April 2023

Dear Neighbor,

Spring is here! It’s a busy time in so many ways and the spring session is in full swing. At the writing of this post, we are a day away from the deadline to pass every house bill out of the chamber so they can go to the Senate and begin debate there. I have a handful of bills, 3 of which are repeats from last session. You can view the bills I filed here https://www.ilga.gov/house/RepBills.asp?MemberID=3005.

This was also my first session with in-person committees! I felt like I was in college again finding committee rooms between a few buildings. I enjoy being able to talk to my colleagues; it has been easier to ask questions directly while discussing different bills. The Capitol is certainly different from the early days of my first session when the halls were empty and the rotunda silent. Now the volume of so many voices echoes off these historic walls, reminding me of the importance of engaging in the process. The Illinois Capitol building is a source of pride and should be enjoyed by all.

Things remain busy in the District Office as well. We started several initiatives this month including a day of giving with each of us taking a shift at the D300 food bank, Page for a Day, and offering a special pass to area museums which allows families up to four free admissions. We’re gearing up for a busy summer of community engagement! We are developing program opportunities on a myriad of topics and will be participating in events throughout the district. I hope you are obtaining useful information from my newsletter, and finding out about events in our community. If so, I invite you to share this newsletter among your colleagues, friends, and family. As always, if you have questions or need assistance, reach out. My office and I are here to serve you.

Sincerely, Suzanne

COMMITTEE ASSIGNMENTS

I am honored to serve on all of the following committees:

Adoption & Child-Welfare
Energy & Environment
Human Services
Small Business/ Tech Innovation
Appropriations – General Service

Most notably, I am honored to be the Vice-Chairperson for the Counties & Townships committee. I am looking forward to a productive 103rd General Assembly.

LEGISLATIVE UPDATE FROM SPRINGFIELD

I am pleased to announce:
The following bills have passed from the House to the Senate:

HB3140 – YOUTH CONFINEMENT RESTRICTIONS
This bill is also known as the End Youth Solitary Confinement Act, which would limit solitary confinement for youth placed in jail.

HB3224 – SCH CD-SPECIAL ED-TRANSITION
This bill would require schools to inform the student and the parent or guardian about the district’s career and technical education opportunities and dual credit courses that are offered by a school district and requires that the student’s participation in the course must be included as part of the student’s Transition Individualized Education Program activities.

Although the list of the bills I co-sponsored is too big to fit in my newsletter, I have listed out some of the bills that I have co-sponsored.

HB1540 – ELECTRONIC SMOKING DEVICE
Introduced by State Rep. Camile Y. Lilly, this bill would ban the use of electronic cigarettes in indoor places.

HB1378 – HIGHER ED- GROW ILLINOIS
Introduced by State Rep. Janet Yang Rohr, this will establish a scholarship program, Illinois Graduate and Retain Our Workforce (iGROW), to recruit and train students to work in technology jobs with a high demand for new employees and offer high wages by awarding scholarships.

HB2443 – INS-HEARING AID COVERAGE
Introduced by State Rep. Sharon Chung, this bill will require insurance companies to cover hearing aids for patients who require a hearing aid to be able to hear.

HB3203 – PREVENT FENTANYL EXPOSURE
Introduced by Republican Leader Rep. Tony M. McCombie, this bill would allow pharmacies to sell fentanyl test strips over-the-counter to the public to test for the presence of fentanyl, and a county health department may distribute fentanyl test strips at the county health department facility for no fee.

HB1565 – VAGINAL ESTROGEN COVERAGE
Introduced by State Rep. Katie Stuart, this bill will provide insurance coverage for vaginal estrogen. Vaginal estrogen treats many common symptoms of menopause with a low risk of side effects and can be expensive to obtain. I am in support of this legislation that promotes equity and increases access to healthcare for women.

