This week saw multiple inaugural ceremonies, as first the elected statewide officials were sworn in on Monday. Members of the General Assembly were sworn in at two different, simultaneous ceremonies on Wednesday. The Senate’s was held inside the Old State Capitol while the House of Representatives travelled to the Performing Arts Center at the University of Illinois at Springfield.
In the Senate, Republicans elected a new Senate Republican leader, Senator John Curran (41st District, from Downers Grove). Soon after, the rest of the Republican leadership team for the 103rd General Assembly was released. In the following speeches, both party leaders mentioned a hope for a bipartisan future for Illinois, citing the trouble of divisive politics and arguing that citizens should focus on overcoming this division.