Legislators in Springfield for Final Four Weeks of Session
The Senate and House will be in Springfield for the next four weeks with hopes of completing our legislative business prior to our scheduled adjournment date of May 31. In addition to vetting and voting on bills that recently came over to the Senate from the House of Representatives, the two largest issues that remain are the passage of a Fiscal Year 2026 budget for the year that begins on July 1, 2025, and finding a fair and equitable solution to the pending $770 million fiscal cliff facing our public transit systems of Metra, PACE, and the Chicago Transportation Authority (CTA). As a member of the Senate Republican Budget Negotiation Team and also the Senate Transportation Committee, I will be deeply involved with both issues.
It is an extremely tight budget year for the State of Illinois, and as budget discussions begin to narrow in scope, I will be looking for fiscal responsibility and restraint. Concerning public transit, I am focused on a board reconfiguration that is fair and equitable for all six counties in the transit service region, with equality in representation and voting power for the suburbs.
I recently published an opinion piece about the public transit issue in the Chicago Tribune. You can click here to read it.
Lewis Passes Motorcycle Safety Bill Before Senate Bill Deadline
With warmer weather upon us, we will see more motorcycles on the roads. I recently passed an important motorcycle safety bill that ensures that safety training is more widely available, affordable, and effective.
Senate Bill 2075, which aims to expand access to motorcycle safety training and lower its costs, received unanimous support when it was brought to the floor of the Senate for a vote on April 9. I am extremely proud of the bipartisan sponsorship and approval of this legislation.
Currently, Illinois has only one official Cycle Rider Safety Training Center located at Southern Illinois University. While some motorcycle dealerships offer limited classes, the legislation would standardize training guidelines and expand the number of training centers across Illinois. By doing so, the bill aims to reduce the cost of training and ensure that more riders receive proper safety instruction.
The bill was inspired by input from A Brotherhood Aimed Toward Education (ABATE) of Illinois, whose members expressed concern about the lack of accessible and comprehensive training options for motorcyclists. SB 2075 is a timely piece of legislation, especially following my recent passage of Senate Resolution 26, which designated April 2025 as Distracted Driving Awareness Month in Illinois.
With the bill’s passage in the Senate, SB 2075 now moves to the Illinois House of Representatives for further consideration. If enacted, it will not only enhance motorcycle safety but could also serve as a model for similar safety initiatives across the country.
Lewis Leads Republican Support of Food Additives Ban Bill
When we have food on our grocery store shelves that includes ingredients that have already been banned in India, China, and throughout Europe, I am proud to be involved with making the State of Illinois a leader in making our food supply safer. Senate Bill 93, which passed in the Senate on April 10, would ban the use of Potassium Bromate and Propylparaben on the following schedule:
- January 1, 2027: bans the manufacture of any food product for human consumption that contains either substance
- January 1, 2028: bans the sale, delivery, and distribution of any food product for human consumption that contains either substance
It was my pleasure to work with Chief bill sponsor Senator Willie Preston (D-Chicago) on the bill’s passage. With passage in the Senate achieved, SB 93 now moves to the House for consideration.
Click here to watch my floor comments during the bill debate in the Senate.
Billion Dollar Brandon Returns to Springfield with a New Bailout Request
Last week, Chicago Mayor Brandon Johnson was back in Springfield with his latest bailout request for his city. It seems like every few months, Mayor Johnson comes to the legislature with a new wish list and a new request that legislators pay for financial decisions he has made. Whether it is a billion extra dollars for Chicago Public Schools (CPS) on top of the funds they receive through the school funding formula, a billion dollars for a stadium for the Chicago Bears, or a billion dollars for Chicago transit, one familiar theme accompanies these requests: He wants suburban and downstate taxpayers to foot the bill to fill his self-created funding gaps.
I recognize the importance of a thriving Chicago. When Chicago is strong, Illinois is strong, and that is beneficial to all Illinoisans. What worries me is the established habit of Mayor Johnson refusing to control or cut spending, engaging in unaffordable budgeting and contracts, and then looking to the General Assembly to pay for it. Fiscal recklessness in City Hall should not become a burden on suburban families who have worked hard to live within their means.
On Tuesday, May 29, I, along with budget negotiation team members Senator Don DeWitte and Senator Chapin Rose, held a press conference to reiterate our opposition to requiring taxpayers outside of Chicago to pay for Mayor Johnson’s poor financial decisions.
Click here to watch the press conference.
Do You Need a REAL ID?
Starting May 7, 2025, anyone over 18 years old will be required to present a REAL ID or another acceptable form of identification, like a valid U.S. passport, to board domestic flights and enter certain federal facilities or military bases. Implementing REAL ID standards nationwide was pushed back for years, but it is now taking effect.
You do NOT need a REAL ID in order to drive, vote, enter state-owned buildings, or enter federal buildings that do not require REAL IDs. Keep reading to learn about a Mobile DMV event that offers REAL IDs and other services coming up next week in Wheaton.