MARCH HIGHLIGHTS

Conference of Women Legislators

I am honored to be nominated among my colleagues to co-chair COWL.
I’m looking forward to supporting women leaders throughout the State of IL.

Illinois Manufacturers Association

I am proud to be a part of the bipartisan group of lawmakers who are pushing for passage of several bills designed to build a skilled manufacturing workforce of the future. I remain committed to working with businesses, labor, and educators to fill the jobs skills gaps as I committed to when I first ran for office.

Page For A Day

I was delighted to host my district director’s son Blake Harrington to serve as my Page for a Day in Springfield. Blake lives in Lake in the Hills with his parents and his dog Winston. He attends Indian Prairie Elementary School in Crystal Lake.

Blake is interested in cars, dinosaurs, and loves reading Harry Potter with his dad. It was lovely spending the day with him.

Page For A Day

Michael “Mikey” Starr came to Springfield and was my second Page for a Day. Mrs. Starr said that Mikey learned so much and that he had a great time.

I want to thank Mikey for his enthusiasm and curiosity on the House floor. Mikey took his own initiative to get signatures from representatives in the Illinois Blue Book I gifted him. It was a delightful time with Mikey.

If you’re interested in visiting me in Springfield,
email info@repsnessil66.com for more information.

Katrina in Springfield

My District Director Katrina had a wonderful time in Springfield, IL. She was able to visit the Capitol and several other important departments for training with other staff members from different Representatives’ offices. Katrina’s son, Blake, was featured in Page for Day. He had a delightful experience being on the house floor at the Capitol and loved the experience.

March Ribbon Cuttings

Congratulations to Forkit, Arden Rose Home Care, Gateway Express Clinic, Kane County Animal Control and the Ecker Center Crisis Stabilization program on their Grand Openings!
Click on the buttons below to visit their websites!

Polar Plunge

I had the pleasure of attending and participating in this year’s 2nd annual Polar Plunge. The water was freezing, but the cause warmed my heart. Congratulations, and thank you to everyone who plunged to raise money for the Special Olympics of Illinois!

The Place for Children with Autism

Thank you to The Place for Children with Autism located in Lake in the Hills for the tour and the great discussion!

Fox River Library “In My Neighborhood”
Reading Program

It is a wonderful experience when I can combine one of my favorite activities of reading to kids with my work as a representative. With my kids grown and my grandkids living out of state, this was the next best thing. Thank you, Fox River Valley Public Library District, for inviting me to be a reader in your new “In My Neighborhood” reading program. It was such a pleasure.

Meeting with Central Unit School
District 301 in Burlington

I had an incredible meeting with Superintendent Dr. Stirn and Deputy Superintendent Dr. Mongan at the Central Unit School District 301 in Burlington. I am excited to partner with this fast-growing school district.

Their principles reflect my principles:
Engage The Mind-Empower the Learner
Inspire Excellence-Influence the World

Future Farms of America

Ag Day is always a good day in Springfield and now that the pandemic is behind us, I had the opportunity to meet students from the Future Farmers of America. Not only did they bring enthusiasm and energy with them, they also brought a basket of Illinois goodies and lunch! I want to thank these students for stopping by and sharing their thoughts (and snacks) with me.

Volunteering at the D300 Food Pantry

My office is pleased to announce we will be volunteering at the D300 Food Pantry once a month. Thank you to Alexis for being our office’s first volunteer. Alexis said she enjoyed the friendly and well organized environment.

Office Earth Day Month

My office will be growing plants throughout April to celebrate Earth month. While this is one of the ways to celebrate, there are many other ways where we can celebrate Earth month. I included 10 ways on how to make Earth Day everyday!

Adoptable Pet of the Month

Meet Alexis

Alexis is a 55 lb, 2 year old possible Terrier / Pitbull mix who was a stray rescued by our partners in TN and brought to Illinois to find her furever home. Her puppies (Dynasty litter) were adopted and now we are looking for a home for Alexis.

