September 28, 2026

Hills’ Highlights: Fighting to Protect Kids, Creating Opportunities & Serving Our Community

It’s been another busy week across the 26th District, and I’m grateful for every opportunity to get out into our communities, listen to you, and work on the issues that matter to our families.

As always, I’d love to hear from you. If you ever have any questions, you can always respond to this email!

Topics below include:

Fighting to Protect Our Kids
More Than a Job Fair — Real Opportunities, Real Results
Supporting Our Seniors and Those Who Care for Them
Helping Seniors Stay One Step Ahead of Scammers
Palatine Library District Traveling Office Hours
Supporting The Hope Collective After the Fire
A Safer Ride for Our Little Ones
Free Utility Bill Clinic: Find Ways to Save
Mark Your Calendars! Upcoming Events Near You

Fighting to Protect Our Kids

Recent arrests involving two local teachers and volleyball coaches have raised serious concerns about the safety of children in our communities. A Mundelein teacher and coach was arrested and charged with felony unauthorized video recording of a juvenile, and shortly after, a Wauconda School District 118 teacher and coach was arrested and charged with possessing and distributing child sexual abuse material. While these are separate cases involving different allegations, as a mom of three, former prosecutor, and the State Senator representing these communities, I find both deeply troubling.

Protecting children has been a priority of mine since day one. Immediately after taking office in 2025, I filed Senate Bill 2381 to address a gap in Illinois law involving sexually motivated, unauthorized recordings of minors. Under current law, unauthorized video recording of a minor does not, by itself, trigger sex offender registration. SB 2381 would make the offense registrable when the victim is under 18, the offender is an adult, and a court determines the offense was sexually motivated. Following these recent arrests, I renewed my call for lawmakers to advance SB 2381.

I will keep fighting for you, for our families, and for stronger protections for children across Illinois. I spoke with both FOX 32 Chicago and CBS Chicago about the recent cases, the gap in our current law, and why I believe the Senate needs to act. SB 2381 previously advanced to Third Reading with bipartisan support but was never called for a final vote and now remains in the Senate Assignments Committee. With Veto Session approaching, I am asking you to help me send a clear message that this issue deserves action.Sign my petition to call for SB 2381 to be brought forward for a vote and help strengthen protections for children across Illinois.

More Than a Job Fair — Real Opportunities, Real Results

One of the best parts of being in this role is bringing opportunities directly to the people I represent, and yesterday’s Job Fair was a perfect example of why I love doing this!

We brought together more than 30 employers from a wide range of industries and welcomed over 115 job seekers to the Mundelein Park & Recreation District. Even better, a large portion of those who attended were able to secure jobs!

I loved getting to meet so many of you, hear your stories, and see those connections being made firsthand. Whether you were looking for a new career, a fresh start, or your next opportunity, I hope you walked away knowing that our community is here to support you.

A HUGE thank you to our participating employers, the Mundelein Park & Recreation District, my staff and everyone who came out and made this event such a success!

Supporting Our Seniors and Those Who Care for Them

I recently had the opportunity to visit Alden Long Grove and Alden Estates of Barrington to spend time with residents, staff, and caregivers and learn more about the important work happening in our senior care communities.

Visits like these give me the chance to hear directly from the people who experience our long-term care system every day. We talked about the needs of residents, the challenges facing those who provide their care, and how we can continue working to ensure Illinois seniors receive the quality care and support they deserve.

Thank you to the teams at Alden Long Grove and Alden Estates of Barrington for welcoming me! I really enjoyed spending time with your residents and staff, hearing their stories, and learning more about the care you provide each day. Supporting our seniors is incredibly important to me, and I’m grateful for the opportunity to hear firsthand how we can continue improving senior care here in Illinois!

Here are some of the bills I worked on this spring to lower costs and protect seniors:

LOWERING COSTS & PROTECTING SENIORS

SB 4029 – Strengthens the Senior Property Tax Freeze Program
SB 2745 – Provides property tax relief for seniors and residents with disabilities
SB 3425 – Creates a Senior Income Tax Deduction
SB 3851 – Reduces out-of-pocket costs for prescription medications
SB 2687 – Provides utility bill relief for residents on fixed incomes
SB 3848 – Creates a Homeowners Insurance Tax Deduction
SB 3849 – Inflation-proofs the Homestead Exemption
SB 3781 – Creates a refundable Property Tax Credit
SB 4205 – Temporarily reduces the sales tax on gas to provide relief
SB 3869 – Removes taxes on diapers
HB 4911 – Strengthens protections against financial fraud and scams

Helping Seniors Stay One Step Ahead of Scammers

Last week, I hosted a Senior Fraud Seminar in Hawthorn Woods to help local seniors learn how to recognize scams and better protect themselves and their personal information.