Lewis Summer Events Calendar Kicks Off with Two May Events
My talented staff is putting the finishing touches on a comprehensive list of summer and fall constituent outreach events across the 24th District. My events kick off with two very popular events during the month of May. Please mark your calendars now for these upcoming events:
- May 6, Medicare 101 Seminar: Itasca Park District, 350 East Irving Park Road, Itasca, 9:30 AM – 11:00 AM
- May 10, Mobile Drivers Services Event (DMV): Lewis-Grant Shared Office, 416 E. Roosevelt Road, Suite 111, Wheaton, 10:00 AM – 2:00 PM (Reservations required for this event, click here to secure your appointment)
- June 18, ICASH Unclaimed Property Event: Wood Dale Public Library, 520 N. Wood Dale Road, Wood Dale, 11:00 AM – 2:00 PM
- June 24, New Carol Stream Office Open House: Carol Stream Legislative Office, 994 W. Army Trail Road, Carol Stream, 12:00 PM – 1:30 PM
- July 16, IPASS on Demand: Mary Lubko Center, 208 W. Union Avenue, Wheaton, 3:00 PM – 6:00 PM
- July 31, Senior Health Fair: Roselle Park District Clauss Recreation Center, 555 W. Bryn Mawr Avenue, Roselle
- August 27, ICASH Unclaimed Property Event: Warrenville Park District, 3S260 Warren Avenue, Warrenville, 10:00 AM – 2:00 PM
- August 28, Senior Health Expo: Wheaton Park District, 1777 S. Blanchard, Wheaton, 9:00 AM – 12:00 PM
- September 13, Children’s Safety Expo: Erickson Elementary School, 277 Springfield Drive, Bloomingdale, 9:00 AM – 12:00 PM
- September 18, Disabilities Resource Fair: Carol Stream Park District Fountain View Recreation Center, 910 N. Gary Avenue, Carol Stream, 9:00 AM – 12:00 PM
- October 25, Document Shredding Event: Wheaton Park District, 1777 S. Blanchard, Wheaton, 8:30 AM – 11:30 AM
Senator Lewis: Out and About in the 24th District and in Springfield
Prior to this current five-week stretch in Springfield, legislators had an opportunity to spend several days in their home communities tending to the needs of their local constituents. Above you’ll find a collage from a few recent meetings at home. In the first photo, I am presenting Senate Resolution 174, which honors Marie E. Tayfel, to her husband and son. Marie was a prominent community leader in Bloomingdale. The middle photo shows a meeting with constituents to discuss environmental legislation supported by the Sierra Club, and the third photo was taken during a meeting with local homeschool parents to discuss the status of HB 2827.
The two-frame collage below includes a few photos from last week in Springfield. On the left, I’m shown with representatives from the Wood Dale Fire Department, and on the right, with a group of realtors. Both groups were in Springfield for annual lobby days.
Over $126,500 Coming to School Libraries in 24th Senate District
When we invest in books and technology at our school libraries, we are providing a springboard to knowledge and success for students. I am pleased to announce that several school libraries in the 24th Senate District are receiving a combined $126,570.71 in state library grants this year.
The 24th Senate District allocations are as follows:
| Addison School District 4 | $2,849.70 |
| Arlington Heights Township High School District 214 | $10,583.72 |
| Benjamin School District 25 | $850.00 |
| Bloomingdale School District 13 | $1,097.40 |
| Community Consolidated School District 93 | $2,726.69 |
| Community Consolidated School District 59 | $4,578.99 |
| Community High School District 94 | $1,733.72 |
| Community Unit School District 200 | $9,513.75 |
| DuPage High School District 88 | $3,253.26 |
| Fenton Community High School District 100 | $1,170.86 |
| Glen Ellyn School District 41 | $2,790.41 |
| Glenbard Township High School District 87 | $6,607.41 |
| Itasca School District 10 | $850.00 |
| Keeneyville Elementary School District 20 | $1,102.71 |
| Lake Park High School District 108 | $2,216.04 |
| Lisle Community Unit District 202 | $1,277.06 |
| Marquardt School District 15 | $1,987.71 |
| Medinah Elementary School District 11 | $850.00 |
| Naperville Community Unit School District 54 | $13,301.55 |
| Roselle School District 12 | $850.00 |
| Schaumburg Community Consolidated School District 54 | $12,351.06 |
| Elgin School District U-46 | $28,979.33 |
| Township High School District 211 | $10,731.51 |
| West Chicago Elementary School District 33 | $2,617.83 |
| Winfield School District 34 | $850.00 |
| Wood Dale School District 7 | $850.00 |
| TOTAL | $126,570.71 |
The resources and services provided by the grants include library books, e-books, audiobooks, periodicals, multilingual materials, technology, and programs. School districts received $0.885 per student, based on the statutory formula decided by the General Assembly.
Butterfield Road Resurfacing Underway
Lastly, as an FYI, IDOT has begun work on a road resurfacing project on Butterfield Road (IL Rt 56) between Route 59 in Warrenville and Naperville Road in Wheaton. This is a $6.6 million project that will provide a tremendous community improvement when it is finished. While the reconstruction is taking place, however, motorists should be prepared for daytime intermittent lane closures.
The work is expected to continue through the summer and fall, with an estimated November 2025 completion date. Please give yourself some extra time when traveling through the area, or, if possible, avoid that stretch of road altogether.