Past News
October 29, 2019
VFP: With Push From Proviso Area Lawmaker, NCAA Softens Stance On Student-Athlete Compensation
On the same day a bill allowing college student-athletes to profit from the use of their name or likeness passed an Illinois House committee Tuesday, the governing body that oversees most collegiate athletics took steps toward allowing such activity at a national level.
By Jerry Norwicki
October 27, 2019
WGN Radio: Democratic State Rep. Chris Welch on NCAA legislation: “Allow student athletes to profit off of their own name and their own image”
Rick Pearson is joined by Democratic State Rep. and Chairman of the House Executive Committee Emanuel “Chris” Welch, to discuss on the general assembly fall veto session and the NCAA legislation he hopes to get passed. Chris explains what the legislation entails; the importance of allowing student athletes to be able to generate profits for themselves using their own likeness, especially since colleges and universities have always profited off of the students; and how this bill will help IL stay competitive with California.
October 27, 2019
Chicago Tribune: Illinois Gov. J.B. Pritzker backs bill to let collegiate athletes make endorsement deals
Gov. J.B. Pritzker backed legislation Sunday that would allow college athletes in Illinois to make money from endorsements, but House Republicans convening this week in the fall veto session are likely to oppose it.
By Rick Pearson
October 19, 2019
VFP: Op-Ed: College Athletics Is Big Business, So Allow Student Athletes To Share The Wealth
College athletics is a business, a billion-dollar business.
Since 2010, college basketball’s premier tournament, March Madness, has brought and will continue to bring in $19.6 billion in television contracts to the NCAA through the year 2032.
October 15, 2019
CBS2 Chicago: College Sports Pay-For-Play May Be Coming To Illinois
California recently signed a game-changer in college sports. It is the first state to sign legislation to allow athletes to make some money off themselves. As CBS 2's Matt Zahn explains, now it’s sparking other states, including Illinois, to possibly do the same.
October 12, 2019
VFP: Maywood Cuts Ribbon On Newest Park, Named After Lawmaker
By Michael Romain
State Rep. Emanuel “Chris” Welch (7th) had a full-circle moment on Saturday, when Maywood Park District officials unveiled a brand new park in his name at 1015 S. 10th Ave. in Maywood. The new park is the village’s twelfth.
October 10, 2019
Mully & Haugh: State Rep. Emanuel 'Chris' Welch interview
In the final hour, Mike Mulligan and David Haugh were joined by Illinois State Representative Emanuel "Chris" Welch to discuss the bill he recently introduced that would allow Illinois college athletes to make money from endorsement deals. Later, the guys discussed recent criticism of quarterback Mitchell Trubisky and the Bears' offense by a couple of national analysts.
OCTOBER 2, 2019
Chicago Sun-Times: Let college athletes cash in
By CST Editorial Board
In July, a teacher at the University of North Carolina testified before a Senate committee in Washington that some student athletes at the university couldn’t even read.
OCTOBER 1, 2019
Chicago Sun-Times: Bill would allow Illinois college athletes to be paid for endorsement deals
By Jerry Norwicki
An Illinois lawmaker is sponsoring a bill to allow college student athletes to sign endorsement deals, hire agents and benefit financially from the use of their likeness after California became the first state in the nation to pass such a law earlier this week.
OCTOBER 1, 2019
WGN9 TV: Illinois lawmaker introduces bill allowing college athletes to get paid
By Bianca Cseke
Illinois could join California when it comes to letting college athletes get paid.
OCTOBER 1, 2019
WBBM 780: Illinois State Lawmaker Proposes Bill That Would Allow College Athletes To Sign Endorsement Deals
By Bernie Tafoya
An Illinois state lawmaker thinks college athletes ought to be able to be compensated with cash and he’s proposed a new law to allow it.
OCTOBER 1, 2019
ABC7 Chicago: Illinois legislator introduces bill to allow college athletes to be paid
By John Garcia
Illinois State Representative Emanuel "Chris" Welch introduced a bill Monday that would allow Illinois college athletes to make money from endorsement deals.
