Springfield, IL – Speaker Emanuel “Chris” Welch is delighted to welcome back guests to the House of Representatives two years after a global health pandemic forced the chamber to institute health and safety mitigations.

“This is really a testament to the people of this state and the work they’re continuing to do to get us on the other side of this pandemic,” said Speaker Welch. “Our hospitalizations are on a continuous decline and more Illinoisans have gotten a COVID-19 shot than anywhere in the Midwest.”

Speaker Welch invited the Speaker of the New York State Assembly, Speaker Carl Heastie, as well as the Consul General of Ireland to the Midwestern United States, Kevin Byrne, to address the House Chamber this week.

Speaker Heastie is the first African American to serve as the leader of the House Chamber in New York. Since he was elected in 2015, Speaker Heastie has led the Assembly Democratic Majority efforts to uplift communities and promote a Families First agenda that prioritizes strategic investments in the health, safety, economic and social well-being of New York’s families. He is a lifelong advocate for workers’ rights and was the principal negotiator in securing an increase in the minimum wage. He’s a product of public schools and is a vocal advocate for high quality public education for New York’s students.

Consul General Byrne was appointed to his post in September 2020. He joined the Irish Department of Foreign Affairs in 2010 and has served in EU Division and in Ireland’s Consulate in San Francisco. He also worked in the Department of the Taoiseach – Prime Minister – where he planned Ireland’s successful 2013 Presidency of the European Union. From his base in Chicago – a city with strong Irish heritage – Mr. Byrne works to promote Ireland and Irish interests in the region while also strengthening the relationship between Ireland and the Midwest.

“I’m extremely excited to welcome Speaker Heastie and Consul General Byrne to the House Chamber this week,” said Speaker Welch. “Not only am I eager to return to some sense of normalcy, but I’m looking forward to the message of both guests.”

Speaker Heastie will visit the chamber on Wednesday, March 16 and Consul General Byrne will visit on Thursday, March 17.

Speaker Welch announced on Thursday that House members will return to Springfield for legislative session next week.

“With the decline of COVID-19 cases and hospitalizations, we are ready to get back to Springfield while remaining cautious and vigilant in this pandemic,” said House Speaker Emanuel “Chris” Welch. “Our goal is to be productive while also keeping everyone safe, so masking and social distancing policies will still be in place. I want to encourage everyone to get their vaccine and booster, and take advantage of the SHIELD testing opportunity on the Capitol complex.”

Session is scheduled for Tuesday, February 1^st until Thursday, February 3^rd.

The House is also happy to welcome Governor JB Pritzker to deliver his annual State of the State and Budget Address on Wednesday, February 2^nd. As part of the ongoing effort to ensure the safety of those in attendance, there will be capacity limits within the chamber and the gallery will remain closed to the public. Guidelines for members of the media will be forthcoming.

“I want to congratulate everyone who had a hand in this incredibly successful and historical veto session. We were able to ensure our state has effective tools to fight this pandemic. We repealed the final anti-abortion law on the books in Illinois. We provided incentives for electric vehicle manufacturers to ensure Illinois remains at the forefront of a clean energy future. And, we approved a historic map that offers a new coalition district for minority representation. This is the type of work the people of our state deserve. I want to thank my colleagues in the House and Senate, as well as the numerous advocacy groups and grassroots organizations who helped us achieve these momentous victories.”

SPRINGFIELD, Ill. – House Speaker Emanuel “Chris” Welch is recognizing deputy majority leader, State Representative Mary Flowers, for receiving the National Distinguished Advocacy Award from the American Cancer Society Action Network.

“Leader Flowers is the quintessential elected representative. She is well-convicted in her values and leads with determination that is only matched by her kind heart,” said Speaker Welch. “Most importantly, she knows how marginalized communities can be better served by government. This is particularly the case when it comes to access to health care.”

During her more than 30 years in the General Assembly, Leader Flowers has advanced efforts to improve disadvantaged communities’ access to health care. In 2021, Flowers continued these efforts by sponsoring House Bill 1779, which will require health insurance policies and managed care plans to include coverage for biomarker testing for diagnosis, treatment, or ongoing monitoring of an individual’s condition. Biomarkers are defined as characteristics that are objectively measured and evaluated as an indicator of normal biological processes. Biomarker testing is used to examine blood or tissue to find cancer and other complications.

According to the American Cancer Society, 1 in 3 people will be diagnosed with cancer in their lifetimes, although there are over 16 million cancer survivors alive nationwide, cancer is the second leading cause of death for Illinois residents. The American Cancer Society awarded Leader Flowers the National Distinguished Advocacy Award, the highest award for elected officials who help lead the fight against cancer. With House Bill 1779 becoming law, Illinois became the first state in the nation to have covered biomarker testing for insured individuals.

“Thanks to the tireless work of Leader Flowers, Illinois is a leader in the Midwest and the Nation when it comes to empowering patients and ensuring cancer patients have access to the best care available, regardless of income,” said Speaker Welch. “I want to congratulate Leader Flowers on her well-deserved award and express my gratitude for her hard work with the American Cancer Society to help defeat this disease.”

SPRINGFIELD, Ill. – House Speaker Emanuel “Chris” Welch is excited to announce that more than 500 resumes were collected at the first ever Open House Job Fair held at the Illinois State Capitol on Tuesday. Multiple applications were submitted for each of the open positions and interviews are in the process of being scheduled.

“This job fair was all about attracting the best and the brightest, but it was also about opening our doors to those who may not have always felt like they had a place working in Illinois government and politics,” said Speaker Welch. “I’ve fought hard for diversity and equity inclusion my entire career and that is something I’ll continue to advocate for in my position as Speaker. I want to thank the staff that made this event possible and worked hard to ensure a diverse group of qualified job seekers from across this state applied for these open positions.”

