NORINE ON THE ISSUES
"The 94th District is a great place to live, a place I'm proud to represent. Representing the great people of the 94th means advocating for families, seniors, schools, farmers, higher education, small business, and the viabilities of our communities. "
HEAR FROM NORINE:
Families
Doing what's right for the families of the 94th is lens through which I view every piece of legislation in Springfield. The basis of our communities are our people and our families.
In the 103rd General Assembly, Rep. Hammond will be protecting our families on the roads with a bill that toughens the penalties on texting and driving with HB2386. In addition, she'll be working on legislation that protects our most vulnerable residents, children, elderly and the disabled.
Higher Education
Throughout west-central Illinois, higher education is a major part of our life, from Western Illinois University to the community colleges that serve our education needs. I've immersed myself in the topics that impact higher education. I'm proud to have been a part of shepherding the recent 4 year MAP grant bill to becoming law. Additionally, I am a member of the Higher Education Working group, a bipartisan group of House and Senate members who are working through the state's largest higher education issues. On the horizon for that group is a new funding model for higher education in Illinois.
Small Business
It is critical that Illinois become more friendly to small business. This is because 53% of Americans are employed by small businesses. They provide so much to our communities. For this reason, we must be more cognizant of how issues like workers compensation laws and minimum wage legislation impact these critical employers.
Seniors
I am very proud to advocate for the seniors of our state. For my work, I have been named a "Voice of Senior Care" by the Illinois Health Care Association. The most recent example of this is a bill that would ensure timely Medicaid decisions for seniors as it pertains to long term care, of which I was the chief sponsor.
K-12 Education
Great strides have been made in properly funding Illinois K-12 education once again. In 2017, I was proud to support a new K-12 education funding model that redistributed state funding to favor downstate Illinois schools. It's important to note that this bill brought more funds to every school district of the 93rd district in 2018 and 2019.
Agriculture
The importance of agriculture in the 94th district cannot be overstated. As one of the most rural districts in the state, many make their living, directly or indirectly, from the agricultural engine driving our economy. I am proud that I have been an staunch advocate for farmers, including battling regressive taxing of seed, fertilizer, and other farm supplies. It has been an honor to be named a "Friend of Agriculture" by the Illinois Farm Bureau for the past several consecutive years. I am also happy to say that I have consistently earned the IFB's endorsement.