DeWitte Survey Shows Strong Support for Keeping the Chicago Bears in Illinois
As you may recall, several weeks ago I made a short survey available to gather input on what role, financial and otherwise, the State of Illinois should take in trying to keep the Chicago Bears in Illinois. The survey results are in, and they show overwhelming support for keeping the Chicago Bears in Illinois rather than allowing them to move across the border into Indiana. The responses highlight both the pride residents feel for the team and the significant economic impact an NFL franchise brings to the state.
More than 1,250 residents responded to the survey, with 81.3% saying they support efforts to keep the Bears in Illinois, while only 18.7% said they do not. The survey also found 76.4% of respondents support using state funds for publicly owned infrastructure improvements, such as road and access enhancements, that would be associated with a potential multi-use stadium development. Additionally, 68.8% of respondents said that if Illinois invests in a stadium project, the state should receive an ownership or equity stake in return, ensuring taxpayers see a long-term benefit from any public investment.
While this was not a scientific survey, the results clearly show that people recognize the economic value that an NFL franchise like the Bears brings to Illinois. The results also indicate that Illinoisans want to make sure any public investment is responsible and that taxpayers receive a fair return.
Thank you to everyone who took the time to participate in the survey. Discussions between the Bears and the Legislature are ongoing.
DeWitte Co-Sponsors Legislative Package to Strengthen Protections for Children and Crack Down on Exploitation
This year I am co-sponsoring a legislative package to strengthen protections for children and crack down on trafficking, grooming, sexual exploitation, and predatory offenders.
The package, brought forward by Senate Republicans, is designed to close dangerous gaps in Illinois law, increase penalties for serious crimes involving minors, and ensure offenders who exploit children face stronger consequences.
The legislative package includes:
- Senate Bill 284, also known as Andrew’s Law, would eliminate plea deals for individuals charged with involuntary sexual servitude of a minor, trafficking in persons involving a minor, or grooming, preventing those charges from being reduced to lesser offenses. The bill would also make it a Class 4 felony for a child sex offender to work at, volunteer at, or be present at a facility that exclusively provides entertainment for minors.
- Senate Bill 1572 would increase penalties for human trafficking and related crimes by raising each offense by one felony class. For the most serious Class X offenses, the bill would set a prison sentence of 9 to 45 years.
- Senate Bill 2381 would require sex offender registration for individuals convicted of unauthorized video recording of minors in private spaces if the offense was found to be sexually motivated. The measure responds to a gap in current Illinois law that has allowed some offenders to avoid registration even in cases involving the secret recording of children in bathrooms, locker rooms, or other private areas.
Protecting children must remain a top priority, and Illinois laws should reflect the seriousness and lasting harm caused by trafficking, grooming, and sexual exploitation.
DeWitte Op-Ed on Transit Fallout Featured in Crain’s Chicago Business
I want to thank Crain’s Chicago Business for publishing an opinion piece I recently submitted about significant fallout that will negatively affect the collar counties in the wake of the public transit overhaul bill that was approved during the last veto session. Here is the text of the op-ed:
Opinion: Chicago Gets a Bailout While the Collar Counties Take the Hit
By Donald P. DeWitte
Published March 9, 2026
After two years of public hearings and multiple reform proposals, Springfield Democrats rammed through a sweeping public transit bill in the early hours of Oct. 31, 2025. The controversial measure to address Chicago’s failing transit system was called at 4 a.m., sparking criticism over both the timing and the substance of the legislation.
John Pletz’s Feb 23, article, “A Historic Chance to Reinvent Transit,” offered a thoughtful and comprehensive perspective on the challenges facing our region’s transit system. I appreciate his analysis and the attention he brought to the complexity of this issue. However, one significant consequence for suburban transit riders was largely overlooked: the unnecessary and consequential change to the voting structure that consolidates power in the hands of partisan Democrats.
When conversations began two years ago about reforming our public transit system, Senate Republicans, in support of our suburban mayors and municipalities, maintained that reforms must include a reorganized governance structure that was fair, equitable, and gave the collar counties an equal voice in transit decisions. We have never wavered on this priority because mayors in DuPage, Kane, Lake, McHenry, and Will counties made clear they did not want to be steamrolled by decisions driven by political leaders from Cook County and the City of Chicago. From the beginning, my concern was that a bailout and eventual takeover by Chicago Democrats and their political allies in Cook County was the ultimate goal. Unfortunately, those concerns have now been realized.
