In The Press

WESTCHESTER, Ill. – Marking four years to the day since his historic election, House Speaker Emanuel ‘Chris’ Welch is highlighting major legislative victories for Illinois and looking ahead to the next steps to uplift working families.

SPRINGFIELD, Ill. – The Illinois House delivered major gun safety reforms to get guns out of the hands of domestic abusers Tuesday, creating new protections to remove firearms and ammunition from individuals who are the subject of protection orders.

(Photos by Andrew Adams)

WESTCHESTER, Ill. – House Speaker Emanuel ‘Chris’ Welch is highlighting new reforms taking effect next month that will help families and seniors cut costs and access better, more affordable healthcare.

CHICAGO – On Thursday, Governor JB Pritzker joined IBM’s Chairman and CEO Arvind Krishna, University of Chicago President Paul Alivisatos, Illinois Quantum and Microelectronics Park (IQMP) CEO Harley Johnson, and industry stakeholders to announce the new National Quantum Algorithm Center.

(Photo from IBM)

CHICAGO – The State of Illinois’ Medical Debt Relief Pilot Program has relieved more than $72 million worth of medical debt for 52,745 Illinois residents from across the state. This debt abolishment is the first effort as part of the State’s commitment to erase roughly $1 billion in medical debt across Illinois.

SPRINGFIELD – The Illinois House adjourned on Thursday, marking the end to legislative session in 2024. During the two-week fall veto session, Democratic House members re-elected Speaker Emanuel “Chris” Welch to another two-year term as Speaker of the House.

FOREST PARK – Speaker Emanuel “Chris” Welch hosted his 12th annual Senior and Veteran Resource Fair last weekend at Proviso Mathematics and Science Academy in Forest Park.

SPRINGFIELD – Illinois lawmakers return to Springfield on Tuesday, Nov. 12th for the two-week fall veto session. Session is scheduled to begin at 3p.m.

FOREST PARK – Speaker Emanuel “Chris” Welch will host his 12th annual Senior and Veteran Resource Fair on Saturday, Nov. 9 from 10 a.m. until 2 p.m. The event will be held at the Proviso Mathematics and Science Academy in Forest Park. 

FOREST PARK – Speaker Emanuel “Chris” Welch will host his 12th annual Senior and Veteran Resource Fair on Saturday, Nov. 9 from 10 a.m. until 2 p.m. The event will be held at the Proviso Mathematics and Science Academy in Forest Park.

SPRINGFIELD – Speaker Emanuel “Chris” Welch hosted his fourth annual job fair at the Capitol in Springfield last week. The event encouraged jobseekers interested in working in state government to come learn about career opportunities with the Office of the Speaker and the House Democratic Caucus. There was an in-person option where jobseekers were able to meet one-on-one with current employees of the office, as well as a virtual option for those who were unable to attend the event at the Capitol.

CHICAGO – Traveling alongside Gov. JB Pritzker, Senate President Don Harmon, and other state leaders, Speaker Emanuel “Chris” Welch returned to Illinois this week after a successful trade mission in Japan. 

CHICAGO— Governor Pritzker along with leaders in business, education, and government from around the state will embark on a trade mission to Japan. During the course of the visit, the delegation will meet with their counterparts in Tokyo to discuss strengthening economic cooperation between the State of Illinois and Japan. Programming throughout the mission will focus on… clean energy, manufacturing, life sciences, quantum, and other key growth industries for the state.

CHICAGO – Illinois Department of Transportation has been awarded a combined $305.5 in federal funding to invest in Interstate 290 as well as the Chicago Region Environmental and Transportation Efficiency Program’s 75th Street Corridor Improvement Project. Both projects will improve traffic throughout the region but will also help create jobs and quality of life for residents.

SPRINGFIELD, Il. – One year after Illinois lead the nation in ending cash bail, judges and other officials tracking the law’s data say that it’s making communities safer. The law, which aims to make the criminal justice system fairer and more equitable, no longer allows offenders to buy their way out of jail regardless of the crimes they’re accused of committing. The SAFE-T Act allows judges the ability to hold people based on the risk they pose to the community.

