Illinois House Republicans joined farmers and industry stakeholders at the Illinois Farm Bureau Annual Meeting held December 6-9. The multi-day conference brought together agricultural leaders from across the state to discuss current challenges, explore new opportunities, and outline policies that will strengthen Illinois’ agricultural future.

Throughout the event, lawmakers met with Farm Bureau members, participated in policy discussions, and emphasized their shared commitment to advocating for Illinois’ farm families. Topics ranged from land use and environmental stewardship to regulatory reform and support for the next generation of farmers. 

Deputy House Republican Leader Norine Hammond was among the Illinois House Republicans who received the Americans for Prosperity-Illinois (AFP-IL) 2025 Prairie State Policy Champions, for her role in advocating for reduced government spending, easing Illinois’ state tax burden, protecting homeschoolers and empowering educational choice in the Land of Lincoln. 

As the fall season continues, Illinois families are in for a scare. Not one from ghosts and goblins, but from a revived parade of Democrat tax hikes that are expected during veto session. These frightening tax hikes will hit Illinois families the hardest as Democrats work to fill in budget gaps created by their own overspending.

In fact, taxpayers are already feeling the effects of Springfield’s fiscal recklessness. Earlier this year, Democrats rammed through nearly $1 billion in new taxes on a variety of things, such as sports betting, hotel and short-term rentals, cell phones, tobacco, and more. 

In a couple of weeks, the Illinois General Assembly will return to Springfield to convene for the annual two-week Veto Session. The session is scheduled for October 14-16 and October 28-30. The Veto Session is generally intended for the legislature to review legislation passed in the spring that has received a total veto or an amendatory veto from the Governor. The legislature can seek to override a Governor’s veto by a 3/5 majority vote in each chamber or vote to accept an amendatory veto. 

Illinois families are already reeling from the nearly $1 billion in tax hikes shoved through by Democrats during the Spring Session in late May. And as Fall has descended upon us and the Halloween season awaits, Democrats once again have your pocketbooks on their radar. No, this isn’t some scary Halloween hoax; it’s daily life in Illinois, the Land of Pumpkin Spice and Tax Hikes that are Not So Nice.

Just a few short months ago, Illinois Democrats worked their ‘magic’ and passed several tax increases. These tax increases directly affected sports betting wagers, hotel and short-term rentals, cell phones, and tobacco products. More tax increases were put on the table and did not pass, but that does not mean those proposals are dead. Not by a long shot. 

When former President Joe Biden took office, he flung the southern border of the United States wide open. During his tenure, millions of illegal immigrants poured into the country, overwhelming local, county, and state government resources and costing taxpayers billions of dollars. Out-of-control illegal immigrant crime also took hold, with horrifying examples of gang activity, carjacking, theft, assault, sexual assault, and murder dominating headlines and disrupting life for American citizens. 

Democrats in Springfield passed a $55.2 billion state budget for Fiscal Year 2026, the largest in Illinois history, this spring. Even though the state took in its largest revenue haul ever, Democrats still raised taxes by nearly $1 billion to fund their tax-and-spend agenda. Those tax hikes added more costs for consumers to cellphones, nicotine products, short-term rentals like Airbnb, and sports betting through apps like DraftKings.

Instead of shoring up funding for long-term programs, Democrats' tax hikes instead helped them fund more pet projects for themselves. So, it should come as no surprise that before the FY 2026 state budget was even signed, and since, Democrats have been proposing all manner of additional tax hikes to fill the gap for core services they have repeatedly failed to adequately fund.

Illinois families are being asked to dig deeper into their pockets and House Republicans say enough is enough!

This spring, Democrats in Springfield passed a $55.2 billion state budget for Fiscal Year 2026, the largest in Illinois history. To pay for it, they leaned on over $1 billion in new taxes and fund sweeps and paused statutory transfers.

“Tax-and-spend Democrats are thriving in Illinois,” said House Minority Leader Tony McCombie. “But their success is coming at a steep cost to working families who are already stretched to the limit.”

On March 5, Illinois House Democrats launched into yet another round of floor speeches castigating President Trump and the federal government.

It was the latest episode in an ongoing saga of statehouse Democrats grandstanding on federal issues to avoid talking about Illinois’ challenges with corruption, crime or the state’s budget deficit.

In January, House Republican Leader Tony McCombie announced that the House Republican's budget team would be Deputy Leader Norine Hammond (94th District - Macomb) as Chief Budgeteer and Assistant Leader Amy Elik (111th District - Alton) as Deputy Budgeteer.

Representative Norine Hammond has in-depth experience in appropriations and public policy. She has successfully passed legislation to tackle the teacher shortage, keep Illinois students attending Illinois universities, fairly fund public K-12 education, and protect our seniors and most vulnerable citizens. Hammond has been a strong advocate for procurement reform and other cost-cutting measures which keep dollars focused on strategic goals instead of overhead and administrative costs.

“The House Republican Caucus wants to make it perfectly clear that we will not negotiate a budget that includes any tax increases,” said Hammond. “State government desperately needs structural reforms and to learn to live within its means. If history serves us correctly, the Democratic supermajority will continue to craft a budget alone, continue to increase wasteful spending, and absolutely continue to raise taxes on hardworking Illinois families and businesses.”

Representative Amy Elik has spent her thirty-year career as a Certified Public Accountant and auditor and brings a sharp eye and attention to detail to budget negotiations. Elik has been a strong voice for reining in wasteful spending.

