Working for Illinois Caucus

With the holidays quickly approaching, State representative Stephanie Kifowit, D-Oswego, is announcing that she is a partner with The Marine Corps Toys for Tots for another year to be a drop-off location for new toys. Donations will be collected at her district office at 1677 Montgomery Road, Suite 116 in Aurora, through December 9.

“Everyone deserves to enjoy the holiday season; we can help bring joy and celebration to families in the community,” said Kifowit. “Unfortunately for some families, the holiday season may be particularly difficult. It can be a very sad and depressing time.”

Kifowit, a U.S. Marine Veteran, has been a partner with Toys for Tots every year to help bring the joy of the season and send a message of hope to the community’s children who need some holiday cheer. Kifowit will be collecting new, unwrapped toys at her office from 8 a.m. until 4 p.m., Monday through Friday until she has to turn the toys into the U.S. Marine Corps Reserves Toys for Tots organization December 9.

“This holiday season, it is important that we give back to the children in our community who can use a toy during the season to let parents see a smile in their children’s faces,” said Kifowit. “I encourage everyone who can to stop by my office and donate a gift of their choosing. You never know how far gestures of kindness can go to help rebuild the family spirit.”

For more information about Kifowit’s Holiday Toys for Tots Drive, please contact her full-time constituent office at 630-585-1308, or send an Email to Stephanie.kifowit@att.net.

— State representative Stephanie Kifowit

With the November election cycle drawing to a close, the Illinois General Assembly soon will return to Springfield for the fall veto session.

One of the main topics legislators will consider is revisions to the SAFE-T Act legislation that was signed into law nearly two years ago.

The no-cash bail provision of the law that’s set to go into effect on Jan. 1 came under fire from opponents during the campaign season, while dozens of lawsuits challenging the SAFE-T Act have been consolidated into a single case against the state.

State Rep. Jehan Gordon-Booth of Peoria says that while she feels much of the outcry over the SAFE-T Act has been politically motivated, she admits more changes are necessary.

“I’m always very sensitive to issues that make people – from a legislative standpoint, not from a political standpoint, because politics is politics, which is a different thing – but policies that could be even perceived as making communities less safe,” said Gordon-Booth.

“When I say that there’s a lot of politics that’s happening, I also don’t want to be dismissive of any real issues that may exist. So as we continue down this path, … I’m very confident that next month, we’ll be going to veto session (and) we’re going to have a body of work and a work product that is going to be a good work product.”

Gordon-Booth, who serves as the House’s deputy majority leader, says some negotiations on possible revisions to the SAFE-T Act have already taken place. But she said it would be improper to reveal details yet on what changes are being considered.

“The majority of things that we’re talking about that have been brought to the table, that we’re going to make the effect of changes on, there’s consensus around it,” she said. “There may be like maybe one or two things that we’re not at consensus point yet. But that’s why we’re continuing to work.”

Gordon-Booth says lawmakers have already updated the SAFE-T Act three times since it was signed into law in January 2021. She says over the past nine months, she’s gotten regular input from Peoria County State’s Attorney Jodi Hoos, Peoria Police Chief Eric Echevarria, former Sheriff Brian Asbell and now Sheriff Chris Watkins in seeking guidance for updating the SAFE-T Act.

“No voice is going unheard. It’s critically important that we’re listening to folks and also being mindful of how we got here in the first place,” said Gordon-Booth. “All of this was passed coming out of the summer of 2020, where people were demanding that we change this broken justice system. So we’re working to do just that.”

Democrat Lance Yednock was able to win another two-year term in the Illinois House of Representatives.

The Ottawa lawmaker won all 3 counties in the 76^thDistrict in defeating Republican challenger Jason Haskell. Yednock picked up about 5,100 more votes when you combine La Salle, DeKalb and Bureau counties.

With both Bureau and La Salle counties voting heavily Republican, Yednock says it shows he listens to all voters, doesn’t vote down party line and has conservative traits despite being a Democrat.