Nearly 100 applicants attended the in-person event at the Capitol, traveling from all corners of the state. They were able to meet with Speaker Welch and other members of the House Democratic staff. Applicants ranged in age from young college students to retirees looking to reenter the workforce. In addition to the in-person event, 100 people registered for the virtual option.

“We’re a growing staff and it’s important that we are doing everything we can to recruit a diverse staff that reflects our state and can help our caucus and our office take the work we’re doing out to the next level,” said Tiffany Moy, Chief of Staff. “There is nowhere else in this state where you can get the experience that you will get working on House Democratic Staff. You come out of this experience with a skillset that nobody else in this state, nobody else in this country has, and that’s invaluable.”

If anyone would still like to apply for the open positions, they can do so at https://ilhousedems.com/employment/.

SPRINGFIELD, Ill. – The Office of Illinois House Speaker Emanuel “Chris” Welch invites jobseekers and those looking to network to the first ever Open House Job Fair at the Illinois State Capitol. The event will be held on Tuesday, October 12 beginning at 10 a.m. to 12 p.m. and 4 p.m. to 6 p.m.

“As the first Black Speaker of the Illinois House of Representatives in our 200-plus year history of this state, I’m extremely proud to be a voice for equity and diversity,” said Speaker Welch. “Diversity, equity and inclusion is what I’ve fought for my entire life and in this position I get to lead by example and practice what I preach. Diversity, equity and inclusion is what we want in the Speaker’s office.”  

The Office of the Speaker is actively recruiting for legislative coordinators, communications specialists, assistant counsel, IT security specialists, clerical staff and much more. In addition to the in-person event at the Illinois State Capitol that will be held in Room 114, there will also be a virtual event held from 2 p.m. to 3 p.m. via zoom. Registration for the in-person or virtual event can be found at https://illinois-house-of-representatives-virtual-job-fair.eventbrite.com.

“We want to make sure the people that come work for us are honest, they have integrity and they come here and work with pride,” said Speaker Welch. “We believe in the team approach and what we do here is work together and we get big things done.”

If any jobseekers intend to apply for a specific position, the Office of the Speaker is scheduling interviews that will take place during the Open House Job Fair. Please submit a resume and cover letter to jobs@hds.ilga.gov.

“Each and every day we get to go to work, we are actually helping someone that particular day. If you want to help people, this is the right place for you,” said Speaker Welch.

“I want to first thank Leaders Evans, Gabel and Hoffman for their tireless work and dedication in helping craft a comprehensive energy proposal that prioritizes our climate, equitable job preservation and creation, and meaningful ethics reform,” said House Speaker Emanuel “Chris” Welch. “Senate Bill 2408 is the product of good-faith negotiations that has the support from both environmental and labor groups. With this consensus among stakeholders, it is the only proposal that will advance today. I hope to see the same broad bipartisan support in the House for this historic piece of legislation that puts Illinois on the path to a greener, more sustainable future while also prioritizing a diversified energy sector. 

“As I indicated before we adjourned on the final day of session, the House is expected to return next week on Wednesday, June 16 to take care of some final-action legislation. Items such as the energy proposal, unemployment insurance, and an elected school board for Chicago will be at the top of our list. We were able to accomplish big things this legislative session, and I’m eager to keep that spirit alive in a quick special session next week.”

“Today was a win for the people of this great state. With Governor Pritzker’s signature, people of Illinois can be confident in a legislative map that is reflective of the diversity that we see in every corner of our state. Not only does this map adhere to state and federal laws, but it is a product of more than 50 public hearings where citizens came to tell us what their communities look like to them. We also have new Illinois Supreme Court boundaries for the first time in more than half a century that accounts for population change and demographic shifts, as well as a new map for the Cook County Board of Review ensuring more equal representation for taxpayers in those districts. I am so proud of Leader Lisa Hernandez, D-Cicero, and the rest of the Redistricting Committee, who worked tirelessly to make sure that Illinois remains a model for the nation for minority representation.”

SPRINGFIELD, Ill. – Speaker Emanuel “Chris” Welch today announced Representative Frances Ann Hurley as the new whip of the Democratic Moderate Caucus (Mod Caucus), a relatively new caucus of like-minded members who advocate for a balanced, steady approach to lawmaking.

“The Mod Caucus has made an excellent choice in selecting Representative Hurley as their whip, and I welcome her to the leadership team as we continue to do the people’s work,” said Speaker Welch. “As Democrats, we are proud of our diversity and want to bring together ideas from all corners of our party as one common agenda for everyday families.”

“I am proud to represent the Mod Caucus as we tackle a number of issues that will impact the state for years to come: from revitalizing our economy to our fiscal house, public safety and law enforcement, human services, and education,” said Representative Hurley. “Honoring the Mod Caucus’s request for a whip is a great example of Speaker Welch’s promise to lead in a more decentralized and inclusive manner.”

As whip, Representative Hurley will join a cohort of members empowered to rally Democratic sub-caucuses around key issues and pieces of legislation. The full list of whips include:

State Rep. Kam Buckner                    Black Caucus Whip

State Rep. Deb Conroy                      Women’s Caucus Whip

State Rep. Will Guzzardi                   Progressive Caucus Whip

State Rep. Frances Hurley                 Moderate Caucus Whip

State Rep. Theresa Mah                     Asian Caucus Whip

State Rep. Aaron Ortiz                       Latinx Caucus Whip

State Rep. Larry Walsh, Jr.                Downstate Caucus Whip

Representative Hurley’s appointment is effective immediately.