Ellman: Budget proposal provides stability to our state, increases investments in education

SPRINGFIELD – State Senator Laura Ellman (D-Naperville) released the following statement in response to Gov. Pritzker’s budget address:

“The plan laid out by the governor today appears to put us on a path toward a responsible budget,” Ellman said. “We need a budget that provides fiscal stability, allows for our state to grow, and gives citizens and businesses confidence in sticking with Illinois. With increased investments in our public schools and our colleges and universities and responsible solutions for paying off our debts, this budget does just that.”

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Ellman statement on Martin Luther King Jr. Day

"Today and every day, it’s important to reflect on Dr. Martin Luther King Jr’s work and the significance of the Civil Rights Movement. We should think about how far America has come since that time, but how far we still have to go.

"During the fight for civil rights, many people told Dr. King and his allies that they were moving too fast, demanding too much. They were told that change would come but that they should be quiet and wait their turn.

"Too often we ignore the message because we dislike the medium. We write off someone’s experiences with racism, discredit their experience, because we disagree with their method of speaking their truth. We must do better. We need to listen when people speak out about racism and injustice. We need to personally reflect on our biases and really think about what's being said. And we need to stand together and demand justice and equality for all."

Ellman sworn in as 21st district state senator

SPRINGFIELD – State Senator Laura Ellman (D-Naperville) was sworn in to the Illinois State Senate during the Senate inauguration today in Springfield.

“It’s an honor to represent Illinois’ 21st Senate District,” Ellman said. “I’m looking forward to bringing new representation to the district and a fresh perspective to Springfield.”

“In the Senate, I will work to ensure the state pays it fair share for our schools so we can end the overreliance on property taxes, and I will fight for real reforms like enacting term limits for legislative leaders, ending gerrymandering and limiting the power of lobbyists and corporations,” Ellman said.

Read more: Ellman sworn in as 21st district state senator

Biography

State Senator Laura Ellman was elected to serve in the Illinois General Assembly in November of 2018. The district she serves includes parts of Bolingbrook, Downers Grove, Glen Ellyn, Lisle, Lombard, Naperville, Wheaton and Warrenville. Senator Ellman currently serves on a number of committees, including Agriculture; Appropriations, Chairperson of Environment and Conservation; Vice-Chairperson of Financial Institutions; Transportation and Veterans Affairs. 

Senator Ellman has a love for learning and solving problems. She was the first child to go to college in both her parents’ families. After graduating from Grinnell College with a degree in mathematics, she earned a masters’ degree in applied statistics at the University of Iowa. As an assessor at a National Laboratory, Senator Ellman knows what it takes to solve complex problems. Professionally, she has more than 25 years of experience working in manufacturing and engineering and dealing with regulations and policies. She has also been active in her community through her work on the Naperville Fair Housing Commission, Toastmasters, and as a volunteer with Habitat for Humanity, Feed My Starving Children, and as an ESL tutor.

Senator Ellman currently lives in Naperville with her husband Pete, a musician and small business owner, and is proud of their two college students – Lizzie and Barrett. In addition to amateur woodworking and home improvement projects, Senator Ellman enjoys sports—she’s been playing basketball every week for over twenty years, participates in triathlons, and ran a marathon (one was enough!).

After a successful first year in office, Senator Ellman planned to continue her work on important legislation to protect the environment and expand access to education in 2020. One of Senator Ellman’s first pieces of legislation for the 2020 spring session was a measure that repealed the Railroad Intoxicating Liquor Act of 1911, which prohibits drinking alcohol on trains, around train stations and gives conductors the ability to arrest violators and charge them with a Class C misdemeanor. This law hasn’t been enforced since the 1920s, during prohibition. 

Unfortunately, shortly after the Senate wrapped up session in February 2020, the COVID-19 pandemic derailed Senator Ellman and the rest of the Senate’s legislative priorities for the 2020 spring session. Though disappointed with the outcome of her second legislative session, Senator Ellman knew her job was to serve the residents of the district she represents in a time of international crisis.

As spring began to draw to a close, Senator Ellman, along with her fellow lawmakers returned to the Capitol in Springfield to pass the state’s FY 21 budget.  

Although Senator Ellman remained proud of the work she and colleagues accomplished in a compressed amount of time. She understood that there was a lot of work that still needed to be done for the residents of Illinois. She and her staff continued their hard work to ensure residents in the 21st district had access to the information and resources they needed to help guide them through an uncertain time.

During her third year in office, Senator Ellman worked to establish Illinois as a leader in a regional hydrogen hub by establishing the Hydrogen Economy Task Force, combated the opioid epidemic by making overdose reversal drugs more accessible, and established Dolostone as Illinois’ official state rock other measures. 

Senator Ellman hopes to advance legislation related strengthening the Hydrogen Economy in Illinois during her upcoming fourth term serving the Illinois’ 21st Senate District.

Senator Ellman invites you to reach out to her staff at any time to express your opinion on state issues, for assistance dealing with a state agency, and with any questions about state government.