Speaker Welch Reflects on One Year of Leading the House, Renews Commitment to Working on Behalf of All Illinoisans
SPRINGFIELD, Ill. – Today marks one year since the Illinois House of Representatives elected Emanuel "Chris" Welch (D-Hillside) as Illinois' first Black Speaker of the House. Speaker Welch is incredibly proud of all that was accomplished under the first year of his leadership, and is eager to build on those successes.
"When I answered the call from my colleagues, I promised a more open and inclusive chamber that works on behalf of all Illinoisans," said Speaker Welch. "Through shared leadership, we've put government back on the side of working families."
With the purpose of making Illinoisans feel welcome in state government, the Illinois House held its first job fair under the leadership of Speaker Welch. Halfway through his first year, Speaker Welch promoted Tiffany Moy to lead his office as Chief of Staff. Moy is the first person of color to hold this position, and her appointment adds to his already-demonstrated commitment to diversity, equity and inclusion by creating the most diverse leadership team for the House of Representatives.
"Not only am I committed to ensuring the success of our Democratic Caucus, but I'll continue to work with my colleagues across the aisle and help restore trust back in state government," said Speaker Welch.
Despite an ongoing pandemic, the legislature made sure advocacy groups, community organizations, and members of the public were able to get their voices heard and be part of the legislative process. It is thanks to the work of the House Democratic Caucus and our community partners that these important pieces of legislation have been signed into law:
SB 2408, led by Representative Marcus C. Evans, Jr (Assistant Majority Leader), which establish the Climate and Equitable Jobs Act;
HB 376, led by Representative Jennifer Gong-Gershowitz, which makes Illinois the first state to require Asian American history be taught in public schools;
HB 158, led by Representative Camille Y. Lilly, which established the Illinois Health Care and Human Service Reform Act, a broad-based measure addressing the challenges Illinois families face when it comes to health care access;
SB 536, led by Representative Katie Stuart, which strengthens cyber security measures and prioritizes voter accessibility for all Illinoisans;
SB 667, led by Representative Elizabeth Hernandez (Assistant Majority Leader), which established the Illinois Way Forward Act. This measure prohibits law enforcement from investigating a person's citizenship or place of birth.
The top priority for the General Assembly is passing a balanced budget that puts Illinois on the path toward financial stability and surety. Under the stewardship of Majority Leader and Chief Budgeteer Greg Harris (D-Chicago), the House passed a budget that protected our states most vulnerable, invested in infrastructure and job creation, and resulted in Illinois’ first credit ratings increases in a generation.
"We have made continuous progress toward a financially stable future for Illinois," said Leader Harris. "We've made multi-billion dollar reductions in our debt and proven it doesn't have to come at the expense of vital services that help the people of this state succeed."
The Democratic caucus has worked tirelessly to be a voice for the voiceless and to ensure our state's most vulnerable are represented in Springfield. The ongoing pandemic has only exacerbated the need for affordable housing, and it is thanks to the work of Representative Will Guzzardi (D-Chicago) that thousands of Illinoisans will have a roof over their head.
"House Bill 2621 was a testament to what we can get done when we work together and listen to the needs of our communities," said Rep. Guzzardi. "Access to affordable housing is essential and is the foundation for stable education, economic success and even healthcare outcomes. This was a vital first step in making sure everyone in Illinois can afford a place to call home."
In an ongoing effort to reduce crime and facilitate collaboration with law enforcement, community members, business groups and youth advocates, Speaker Welch created the House Public Safety and Violence Prevention Task Force. This group with work with experts across the state to address the safety concerns of everyday families and ensure our law enforcement is properly funded, equipped and trained to prevent violence without discriminating against communities.
"We will continue to work with our friends in law enforcement and community organizations to create a long-term, comprehensive, well-funded plan to address the root causes of violence," said Representative LaShawn Ford (D-Chicago), co-chair of the House Public Safety & Violence Prevention Task Force. "This is an issue touching the lives of people across this state and I'm grateful we have this task force to learn how we can do our part to keep our communities safe."
Speaker Welch has been a consistent champion for diversity, equity, and inclusion. After passing House Bill 3394, Illinois received its first-ever report on demographic composition of boards of directors for companies. Not only will Speaker Welch maintain his commitment to diversifying board rooms, but since becoming Speaker he is expanding that push to public universities. Working with Higher Education Committee Chairperson Representative Katie Stuart (D-Edwardsville), Illinois is on the path to an equity-centered education for all students.
"In a recent meeting with presidents of all Illinois universities, I was able to see how the work we are doing is changing lives," said Rep. Stuart. "Not only was I able to see increased diversity among faculty and staff, but I was able to hear how universities are reaching out to underserved and marginalized students to ensure everyone has access to affordable, quality higher education."
As work for the 2022 legislative session begins, Speaker Welch will continue to work in the interests of working-class families, women, and communities of color in every corner of this state.