WEST CHICAGO, Ill. — State Rep. Maura Hirschauer, D-West Chicago, release the following statement regarding the attempted mass shooting at a Hindu Temple in Aurora this past Sunday: 

“I am deeply disturbed by reports that a Palatine man planned and tried to execute an attack at a Hindu temple in Aurora. No one should have to fear violence, intimidation or persecution because of their faith. Every person in Illinois deserves the freedom to worship, practice their beliefs and gather with their community without fear.

“I commend the community members and law enforcement officials whose actions helped address this alleged threat and protect our community. Their work underscores the importance of taking threats of violence seriously and acting decisively before lives are put at risk.

“Hate has no place in Illinois. Period.

“Antisemitism, Islamophobia, anti-Hindu hate, racism and every form of religious bigotry must be confronted—not ignored, excused or normalized. An attack on a house of worship is an attack on the fundamental freedoms that bind our communities together.

“As Chair of the Illinois House Gun Violence Prevention Committee, I know that preventing violence requires more than responding after a tragedy. It demands vigilance, responsible policies, strong community partnerships and a willingness to confront threats before they become deadly. We must continue working together to protect our neighbors and ensure that our places of worship remain sanctuaries—not targets.

“To the Hindu community in Aurora and throughout Illinois: you belong here, your faith deserves respect and you have the right to worship in peace. We will not allow hate to dictate who feels safe in our communities.”

WEST CHICAGO, Ill. — State Rep. Maura Hirschauer, D-West Chicago, joins legislators across the county for the DuPage Legislators’ Love Purse Drive from Oct. 1 to Nov. 1, collecting purses, toiletries and notes of inspiration to support women in need.

“A purse is not only an item that holds our daily necessities, a purse is a canvas of our personality and our portable sanctuary,” said Hirschauer. “Through this donation, you’re showing a woman that someone cares for them and put a little thought into making their lives a little better. Let’s continue to inspire women everywhere and show them the care, love and respect they deserve.”

Ideas of products to pack into a donated purse include:

• Feminine Hygiene Products
• Shower/Bathroom Essentials 
• Personal Care Products
• Hand Sanitizer
• Socks
• Chocolates and Mints
  

Constituents are highly encouraged to write a note of inspiration for the woman who receives the purse. Per Love Purse organization rules, only NEW purses will be accepted. Gently used purses will be donated to Goodwill. Shaving razors will not be accepted. For more information on what items you can donate, visit: https://www.maurahirschauer.com/event/dupage-love-purse-2026/. 

The DuPage Legislators’ Love Purse Drive is being organized by state Sen. Suzy Glowiak Hilton, D-Westmont. Purses and toiletries may be dropped off by appointment at Hirschauer’s and state Sen. Karina Villa’s, D-West Chicago, district office or during any open hours at the Bartlett Community Center. 

WHO: State Representative Maura Hirschauer

WHAT: DuPage Legislators’ Love Purse Drive

WHEN: Oct. 1 to Nov. 1

WHERE: Bartlett Community Center, 700 S. Bartlett Rd., Bartlett, IL 60103 OR 

By appointment at Hirschauer’s and Villa’s District Office, 946 Neltnor Blvd. Suite #104, West Chicago, IL 60185

ROMEOVILLE, Ill. — State Rep. Dagmara “Dee” Avelar, D-Romeoville, received the Leadership Award from the Illinois Association of Hispanic State Employees (IAHSE) for her unwavering commitment in advocating for the Latino community.

“I’m honored to receive this award for my commitment to public service and advancing equity within the Illinois state government,” said Avelar. “I take pride in my work as a state representative who’s devoted to passing legislation that helps bring justice and affordability to our Latino communities. It’s an honor for me to help represent our community in our government and work alongside motivated Latino staff in various state government agencies.”

Avelar was presented with the Leadership Award at the IAHSE 38th Annual Training Conference on Oct. 2, where she also spoke with attendees to discuss the importance of legislative advocacy. 

Avelar received the award for her strong advocacy and contributions in addressing the needs of the Latino community and through her commitment to public service, workforce equity and the advancements of Latino state employees throughout Illinois. 

“I’m thankful for IHASE for presenting me with this award and for their commitment to advocate for and assist Latino state employees,” said Avelar.

ROCKFORD, Ill. — State Rep. Dave Vella, D-Loves Park, hosted a Super Shred & Recycling Day for constituents to safely disregard documents and reduce waste in their homes in Rockford on Oct. 3rd.