The revised governance structure places control of all future transit decisions in the hands of Chicago, Cook County, and Gov. JB Pritzker’s office. The new Northern Illinois Transit Authority (NITA) board will consist of 20 members: five appointed by Pritzker, five by Chicago Mayor Brandon Johnson, five by Cook County Board President Toni Preckwinkle, and one appointment from each of the five collar counties in the transit region.
Most concerning is the change in voting thresholds. Under the new transit law, 15 of the 20 board members can approve any and all actions of the board. That means the governor, the mayor of Chicago, and the Cook County Board president, through their combined appointments, can completely control board decision-making. The five collar county members, representing a suburban population equal to, if not larger than, the City of Chicago, can be overridden on every major issue.
For decades, the Regional Transportation Authority operated under a voting structure that forced collaboration and deliberative debate, and blocked any attempt at a power grab. With those voting guardrails now abandoned, the city of Chicago, Cook County, and the governor will be able to dictate suburban bus and rail service levels, fare structures, and even divert RTA/NITA revenues whenever and wherever they like.
There was no operational crisis or governance breakdown that required eliminating those voting safeguards. The prior system ensured balance and prevented domination by any single political bloc. The only practical effect of changing the voting threshold is to consolidate power and control.
Make no mistake. The new structure effectively stacks the deck politically. When one party holds overwhelming appointment authority, true regional independence and bipartisan collaboration will be far less likely. If collaboration and regional equity were truly the goal, those long-standing voting protections would have remained in place.
The legislature had an opportunity to reform the RTA, along with Metra, Pace, and the Chicago Transit Authority, in a way that provided equity in board membership, fairness in voting, and sustainable funding solutions to address the fiscal cliff while transforming our transit system into a safe, coordinated, world-class network. Instead, control of the new NITA Board was centralized, leaving suburbanites on the outside looking in.
Chicago and Cook County have long struggled with fiscal mismanagement, chronic budget shortfalls, and structural financial challenges. That track record does not inspire confidence, nor has it earned the level of trust that should accompany this degree of concentrated authority. Power without accountability is not reform. It is an unnecessary risk that could lead to devastating results.
Legislation Introduced to Create Illinois Pediatric Cancer Fund
Legislation has recently been introduced to strengthen research efforts to help fight childhood cancer and improve outcomes for young patients across Illinois. I am a strong supporter of this initiative.
Senate Bill 3954 would create the Illinois Pediatric Cancer Fund, a special fund within the State Treasury Department dedicated to supporting research, prevention, and treatment efforts related to pediatric cancer. The fund would provide grants to physicians, hospitals, laboratories, universities, and other eligible organizations conducting research focused on childhood cancers.
Under the proposal, the Department of Healthcare and Family Services would administer the fund and oversee a grant program designed to support scientific research and innovation related to pediatric cancer. Funding could come from legislative appropriations as well as private donations and other contributions made to support the cause.
The legislation also ensures transparency by requiring the department to submit annual reports to the General Assembly detailing how funds are used and the progress of research initiatives.
In addition to supporting research grants, the bill allows a small portion of the fund to be used to promote awareness and encourage donations to further expand research opportunities within the state.
SB 3954 is currently assigned to the Health and Human Services Committee.
Eligibility Expanded for ABLE Accounts
The Illinois State Treasurer’s Office recently announced that an estimated 250,000 Illinoisans with disabilities are now eligible to open ABLE accounts, allowing them to save and invest money without jeopardizing access to certain federal benefits.
The expanded eligibility is the result of a change to the federal Achieving a Better Life Experience (ABLE) Act. Previously, individuals were required to acquire their disability before age 26 to qualify for an account. Beginning in 2026, that age threshold has been raised to 46, broadening access to ABLE accounts for people with disabilities in Illinois and across the country.
ABLE accounts are designed to help individuals with disabilities save for important life expenses while maintaining eligibility for programs such as Supplemental Security Income or Medicaid. Prior to the creation of ABLE accounts, people with disabilities generally could not accumulate more than $2,000 in assets without putting those benefits at risk.
The expansion will provide greater financial flexibility for people facing disability-related expenses, including housing, transportation, assistive technology, vocational training, and other quality-of-life needs.
More information about the program can be found here: illinoisable.com.