Public encouraged to weigh in as General Assembly considers changes
SPRINGFIELD – The Senate and House Redistricting Committees will hold a series of public hearings to consider potential changes to legislative boundaries following information recently released by the U.S. Census Bureau.
At least seven hearings will take place to gather input on possible adjustments to the legislative map, as Democrats remain committed to enacting a fair map that reflects the broad racial and geographic diversity of Illinois. All of the hearings will include a virtual component to ensure stakeholders from across the state can safely participate during the ongoing coronavirus pandemic.
Members of the public may request to provide testimony, submit electronic testimony or submit electronic witness slips in advance of the hearings via the General Assembly website www.ilga.gov or through email at This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. and This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.. Those who wish to provide testimony at a hearing location will be given the opportunity to do so as well.
This week, there will be seven hearings on the proposed map:
- Thursday, Aug. 26 at 1 p.m. – Joint House and Senate Hearing (Hybrid Hearing – participants may testify in person or via Zoom)
- Room C-600, 6th Floor, Michael A. Bilandic Building, 160 N LaSalle St, Chicago, IL
- Friday, Aug. 27 at 10 a.m. – House Hearing (In-Person Hearing)
- IBEW Local 309, 2000 Mall St., Collinsville, IL
- Friday, Aug. 27 at 12 p.m. – Senate Hearing (Virtual Hearing – participants may testify at the hearing location or via Zoom)
- Will County Board Room, 302 N. Chicago St., Joliet, IL
- Saturday, Aug. 28 at 10 a.m. – Joint House and Senate Hearing (Virtual Hearing – participants may testify in person or via Zoom)
- Gilmore Auditorium at the Peoria Riverfront Museum, 222 SW Washington St, Peoria, IL
- Saturday, Aug. 28 at 12 p.m. – House Hearing (Virtual Hearing – participates may testify via Zoom)
- Champaign Region
- Saturday, Aug. 28 at 3 p.m. – Senate Hearing (Virtual Hearing – participants may testify at the hearing location or via Zoom)
- Vermilion Room located on the 2nd Floor of the Southern Illinois University at Carbondale SIU Student Center, 1255 Lincoln Dr., Carbondale, IL
- Sunday, Aug. 29 at 10 a.m. – House Hearing (In-Person Hearing)
- Phillips Park Visitors’ Center, 1000 Ray Moses Dr., Aurora, IL
“Our goal throughout this entire process has been to ensure that every person in Illinois receives fair and equal representation. The maps passed in May were drawn with the best data available at the time. Now that the long-awaited Census data has arrived, we will make adjustments as needed,” said Sen. Omar Aquino, D-Chicago, Chair of the Senate Redistricting Committee. “I look forward to once again engaging with community groups and organizations from across Illinois to gain better insight into what the Census data reveals about our state’s changing demographics.”
“Our goal from the beginning has always been passing a map that adheres to state and federal law while reflecting the diversity of this state and remaining a model for the nation for minority representation,” said Rep. Elizabeth Hernandez, D-Cicero, Chairperson of the House Redistricting Committee. “Now that we have received the 2020 census data, I look forward to additional public hearings to gather more testimony from our community organizers, advocacy groups and the general public and make sure all voices are heard as we update our legislative map to reflect the most recent data.”
For more information visit www.ilsenateredistricting.com, www.ilhousedems.com/redistricting, or www.ilga.gov.
