General Updates from Senator Mike Simmons

Dear Neighbor,

     I’m writing today from Springfield! We are in the final few weeks of Spring session, and while that means it is an incredibly busy and fast-paced time of year, I want to keep you updated as best I can on what is happening and how it affects you.

     Since my last newsletter, three additional bills of mine have passed through committee. House Bill 2589 passed through the Senate Public Health Committee, and clarifies that patients who have prescriptions for injectable medications are entitled to also purchase clean needles from a pharmacist. In my continuing dedication to fighting for clean and safe water in Illinois, House Bill 2391 passed through the Senate Environment and Conservation Committee, and would allow the use of treated municipal wastewater for industrial purposes. This is a smart, forward-thinking way to conserve resources and protect our environment. Finally, House Bill 2675 passed through the Senate Transportation Committee, which clarifies Senate Bill 1710, by directing local government and municipality-owned bicycle trails to install signage or other warning markers alerting cyclists to known emergencies or hazards.

     Also below you’ll see a handful of pictures from Springfield - I hope they provide a sense of the action and advocacy that happens every day! I know it is not easy to come to Springfield, especially for folks from the 7th District. It has been amazing and inspiring to get to meet with so many constituents and advocates this year, and it really helps drive home your priorities, ideas, and asks. To everyone who has visited so far - thank you for your dedication, time, and planning. I hear and see you and will be sure to keep your priorities with me as we enter the last few weeks of spring session!

     Even as I write this, I am realizing just how busy the past few weeks have been. My district staff and I supported an incredible job fair in Rogers Park hosted by the Howard Evanston Community Center attended by over 300 job-seekers, helped direct traffic and unload boxes of documents at the 40th Ward Shred Event, held stakeholder meetings, attended events on my behalf, assisted constituents with state resources on a daily basis, and continue to respond to hundreds of emails, phone calls, and walk-ins. If you are interested in volunteering with our office, now is a great time to reach out! We have opportunities both in and outside of the office, and would love to talk with you.

     Finally, I want to extend my deepest gratitude to the AIDS Foundation, where, alongside Representative Cassidy, I was honored to receive the Greg Harris Legislative Champion Award. I have not and will not accept repressive LGBTQ+ policies, and am determined to ensure Illinois is a safe haven for folx seeking refuge when experiencing persecution in another state. I know this is happening, and am determined to fight and allow myself to DREAM not only for myself, but for our LGBTQ+ young people who deserve to grow up into a future where they can fully be themselves.

Sincerely,




Mike Simmons
State Senator | 7th District

General Updates from Senator Mike Simmons

Dear Neighbor,

          The Spring 2025 legislative session is moving full steam ahead, and I am deep into the process of fighting to pass over 30 pieces of legislation I brought forward this year.

          In this newsletter, I am pleased to share the date of my second Health Care Town Hall, progress we have made in discussions regarding the Regional Transit Authority’s (RTA) $770M budget shortfall, recaps of district events, vital resources, upcoming events I hope you can attend, and developments with my own legislation on human rights, housing, water quality, transportation, and more.

          In Springfield, I am spending most of my time meeting with stakeholders and constituents, amending and advocating for the dozens of bills I filed, and attending Committees to advance my legislation and help advance those bills important to our district this session. Three of my own bills have already passed out of Committee with more to follow soon!

          In the district, I hosted the first Health Care Town Hall of the year in Uptown at Wilson Abbey, and it was a great success! Thank you to all the neighbors who came out and participated in an engaging discussion about medical aid in dying, universal health care, and more. I hope to see many more constituents at our future town halls! I also attended and actively participated in a Senate Transportation Hearing in downtown Chicago where we discussed legislation that would address the $770M RTA budget shortfall. You can find my full recap of the hearing further down this newsletter.

          Finally, save the date and RSVP for my second Health Care Town Hall! Given the importance of health care in our daily lives and the current state of the Federal government, I will be hosting many Health Care Town Halls across the district this year to give every neighbor the opportunity to come out, communicate directly with me, share their and their family’s experiences with the health care system, learn about the state of health care in Illinois, and receive 1:1 assistance with my team. My team and I understand how troublesome obtaining health insurance can be, and my District Office staff is ready to help anyone determine the best health insurance option available to you either through Medicaid, Medicare, the Federal Health Insurance Marketplace, or other options.

RSVP for my Health Care Town Hall #2 here!

Sincerely,




Mike Simmons
State Senator | 7th District

Special Update from Senator Mike Simmons

Dear Neighbor,

I am pleased to invite you to join me for my first town hall of 2025 focused on health care! This Health Care Town Hall will take place next Thursday, March 13th from 6:00 - 7:00 p.m. in Uptown. You can read more about it below, and RSVP here.

Improving access to affordable and quality health care continues to be a top priority for my office, and now it is more important than ever that we come together as a community to talk about the state of health care.

The location will be announced 24 hours in advance, and it will be shared via email. I look forward to seeing you there!

Sincerely,




Mike Simmons
State Senator | 7th District

General Updates from Senator Mike Simmons

Dear Neighbor,

          While today is the last day of Black History Month, I encourage us all to lift up and reflect on the many, many contributions Black people have made to the Americas, and across the global Black Diaspora.

Happy Black History Month everyone! While I am supremely proud to be Black each and every day, it is always awesome to amplify and lift up Black and African voices, history, pride, and our unbreakable spirit during the month of February.

In the past week, my office and I hosted a Black History Month Youth Discussion where young scholars gifted us with their knowledge and dreams for the future, attended the Loyola Park Black History Month event, and sang Lift Every Voice at McPherson Elementary’s Black Student Council event. It was life-giving!

          To further commemorate Black History Month, my team and I compiled a list of Black-Owned bookstores in the 7th District and across Chicago.

I have been in Springfield this week as well, where in addition to the usual schedule of caucus, hearings, and session, so many advocates came down to the people’s house on Wednesday. I met with advocates (and many neighbors!) from ONE Northside, The People’s Lobby, Centro Romero, and the University of Illinois. On top of that, I’ve had productive and collaborative meetings with the new senior staff at IDOT to discuss road safety and improvements on state routes, CDOT to discuss safety on 7th District roadways, and economic development advocates to discuss affordable housing, small business support, safety, and historic preservation in the 7th District.

Among all of this, I want to take a moment to highlight that on Wednesday, Governor Pritzker announced an additional 170,000 Illinois residents have had their medical debt erased - relieving $345 million. This debt relief is a result of HB5290, a bill from last Spring I was proud to have passed out of the Senate. We will continue to fight to make sure everyone has health care they can rely on, without burdening their families and loved ones.

Sincerely,

Mike Simmons
State Senator | 7th District