“Our Shred Day event is not only about reducing waste and recycling unused materials, it’s about coming together as a community to support a cleaner, responsible and safe environment,” said Vella. “Whether they were responsible for shredding personal documents, recycling unused items or lifting heavy materials from neighbor’s cars, today, our community came together to help each other out.”

The event was a great success, with more than 430 cars driving through to safely shred and recycle their unwanted documents and materials. Recyclables included paper, medications, eyeglasses and retired flags. Neighbors also had the opportunity to donate cellphones and baby diapers. Documents were shredded on-site until the shred truck reached full capacity.

Vella was joined by eight local community partners: Keep Northern Illinois Beautiful, CPM Recycling Services Inc., Two Men and a Truck, UIC Retzky College of Pharmacy, Rockford Illinois Police Department, Loves Park Lions Club, Boy Scouts of America and The Baby Bank. 

“A huge thank you to our incredible partners and volunteers who made this free service possible for our community, and thank you to everyone who participated and helped make this year’s event another success!” said Vella.

AURORA, Ill. —  In response to a recently issued press release by Aurora Mayor John Laesch, state Rep. Barbara Hernandez, D-Aurora, is releasing the following statement on the Text a Physician, or TAP, program:

“It has come to my attention the current concerns regarding the TAP program and I wanted to clarify how this healthcare option can be beneficial to the community in Aurora. 

“With the current suspension of the obstetric services and the Level II Trauma Center at Mercy Medical Center, Aurora is facing a critical health care crisis that leaves many constituents unable to access necessary health care. However, with the implementation of the TAP program, it would be a great opportunity for uninsured or underinsured individuals to seek a low-cost option for the medical care they need. 

“With TAP, Aurora residents would text medical professionals about routine, non-emergency health issues. The program is not meant to substitute your primary care doctor, but it’s an inexpensive way to receive preventative health care rather than spending hundreds of dollars on unnecessary emergency room or urgent care visits. However, if the medical professional believes someone is experiencing a medical emergency, they would direct them to the nearest hospital or have the patient call 911. 

“Participation in the TAP program is voluntary. All households in Aurora would automatically be enrolled and billed at least $9 a month on their water utility bill with one fee covering up to 10 individuals living in the household. However, if a household is not satisfied with the service — or are not interested in the program — they would have an opportunity to opt-out within 12 months of enrollment by calling, texting or completing a form online, and they would be fully reimbursed.

“Regarding concerns on privacy protections, TAP does not sell an individual’s information nor uses it for purposes unrelated to a person’s care or functioning of their platform. If an individual would like further security protections, they would have to use TAP’s patient portal since it follows HIPPA compliance. Although it’s faster to use SMS texting, it’s important to note that an individual’s medical information would not be encrypted since a network provider would have access to the information being texted. 

“Federally Qualified Health Centers (FQHCs) are still an option and they have my full support, but with the federal government cutting their funding and programs, the TAP program would be an additional option for constituents to seek non-emergency medical care.

“The TAP  program may not be for everyone, and that’s fine. Yet, as I continue to fight for affordable healthcare in the community of Aurora, I’ll continue to support this program to offer low-cost, preventative healthcare options for our family, friends and neighbors who are uninsured or underinsured. We’re in a time where our community is facing many medical barriers, so it’s important that we come together to offer a program that can close that gap and help families just a little bit more.” 

ROMEOVILLE, Ill. — State Rep. Dagmara “Dee” Avelar, D-Romeoville, will host a Spooky Household Hazardous Waste Disposal event on Saturday, Oct. 31, from 8 a.m. to 3 p.m. at the Shiloh Baptist Church in Lockport, Illinois.

“From used motor oil and pesticides, to paint thinners and non-alkaline household batteries, each of these items can cause accidental poisonings, skin burns or fires in your home,” said Avelar. “That’s why it’s important to safely store and dispose of household hazardous materials to prevent harming yourself, your family or local wildlife.” 

Acceptable household items to dispose at the event are: oil-based paints, non-alkaline household batteries, used motor oil, paint thinners, herbicides, lawn chemicals, insecticides, solvents, pesticides, antifreeze, old gasoline, hobby chemicals, pool chemicals, aerosol paints and pesticides, cleaning products, fluorescent lamp bulbs, mercury, drain cleaners, acids and corrosives. 

The Spooky Household Hazardous Waste Disposal event is by appointment only. To book an appointment, visit https://bit.ly/3UWr4VU. For more information call 815-372-0085 or email Avelar’s district office at info@repdagmara.org. 

