Pritzker’s Flip Flop on Gerrymandering is an Embarrassment to Illinois
By now you have probably heard that there is a group of Democrat lawmakers from Texas hiding out in Illinois to avoid session days in their state so they can avoid taking a vote on a redistricting plan that favors the Texas Republican majority. By shirking their legislative responsibilities and skipping session days, they are denying the quorum required for the Texas legislature to conduct business.
Governor Pritzker wasted no time inserting himself into the Texas issue, which is garnering national headlines. He rolled out the red carpet and is offering public praise and, quite possibly, financial support to the lawmakers who are staying in fancy suburban hotels and facing $500-per-day fines for skipping legislative session days back home.
The entire situation is dripping with hypocrisy. We cannot forget that when Pritzker ran for governor in 2018, he did so on a very specific promise that he would veto any gerrymandered maps drawn by politicians. And yet, when the time came to act on that promise, Pritzker folded and signed the maps into law.
The legislative maps drawn by and approved by Illinois Democrats in 2021 are considered by many to be the most aggressively gerrymandered congressional and legislative maps in the country. The current congressional map in Illinois gives Democrats control of 14 out of 17 congressional seats, despite the fact that Republicans consistently earn 40% to 45% percent of the statewide vote. District lines twist and snake across the state in a blatant attempt to carve up Republican voters and pack them into a few sprawling rural districts. The graphic above illustrates just how far Illinois Democrats will go to draw legislative districts that benefit their legislative members.
Princeton University’s 2021 redistricting report card gave the State of Illinois an “F” for its 2021 redistricting process, issuing a failing grade in several categories.
Evidently, in Pritzker’s mind, gerrymandering is only bad when Republicans do it. As the issue began to unfold in the Chicago suburbs, I issued a media statement. You can click here to read it.
Legislation Championed by Senator Andrew Chesney to Help Eliminate CWD in Illinois’ Deer Population Signed into Law
Chronic Wasting Disease (CWD) is a fatal, neurodegenerative disease that affects deer, elk, moose, and other members of the deer family, and confirmed cases have recently been reported in Boone, Carroll, DeKalb, Jo Daviess, Ogle, Stephenson, Will, and several other counties in Northern Illinois. While there is no known transmission of CWD from deer to human, best practice is to eliminate infected animals to prevent the spreading of the disease to healthy deer populations.
I’m pleased to announce that two pieces of wildlife/hunting legislation meant to control the spread of CWD among Illinois’ deer population were signed into law earlier this month. I served as a Chief Co-Sponsor of both measures.
House Bill 2340, requires the Illinois Department of Natural Resources (IDNR) to issue a landowner deer permit to any property owner with at least 20 acres of property in an area with confirmed cases of CWD.
The idea for this legislation was brought forward by sportsmen who felt hunters should have the ability to help control the spread of CWD in Illinois. Previously the ability to eliminate affected deer was only granted to IDNR.
House Bill 2339, which also addresses CWD, requires IDNR to end the use of its sharpshooting program three years after the last confirmed case of wildlife CWD within monitored herds. It also allows for the reinstitution of the program if CWD is identified in a county.
Deadline to Submit Forms for Chesney’s Summer Reading Program is August 13
Today, August 13, is the deadline for submitting completed reading logs for my 2025 Summer Reading Program. My office has already received over 100 completed forms from summer readers, but there is still time to submit the form.
Students entering first through sixth grade in the fall of this year were challenged to read eight books over the course of the summer. If your child completed the challenge and you haven’t yet submitted the form, it can be accessed here.
Completed forms should be returned by August 13, 2025, to the following address:
State Senator Andrew Chesney
50 West Douglas Street, Suite 1001
Freeport, IL 61032
For additional information, please contact my district office at (815) 232-0774.
Chesney Office to Hold Traveling Office Hours Across 45th District
My highly trained constituent services staff is very skilled at helping residents cut through the red tape of government bureaucracy. They can usually help people resolve issues involving state agencies or departments. Because the 45th District is geographically quite large, my staff is bringing the services provided by the office to communities across Northwest Illinois.
My staff can provide assistance with unemployment issues, FOID and Concealed Carry delays, professional licensure issues, and more. If you are having an issue that involves a state agency or department, please mark your calendar and stop by the event closest to you:
- Thursday, August 21: Genoa City Hall, 333 East 1st Street, Genoa, 11:00 AM – 1:00 PM
- Thursday, August 28: South Beloit City Hall, 519 Blackhawk Blvd, South Beloit, 9:00 AM – 11:00 AM
- Thursday, August 28: Machesney Park Village Hall, 300 Roosevelt Road, Machesney Park, 12:00 Noon – 2:00 PM
- Thursday, September 4: Rockton Village Hall, 110 East Main Street, Rockton, 11:00 AM – 1:00 PM
- Thursday, September 4: Roscoe Village Hall, 10631 Main Street, Roscoe, 2:00 PM – 4:00 PM
Please note that these events are specifically related to constituent services, so I will not be in attendance. However, my very capable staff will be available at each venue to provide help to constituents who stop by.