September 30, 2019
Chicago Tribune: Illinois legislator introduces bill to let college athletes be paid, saying he wants to stay competitive with California
By Jamie Munks
Saying he wants Illinois to be “on par” with California, state Rep. Emanuel “Chris” Welch on Monday introduced a bill that would allow college athletes to make money from endorsement deals.
September 30, 2019
Crain's Chicago: College athletes may be allowed to cash in on endorsement deals
By Sarah Zimmerman
Illinois may follow California's lead and allow college athletes to be paid for the use of their name and likeness under newly introduced legislation that would likely open the door to lawsuits and could jeopardize the state's position in the Big Ten.
May 29, 2019
WGN Radio: “Diversity Drives Performance” – Adjusting Illinois Board Rooms For The Better
By Bennett Wakenight
Illinois businesses are constantly changing, but Representative Emanuel Chris Welch noticed that board members rarely change. Steve Grzanich and the Representative from the 7th District of Illinois discussed the bill that is close to being passed that will ensure a diverse board for Illinois based businesses to better the company performance and provide more opportunity.
MAY 1, 2019
Opinion: Why I'm pushing a boardroom diversity bill in Springfield
State Rep. Emanuel "Chris" Welch says his measure is necessary after decades of prejudicial business and public practices. We can and must do better to ensure that African-American, Latino and female voices are heard in the boardroom.
April 28, 2019
WGN Radio: Diversity is a must on corporate boards
Rick Pearson talks to Democratic State Rep. Emanuel Chris Welch, and Rebecca Shi, Executive Director, Illinois Business Immigration Council, on legislation requiring diversity on corporate boards. Emanuel Chris Welch describes what the legislation sets out to accomplish; Rebecca and Emanuel share the benefits of a diverse board and why it’s crucial to a corporation’s success; and much more.
April 27, 2019
‘Op-Ed: Why Corporate Diversity Matters’
We can and must do better to ensure that African American, Latino and women voices are heard in the boardroom. Many in the business community agree. A recent survey of board members and executives commissioned by Deloitte concluded that “Business leaders clearly believe in the benefits of diversity on their boards of directors."
April 4, 2019
‘Opinion: Rep. Welch: It’s time to act on student mental health’
"The stories that Asha has seen are far too common in Illinois. As a college sophomore, she and many of her peers sought mental health counseling, but felt alienated or stigmatized by the campus counseling center."
february 18, 2019
VFP: ‘We Are Not Going To Let Them Close These Doors!’
By Michael Romain
"A shivering crowd of at least 40 people gathered under snowfall and in 20-degree weather on Monday morning just across the street from Westlake to protest the recent decision by the hospital’s new owner to close the institution."
January 23, 2019
VFP: Welch Named New Chair Of Powerful House Committee
By Michael Romain
"An area lawmaker was recently named to head a powerful committee in the Illinois House of Representatives, according to a report by Rich Miller’s Capitol Fax blog."
December 4, 2018
VFP: Lawmaker Named Co-chair Of Pritzker’s Education Transition Committee
By Michael Romain
"A state lawmaker who represents many parts of Proviso Township was recently named to help lead a key committee that is part of Illinois Governor-elect J.B. Pritzker’s campaign transition."
November 27, 2018
NBC5: Pritzker Announces Education Committee Aiming to Raise Illinois Student Standards
By Ash-har Quraishi
November 20, 2018
CLTV: Proposal to Let Teachers Carry Guns Rejected Amidst School Safety Debate
By Jordan Muck
November 17, 2018
ABC7 Chicago: Illinois Association of School Boards Votes Against Giving Districts Option to Arm Teachers
"CHICAGO (WLS) -- Members of the Illinois Association of School Boards voted Saturday against a resolution that would give school districts the option to train and arm staff.
The resolution failed 203-179."
September 20, 2018
VFP: Police Chiefs, Legislator Visit Maywood Preschool, Urge State to Boost Funds
By Community Editor
"Two area police chiefs and a state legislator recently visited a prekindergarten class in Maywood in order to read to students and show their support for additional preschool funding."
