Dear Neighbors,
In Springfield, I have been hard at work crafting and passing legislation to keep children and families safe, including providing the court system with more jurors and better tools to crack down on stalking and harassment. See our “Springfield Update” section below for a deeper dive into these bills.
Here in our district, we are pleased to announce that Illinois Secretary of State Alexi Giannoulias has released five School Library Grants to Glenbrook District 225, Glenview District 34, Northbrook/Glenview District 30, Skokie District 68 and Wilmette District 39. These grants will help bolster programs that provide invaluable benefit to our students and help continue our community’s long tradition of top-notch public education.
Don’t forget to check the end of the newsletter for upcoming events and volunteer opportunities – part of what makes this District truly special is the sense of community and care for one another that we see exemplified in these service events.
As always, if there is any issue that my office can assist with, please reach out anytime at 847-486-8810 or to info@gonggershowitz.com.
Sincerely,
Representative Jennifer Gong-Gershowitz
Springfield Update
As work continues in Springfield, the following bills I have been working on passed out of the House and are now in the Senate for further consideration.
HB2873 Updates stalking and no contact orders to better protect victims, many of whom live in constant fear, by expanding the law to harassing a victim at school or work, telephoning a victim’s residence/employer, repeatedly following a victim, repeated use of surveillance, threatening a victim’s family member, or threatening physical harm or illegal confinement.
HB2436 Will allow the Cook County Public Defender to represent Cook County residents in immigration proceedings if their case is being heard at a courthouse out of Cook County. At this pivotal time, when so many immigrants are in desperate need of legal representation, this is a proactive step that we in Illinois can take to protect our neighbors.
HB1600 Requires restaurant delivery apps to provide single-use utensils by request only, in order to cut down on plastic waste when ordering food through third-party applications such as UberEats and Doordash.
HB3359 Passed the house unanimously, which makes our justice system more reliable and efficient by expanding the number of alternate jurors available to serve.
Additionally, three more bills I am sponsoring came over from the Senate and last week I advanced them out of committee:
SB328 Changes existing law regarding requirements for filing documents with clerks’ offices, amending so that if a document is rejected for technical reasons and is subsequently refiled correctly within 7 days, the documents will refer to the original date of submission.
SB1411 Ensures that patients’ living wills are honored timely, to prevent interruptions or delays in treatment that a patient has requested.
SB1531 Helps create a more environmentally sustainable Illinois by taking a critical step to eliminate polystyrene (foam) containers from the restaurant industry.
SB1738 Increases the personal property exemption amounts regarding consumer debt judgment, bringing outdated exemption limits in line with current dollar evaluations, and exempts tools, books, and other forms of professional property from such judgements.
CMAP Transit Listening Session
Thank you to everyone who attended our transit listening session my office co-hosted with Leader Robyn Gabel, Senator Laura Fine and the Chicago Metropolitan Agency for Planning (CMAP). Elizabeth from CMAP presented on the current challenges facing the RTA/CTA/Metra/Pace and what options have been considered to address them. Any funding changes for our transit system should come with meaningful reform to improve rider experience.
Details of what was discussed can be found on CMAP’s website under the Plan of Action for Regional Transit HERE.
Happy Asian American, Native Hawaiian and Pacific Islander Heritage Month!
May marks AANHPI Heritage month. Last week, I was able to join District 34 for their 2nd annual heritage showcase! It was great to see so many community partners come together to support all the amazing acts performed by students from across the 17th District.
Illinois’ Secretary of State Office Awards Five School Library Grants in the 17th District
Secretary of State and State Librarian Alexi Giannoulias has awarded more than $1.3 million to 2,484 Illinois public school libraries throughout Illinois.
The grants, awarded in the spring of every fiscal year, support school library services for Illinois students enrolled in kindergarten through 12th grade. Resources and services provided through the grant include library books, e-books, audiobooks, periodicals, multilingual materials, technology and programs.
Schools receiving grants in the 17th District were: Glenbrook District 225, Glenview District 34, Northbrook/Glenview District 30, Skokie District 68 and Wilmette District 39.
Events and Opportunities
- Skokie’s Festival of Cultures will take place on May 17, 2025 from 11:00 AM – 6:00 PM at Oakton Park. Explore Skokie’s diversity at the 33rd Annual Skokie Festival of Cultures, a two-day, free ethnic festival in the park, featuring: music and dance performances on two stages, food and beverages for sale, interactive cultural booths, a children’s game & activity area (additional fee), merchandise vendors, the festival’s famous flag display, Parade of Cultures at the opening ceremonies on Saturday at 1 p.m. For more information click HERE.
- Village of Evanston’s Umbrella Arts Festival will take place on May 31st from 12-5pm at Fountain Square. The Umbrella Arts Festival is a celebration of Asian American history, culture and art. The umbrella symbolizes the Asian American diaspora which includes a diversity of ethnicities from over 40 Asian, South Asian, Southeast Asian and Pacific Island countries around the world, and is inclusive of the many intersections of identities that exist in our communities. The festival is free and for all ages! For more information click HERE.
- The Multi-Chamber Golf Outing will take place on Monday June 10th at the Wilmette Golf Course.Join friends and colleagues for a full-day, first-class premium golf event! If you like to golf, grab a friend — or three to create a foursome — for a day of networking on the greens at the beautiful Wilmette Golf Club. Not a golfer? Come for cocktails and dinner at The Lawn, where the food, fun and scenic beauty is a step above the rest. For more information clickHERE.
- Glenview Summer Fest will take place on June 21st from 9am-3pm, on Lehigh, from Glenview Rd to Washington. The event will include local vendors, crafts, free games, health services, home enhancements, gift ideas, and a wide range of delectable foods & beverages for every taste bud. There will also be a special kids’ area with balloon artists, live entertainment, a magician, bubble station, fire pole and other lively experiences making it a full, best-of-Glenview day to remember. In the evening, the street fair transforms into Summer Fest After Sunset from 6pm – 10pm with LIVE music from local acts, local eats and cold drinks! Free to the public with a door donation benefitting Northfield Township Food Pantry. For more information clickHERE.
- The Niles Township 5K Fun Runis on May 31st starting at 9 AM at Old Orchard Junior High School in Skokie! Also at the run will be face painting, a balloon artist, Kona Ice, the Soul Good Coffee Truck and Treats, and a Touch-a-Truck experience. This event supports the Niles Township Education Foundation helping students in need. You can register HERE.