Alexis isn’t just a pretty girl, she is also smart! She knows basic commands, is house trained and crate trained and good on car rides and walks well on leash. She has not been tested with children, but we expect she’ll be good with children 10 and older. The shelter in Tennessee said she was dog friendly, however, she has shown in her foster home she prefers to be your one and only. No kitties please!

She’s playful and LOVES toys, bones and lives for a game of fetch. She

She is looking for an active family with older children who will continue her training. In return you’ll get lots of kisses, cuddles and love from this sweet girl.

Please learn about the process and complete an application at: https://hoofwoofmeow.org/adoption/

UPCOMING
COMMUNITY EVENTS

Dundee Township Park District
Adult Activities Center

Come stop by and say hello! I will be having a mobile office on Friday, May 5th from 10:30am- 12pm. Feel free to share any concerns or ideas with me. Can’t wait to see you all there!

2nd Dundee Township Park District
Adult Activities Center

I will be having another Mobile Office! Friday, May 22nd I will be partnering with the Illinois Secretary of State. We will be providing services such as motor voter registration, license renewal, etc. Feel free to come share your concerns and ideas with me!

Saturday, April 8th, 2023
9:00 am – 12:00 pm or until the truck is full
Century Plaza
8th Street (Rt 31) , West Dundee 60118

Join State Representative Suzanne Ness, in partnership with AMS Store & Shred, for a secure document-destruction event. This event is free to any residents in District 66. Please note that there will be a strict two-banker box limit for each participant and constituents will be served on a first-come, first-serve basis.

Hosted by:
State Senator Don DeWitte
State Rep Suzanne Ness
Northern Kane County Chamber

D300 Food Pantry will have a truck for can good donations!

Youth Leadership Council

I am thrilled to announce that I will be starting a Youth Leadership Council. I’m inviting high school students in the Illinois House District 66 to apply for the program. This is an incredible opportunity for high school students to develop leadership, team-building, and communication skills, along with the chance to grow their network.

Please visit the link attached below or scan the QR code for the application. If there are questions about the program, please email or call the information is provided below!

Email: info@repsnessil66.com

Office Number: 224-484-8620

Tax Filing Deadline

Reminder! Tax filing deadline is April 15th.

Fox River Valley Public Library District
Recycling Drop-Off

On April 15, Saturday there will be a recycling drop-off for home electronics and
small appliances, clothes and textiles, paper (mixed or shredded), books, etc.
Almost everything will be free. However, there will be a $25-$35 fee for TVs
and computer monitors (fee depends on screen size).

The Autism Hero Project Community Celebration

Saturday, April 22nd
#HeroesUnite to raise Awareness & Acceptance for Autism
Celebrate with Elgin’s very own DJ Dollar!

RESOURCES AND ANNOUNCEMENTS

Ride in Kane

Ride in Kane is a public transportation service providing curb-to-curb bus or taxi service to seniors 65 and older, disabled individuals, and those with low income who qualify for the service in Kane County. Ride in Kane operates 24 hours a day, 365 days a year.
The current cash fare is $5.00 for the first 10 miles of a trip and $1.50 for each additional mile over 10 miles.

MCRide Dial-a-Ride

MCRide is a service offered to all McHenry County residents as a way to get around McHenry County using paratransit vehicles. Vehicles don’t travel on a fixed schedule everyday; they are shared with other passengers. To use this service, passengers must schedule their rides in advance by calling 711 or 800-451-4599. The service vehicle will pick up and drop off riders at the requested locations.

B2B Grants

Back to Business (B2B) Grants are soon to be available for Creative Arts businesses, Hotels & Restaurants through DCEO!

Kane County Animal Control’s
First Drive-Thru Clinic of 2023

Kane County Animal Control is hosting a Drive-Thru Microchip and Rabies Clinic for dogs and cats on Saturday, April 15. Seniors 65 years or older with proof of ID will receive a discounted rabies vaccine.