facing challenges in housing, I want you to know that my office is a safe space and encourage you to reach out.

This summer has also been a major time of connecting with leaders to advocate for the needs of the 7th District. I sat down with Senator Dick Durbin, and housing was a major focus of our conversation. We also discussed youth mental health, and the need for greater access to affordable health care. You can read more about our conversation below. I was especially honored to host him at Mella Cafe, owned by Yirgy Meles and Negus Solomon in Edgewater and share Ethiopian traditions and food.

In other news, I have been honored to be part of the Edgar Fellows program, a leadership program established by former Governor Jim Edgar. As a 2022 alum, I was honored to address the 2024 Class of Edgar Fellows.

A big thank you to Mathew Adjesso and Dohyeon Kim, our summer interns! We are so grateful that you were with us this summer. Our interns are integral staff members. They help lead us through resource events like the Juneteenth Celebration at Truman College and our recent Survivors of Domestic Violence event. Our summer interns even helped spearhead organizing and implementing our recent Virtual Town Hall. They support every day office needs and connect constituents with the resources they need. I am proud of how each of our interns served the 7th District this summer with enthusiasm and empathy.

As you can see below, my team and I have been all over the district, meeting with constituents, sharing new resources, connecting folks with services, celebrating, and always, always, listening. We look forward to continuing to serve you and the North Side of Chicago this fall, and to developing legislation that is informed by your needs.

To our Eritrean/Ethiopian community, Melkam Addis Amet! (Happy New Year).

Sincerely,

Senator Mike Simmons
7th Senate District