September 13, 2018
VFP: Small Farmers Spend A Day In Proviso Township With Their Adopted State Rep
By Michael Romain
"Whiteside County, Ill. is where the easternmost portion of Iowa kisses the westernmost portion of the Land of Lincoln. Tampico, one of the county’s most recognizable municipalities, is where President Ronald Reagan was born. Morrison, Whiteside’s county seat, is closer to Iowa City than Chicago."
August 10, 2018
Press Release: New Restraint Law Will Keep Illinois Children Safe
WESTCHESTER – A new Illinois law pushed by Rep. Emanuel “Chris” Welch, D-Hillside, will ensure young children are properly restrained and safe while traveling in vehicles around the state.
Welch helped lead the efforts this year for House Bill 4377, which was signed into law last week.
July 3, 2018
Opinion: Sorry, Guv, but you have by no means been the salvation of the black community
"When temporary workers faced serious hurdles in the workplace, state Rep. Carol Ammons stepped up to pass the Responsible Jobs Creation Act.
When students from Chicago and low-income areas around the state desperately needed a new school funding formula, state Rep. Will Davis led the charge."
June 21, 2018
CLTV: Rauner Praises Trump Executive Order, Faces Backlash from Black CaucusApril 21, 2018
IEA: State Rep. Emanuel “Chris” Welch Receives IEA Friend of Education Award
"ROSEMONT – One of the top public education advocates in the Illinois General Assembly is the recipient of the 2018 Friend of Education Award from the Illinois Education Association (IEA).
State Rep. Emanuel “Chris” Welch (D-Hillside), was recognized with the award at the IEA Representative Assembly on Saturday at the Hyatt Regency O’Hare in Rosemont, Ill."
November 9, 2017
NPR Illinois: Cursive Law Becomes Welch's Signature Issue
By Dusty Rhodes
"With teachers devoting much of their time to preparing students for standardized tests, penmanship has disappeared from the curriculum in many schools. A new state law approved yesterday will bring it back, to ensure elementary students get instruction in cursive writing — sometime between 2nd and 5th grade.
State Rep. Emanuel Chris Welch (D-Hillside) filed the measure the same day lawmakers approved his resolution on zombie apocalypse preparedness.
He took this measure a bit more seriously, but he wasn’t sure anyone else would."
October 30, 2017
Chicago Tonight: State Lawmakers Speak Out on Sexual Harassment in Springfield
By Evan Garcia
"It’s been one week since an open letter describing a culture of sexual harassment and misconduct in Springfield began circulating online.
Since then, nearly 300 women and men – including several politicians, public officials and political insiders – have signed the letter, which calls for #NoMore in Illinois, referencing the recent #MeToo social media trend in which victims of sexual harassment share their stories."
April 24, 2017
NPR Illinois: The Flowing Font Fight
By Dusty Rhodes
"Should the State of Illinois require public schools to teach students how to write in cursive? That question is at the center of a legislative measure generating more controversy than you might expect for a bill that doesn’t even involve money."
April 3, 2017
Chicago Tonight: For These Chicago Kids, Time is ‘Write’ for Cursive Clubs
By Amanda Vinicky
"Cursive has fallen out of fashion in many Chicago classrooms. But the time may be “write” for a resurgence.
“Ready? Around. Up. Pick up, here we go,” Chicago Public Schools teacher Crystal Oswald tells her students, as she traces a cursive capital letter “T” – the strokes of her pencil displayed on a screen in front of a row of desks."
March 9, 2017
NBC5 Chicago: Illinois House Votes to Make October 'Zombie Preparedness Month'
By Tom Schuba
"I am told that if you are prepared for zombies, then you would be prepared to deal with a natural disaster like tornadoes, blizzards, natural disasters of any kind,” Welch said on the House floor Thursday.
Feburary 5, 2017
Chicago Tribune: State lawmakers consider expanding Illinois immigrant protections in response to Trump
By Tribune News Services
"Illinois legislators are proposing to boost immigrant protections statewide in response to President Donald Trump's executive orders on immigration, a move advocates say would essentially give the state "sanctuary" status.
One proposal says schools, medical facilities and places of worship don't have to give access to federal immigration authorities or local law enforcement working on their behalf. Another proposal would limit cooperation and communication between local police and immigration authorities."