WHO: State Representative Dagmara “Dee” Avelar

WHAT: Spooky Household Hazardous Waste Disposal event

WHEN: Saturday, Oct. 31, 2026, 8 a.m. to 3 p.m.

WHERE: Shiloh Baptist Church, 18101 W. Oak Ave, Lockport, IL 60441

WEST CHICAGO, Ill. — Legislation strengthening orders of protections so abusers can’t access confiscated firearms is now law thanks to the work of state Rep. Maura Hirschauer, D-West Chicago.

“Domestic violence survivors deserve to feel protected and reassured of their safety,” said Hirschauer. “With the successful passing of Karina’s Law last year, our state advanced safeguards to prevent further harm and death to survivors. This is another step forward. It’s an honor to help protect people who have already overcome so much.”

According to the Illinois Coalition Against Domestic Violence (ICADV), domestic violence assaults involving a gun are 12 times more likely to result in death than those involving other weapons or bodily force. Additionally, in 2025, 68% of domestic violence homicides in Illinois involved the use of a firearm.

Hirschauer’s Senate Bill 3329 protects domestic violence survivors by making clear that it is illegal for abusers to access confiscated firearms. Senate Bill 3329 is a trailer bill to Karina’s Law, which strengthens the firearm remedy within the order of protection process by allowing judges to order the removal of guns from abusers who have been deemed a credible danger. Karina’s Law officially took effect on May 11, 2025.

Senate Bill 3329 will take effect on and after Jan. 1, 2027.

SPRINGFIELD, Ill. – State Rep. Lisa Davis, D-Chicago, recently brought children from her district to the Illinois State Fair, providing them with an opportunity to experience a cherished Illinois tradition while strengthening community connections.

For Davis, the trip was about more than a day of fun. It reflected her commitment to creating meaningful opportunities for young people, engaging families and investing in the next generation.

“Our children are our greatest investment, and we have a responsibility to give them opportunities to learn, grow and experience new things,” Davis said. “Bringing these young people to the State Fair was a small way to show them that their community believes in them and is committed to their future.”

Davis emphasized that building stronger communities starts with investing in young people and ensuring they have positive experiences, supportive adults and opportunities to thrive.

“When we invest in our youth, we are investing in the future of our communities,” Davis said. “I will continue working to connect with families, create opportunities for our young people and make sure every child knows that they have a community behind them.”

Rock Island, Ill. – State Rep. Gregg Johnson, D-Rock Island, releases a statement in response to the federal government initiating a proposal to end workforce demographic reporting:

“Right now, the federal government is attempting to eliminate requirements that compel employers to submit workforce demographic data. If they successfully eliminate this data gathering, it will effectively destroy decades of work focused on identifying and preventing workplace discrimination. The loss of this data will make it that much harder to detect systemic discrimination in the workplace.

“This is just another example of the federal government desperately attacking and destroying the initiatives created to ensure equality and fairness in the workplace. In Illinois, we’re not going to allow that to happen. In 2025, I carried House Bill 2488 requiring the Illinois Department of Labor to collect this critical data, even if the federal government stops.

“My peers and I remain committed to fighting for workplace inclusivity and equality. We understand that discrimination and inequity are issues that we have to constantly fight against to guarantee that everyone has an equal opportunity in the workplace. While the federal government continues to regress and cut back crucial programs, we will not.”

ARLINGTON HEIGHTS, Ill. — State Rep. Mary Beth Canty, D-Arlington Heights, is holding three ‘Chat with Canty’ open house events at her district office this fall to hear about the priorities most important to her community.

“I’ve been holding my ‘Chat with Canty’ events for a long time now because they’re an invaluable opportunity for me to hear from our community,” Canty said. “As a lawmaker, I can do my job best when I know about the priorities and concerns of the people I represent. The affordability crisis, invasions of our privacy, threats to our constitutional freedoms; these are issues that are top of mind for me, and I hear those same concerns from people attending my events. I hope we can have a conversation soon.”

‘Chat with Canty’ open houses will be held at Canty’s district office on 12 E. Northwest Highway in Arlington Heights:

• Tuesday, Sept. 15, 10 a.m. to 11:30 a.m.
• Tuesday, Oct. 20, 1 p.m. to 2:30 p.m.
• Tuesday, Nov. 10, 1 p.m. to 2:30 p.m.

The events will also offer cider and a sweet treat for all attendees. For more information, please call Canty’s district office at 224-248-8187 or email info@repmbc.com.