Rep. Norma Hernandez Takes Office with Commitment to Supporting Middle-Class Families, Healthcare Access

SPRINGFIELD, Ill. – State Rep. Norma Hernandez, D-Melrose Park, took office as a new voice for Cook County and DuPage County communities, with a commitment to prioritizing the rights of working families, making health care more affordable and investing in local communities.

“With the swearing of my oath and the commencement of the new General Assembly, I want to say to every member of our community that I am officially on the job,” Hernandez said. “I ran for this office, against the odds, because I feel strongly that there are important areas in which there have to be changes for the sake of the people of our community and of our great state. What I won wasn’t just an office, it wasn’t just a job, it was an opportunity—an opportunity to make a difference, to give back to those around me and to have a positive impact. I’m grateful for that opportunity, and I mean to make full use of it.”

Hernandez has identified several main legislative priorities. They include expanding and equalizing healthcare access, protecting and empowering workers through pro-labor policies, preserving the environment and combatting the effects of climate change and resource depletion, urban planning initiatives with a particular focus on improving transportation infrastructure and sustainability, and social services focusing on child welfare.

“We’ve already done a lot of work to get to where we are, but the real work—the hard work—is just starting,” Hernandez said. “But I am not intimidated. From connecting people with good quality healthcare, to ensuring safety and fairness in the workplace, to preserving our one and only planet for generations to come, to protecting any society’s most precious resource—its children—I am energized and beyond excited to roll up my sleeves and get to work. I came here to help people, to solve problems, and to leave both our district and our state better than I found them. And today is Day One.”

For more information, call 217-558-1635 or email dstevens@hds.ilga.gov.