CHICAGO, IL – A shared goal of a modernized and improved I-290 Blue Line Corridor is advancing with action taken today to invest in a corridor development office (CDO). 

SPRINGFIELD, IL – Library districts are receiving grant funding to help ensure all residents have access to quality resources and programming, Illinois Secretary of State and State Librarian Alexi Giannoulias announced.

SPRINGFIELD, Ill. – Speaker Emanuel “Chris” Welch announced Wednesday the creation of a new House working group designed to look more closely at Illinois’ public transit system and provide recommendations on how it can better serve the communities that rely on it.

(Photo by Jerry Nowicki, Capitol News Illinois)

WASHINGTON – President Joe Biden signed a proclamation last week to designate the site of the 1908 race riot in Springfield, IL as a national monument. Speaker Emanuel “Chris” Welch attended the ceremony in the Oval Office, along with state Sen. Doris Turner, U.S. Sens. Dick Durbin and Tammy Duckworth, Congresswoman Nikki Budzinski, and more.

CHAMPAIGN, Ill. – Speaker Emanuel “Chris” Welch delivered a keynote address to the 2024 Edgar Fellows class last week. As a former Edgar Fellow, Speaker Welch spoke about the importance of unity, civility, and letting passion be a guiding force.

CHICAGO, Ill. – Governor JB Pritzker, joined by legislators, civil rights leaders, and activists, signed multiple bills this week designed to further protect reproductive rights in Illinois. The package of bills signed includes HB581, which ensures that pregnant women can access needed emergency medical care, HB5239, which expands Illinois’ shield laws, and HB4867, which clarifies and expands the Illinois Human Rights Act to prohibit discrimination based on reproductive health decisions.

HILLSIDE, Ill. – Speaker Emanuel “Chris” Welch hosted his 12th annual free Back to School Health Fair last weekend. Hundreds of people from the community received free health and wellness resources, back-to-school essentials, and enjoyed plenty of free food and drinks.

HILLSIDE, Ill. – Speaker Emanuel “Chris” Welch hosted his 12th annual free Back to School Health Fair last weekend. Hundreds of people from the community received free health and wellness resources, back-to-school essentials, and enjoyed plenty of free food and drinks.

HILLSIDE, Ill. – Speaker Emanuel “Chris” Welch is hosting his 12th annual free Back to School Health Fair this Saturday, July 20th from 10 a.m. until 2 p.m. The event will be held at Proviso West High School in Hillside. School and sports physicals will be provided, and the first 200 families will receive free school supply kits with essential items for the upcoming school year. 

BELLWOOD, Ill. – Community leaders, developers, and residents gathered this week to mark the groundbreaking of a transformative new workforce housing project in Bellwood that signals the start of a first-of-its-kind project in the State of Illinois.

WESTCHESTER, Ill. – Speaker Emanuel “Chris” Welch is wishing all a happy, fun, and safe Fourth of July.  

FOREST PARK, Ill. – Speaker Emanuel “Chris” Welch is hosting his 12th annual job fair this Saturday, June 29th from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. The event will be held at Proviso Math and Science Academy in Forest Park.

FOREST PARK, Ill. – Speaker Emanuel “Chris” Welch is hosting his 12th annual job fair on Saturday, June 29th from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. The event will be held at Proviso Math and Science Academy in Forest Park. 

MELROSE PARK, Ill. – The Melrose Park DMV has currently been relocated to the Melrose Park Civic Center at 1000 N. 25th Ave. The temporary facility will be open Monday through Friday from 8 a.m. until 4:30 p.m.

CHICAGO, Ill. – House Speaker Emanuel “Chris” Welch joined Governor JB Pritzker, Lieutenant Governor Juliana Stratton, Senate President Don Harmon, and the House and Senate budget leaders to celebrate the signing of the FY25 state budget package. The budget cuts debt, prioritizes hardworking families, and makes smart investments for Illinois’ future.