We were joined by experts from the Illinois Department on Aging and the Office of the Illinois Attorney General, who shared important information on common consumer scams, online safety, financial exploitation, warning signs to watch for, and resources available to help seniors and their families.

Scammers are constantly finding new ways to target older adults, which is why this remains a priority for me both here at home and in Springfield. I’m the Senate sponsor of HB 4911, legislation that strengthens protections against financial fraud and scams, and I’ll continue working to make sure seniors have the tools and protections they need to safeguard their hard-earned money.

Thank you to our partners for helping us bring these important resources directly to our community!

Palatine Library District Traveling Office Hours

Thank you to everyone who stopped by my Traveling Office Hours yesterday at the Palatine Library District! I always enjoy getting out into our communities, hearing directly from you, and helping connect you with the resources and answers you need.

If you couldn’t make it, please don’t hesitate to reach out to my office! Whether you have a question, need assistance, or just want to share what’s on your mind, my team and I are always here and happy to help.

Supporting The Hope Collective After the Fire

Last week, we dropped off food donations to The Hope Collective after a devastating fire completely destroyed their food pantry.

The Hope Collective does so much to support families in our community, and I’m grateful we could help when they needed it most.

Thank you to everyone who has stepped up to donate and support them as they recover and rebuild. This is what community is all about.

A Safer Ride for Our Little Ones

As a mom of three, keeping our kids safe is something that will always be close to my heart. Last week Child Passenger Safety Week, I partnered with the Algonquin Police Department to host a free Car Seat Safety Inspection, where certified technicians worked directly with parents and caregivers to check car seats and boosters, answer questions, and make sure everything was installed correctly. Keeping our kids safe is something every parent cares about, and I’m grateful to everyone who came out and to the Algonquin Police Department for helping us provide this resource to families in our community!

Free Utility Bill Clinic: Find Ways to Save

With utility costs continuing to put pressure on household budgets, I want to make sure families have access to resources that can help them save.

On Tuesday, October 6, from 5:00–7:00 p.m., I’m hosting a FREE Utility Bill Clinic with the Citizens Utility Board (CUB) at the Fremont Township Administration Office, 22385 W. Route 60 in Mundelein.

Residents will have the opportunity to sit down one-on-one with a CUB counselor for a personalized review of their gas and electric bills. They can help identify unnecessary charges, available rebates and energy-saving programs, and financial assistance options that could help lower monthly costs.

Appointments are limited and registration is required. To reserve a spot, contact Kim at kjohnson@sgop.ilga.gov.

Helping families afford their utility bills also requires action in Springfield. I’m working on several pieces of legislation aimed at lowering costs, strengthening our energy supply, and making sure families aren’t forced to shoulder the costs of massive new developments.

That includes the Home Utility Relief Act (SB 2687) to provide rebates to families struggling with utility bills, legislation to bring additional energy generation online more quickly, and several bills addressing the impact of data centers on our electric grid, water resources, local communities, and homeowners.

Illinois families are already paying enough. I’ll continue fighting for practical solutions that protect ratepayers and make energy more affordable and reliable.

Mark Your Calendars! Upcoming Events Near You

There’s something happening all year long across the 26th District! I am hosting these events to connect residents with valuable resources, services, educational seminars, family activities, and opportunities to get involved.

September Events

👵 Wauconda Senior Health Fair
Wednesday, September 30 | 10:00 AM – 12:00 PM
Wauconda Township
505 West Bonner Road, Wauconda, IL 60084

October Events

📄 Free Shred Day & Community Food Drive

Saturday, October 3 | 9:00 AM – 11:00 AM

Algonquin Township Office

3702 US Hwy 14, Crystal Lake

💡 Free Utility Bill Clinic

Tuesday, October 6 | 5:00 PM – 7:00 PM

Fremont Township

22385 W. Route 60, Mundelein, IL 60060

🩺 Medicare 101 Seminar