“I’m a CPA and am used to making difficult decisions to craft a budget that is rooted in reality,” said Elik. “Fuzzy math is not fiscal responsibility. Our communities are screaming out for tax relief, it’s hard for young families to afford homes, daycare, and utilities, and the budget that comes out of the 104th General Assembly cannot include a tax increase.”

Rep. Elik was a member of the Commission on Government Forecasting and Accountability and serves as Spokesperson for the General Services Appropriations Committee and Elementary/Secondary Education: Education Policy Committee.

As the deadline to pass a budget approaches, Hammond and Elik have made clear that Republicans will not support any budget that includes a tax increase to pay for the Democrats’ spending spree.

As the world watched on Thursday, an American from Illinois, Cardinal Robert Francis Prevost, was elected as the new Pope, the first from the United States.

He chose the name Leo XIV.

Pope Leo XIV was born in Chicago in September 1955. He was raised in the south suburbs, attending St. Mary of the Assumption parish in Dolton.

May 8th marks World Ovarian Cancer Day. The day was established in 2013 by leaders from various ovarian cancer advocacy organizations around the world to join forces to fight against and raise awareness for the aggressive disease.

Ovarian cancer is a growth of cells that form in the ovaries and is one of the hardest cancers to diagnose, next to pancreatic and renal cancers, due to its vague symptoms that often progress before a diagnosis is given. It is also among the deadliest cancer for women along with lung and breast cancer. According to the American Cancer Society’s 2025 estimates, about 20,890 women in the United States will receive a new diagnosis of ovarian cancer and about 12,730 women will die from the disease this year alone.

Each day, nurses proudly embrace their calling as caregivers, healers, and advocates, working tirelessly to ensure the health and well-being of their patients. Nurses are often the first people to provide care to those in need of help, offering both medical assistance and a calming presence. On National Nurses Day, we take a moment to recognize the dedicated men and women in nursing who keep us safe yet often go without thanks.

Legislators Condemn Pritzker’s Dangerous Political Rhetoric on the National Stage

Illinois House Republicans slammed proposals from progressive interest groups that would raise taxes by $6 billion on Illinois working families and businesses.

At a Capitol news conference Thursday, Deputy Republican Leader Norine Hammond (R-Macomb) and Assistant Republican Leaders C.D. Davidsmeyer (R-Murrayville) and Amy Elik (R-Alton) called the $6 billion in proposed tax hikes “outrageous and unacceptable.”

St. Patrick’s (Paddy’s) Day, or the Feast of St. Patrick, is celebrated in Ireland and other countries to honor the live of St. Patrick, an Irish patron saint, who is most known for bringing Christianity to Ireland, establishing many churches, and using of the shamrock. The holiday being celebrated on March 17th is to commemorate the death of St. Patrick, dating back to A.D. 493.

Women's History Month has been an annual celebration in the United States since 1987, but its roots go back to a weeklong event in Sonoma, California, in 1978. The celebration was expanded to a month-long observance by Congress in 1987, to recognize the often-overlooked achievements of women throughout history.

Here in Illinois, we're proud to have several women stepping up to represent their communities in the House Republicans. These women bring a wealth of diverse experiences and a shared commitment to public service. They've made significant strides in healthcare, education, and economic development, showing us all what dedicated leadership looks like. Their hard work and advocacy have opened doors for future generations of women leaders.

Throughout Illinois, 1.5 million family caregivers provide an estimated 1.4 million hours of care annually to their loved ones. This dedication, valued at approximately $18.5 million in unpaid labor, shows the profound commitment these individuals have toward their families and communities.

Caregivers in Illinois encompass individuals of all ages, races, and genders. Approximately 16.5% of Illinois adults serve as caregivers, reflecting the widespread need within our communities. This role often involves managing medical appointments, administering medications, and assisting with daily activities, tasks that require significant time, energy, and emotional resilience.

Illinois House Republican Leader Tony McCombie announced her leadership team for the 104th General Assembly.

“My leadership team is built to provide a strategic advantage on how to achieve our shared objectives of creating a stronger Illinois without adding to the burdens on Illinois families,” McCombie said. “I’ve selected colleagues from districts across Illinois to work alongside me in pushing our state forward.”

Deputy Republican Leader Norine Hammond was a guest on the Season 39 premiere of “Illinois Lawmakers.” The long-running series is now being produced by Capitol News Illinois.

Representative Hammond and host Jak Tichenor discussed concerns with the pending Illinois State Budget for Fiscal Year 2025. Hammond indicated that House Republicans have not yet been included in budget negotiations. She expressed the Caucus’ opposition to Governor JB Pritzker’s proposed tax increases on Illinois businesses, as well as the Governor’s proposal to transfer $175 million from the Road Fund for Chicago-area mass transit. 

Legislation filed by State Representative Norine Hammond to assist local road districts with funding challenges was unanimously passed by the Illinois House last month.

House Bill 5190 provides that the allocation to road districts shall be made in the same manner and be subject to the same conditions and qualifications as are provided by current law concerning the allocation to road districts of the amount allotted from the Motor Fuel Tax Fund for apportionment to counties for the use of road districts. It further provides that any funds allocated to a county that are not obligated within 48 months shall be considered lapsed funds and reappropriated in the same fund. The lapsed funds shall be used to provide additional monetary assistance to townships and road districts that have insufficient funding for the construction of bridges that are 20 feet or more in length.