From State Senator Don DeWitt:

Senator DeWitte to Seek Re-Election in Illinois’ 33^rd District

KANE/McHENRY COUNTY— Assistant Senate Minority Leader Donald DeWitte (R-St. Charles) has announced he will seek re-election to the 33rd District Senate Seat of Illinois.

Senator DeWitte was initially appointed to the seat in September of 2018, before winning election to the seat in November of that same year.

“It is an honor and privilege to represent the hard-working people of Kane and McHenry Counties in Springfield, and I look forward to continuing to work diligently on behalf of the families and business owners in the region,” said Senator DeWitte.

“I have worked hard to develop beneficial and respectful working relationships with both Republicans and Democrats in the House and Senate, and have always taken a collaborative approach to passing legislation.”

Shortly after taking office, Senator DeWitte assumed the role of chief Republican negotiator of the $45 billion “ReBuild Illinois” infrastructure bill, which addresses the state’s most pressing road and bridge needs, as well as the capital investment needs for health care facilities, education, and municipal infrastructure.

Through a lengthy negotiated process, the legislation was signed in 2019.

Of the $45 billion capital outlay, close to $200 million was channeled to the 33^rd Senate District for road and bridge improvements in northern Kane County and southern McHenry County.

It was the most significant capital investment in the region in decades.

“When appointed to my seat in the fall of 2018, I was immediately named Minority Spokesperson for the Transportation Committee, and I worked closely with my Senate Majority counterpart to develop a comprehensive capital plan that benefitted all 102 Illinois counties,” Senator DeWitte said.

“It was through this bipartisanship that Republican counties with crumbling infrastructure were able to receive vital funding to help rebuild and improve their transportation systems, while creating thousands of jobs that have maintained ‘essential’ status through the ongoing pandemic.”

Just two years into office in 2020, Senator DeWitte was appointed to the role of Assistant Minority Leader, where he currently serves in Senate Republican Leadership, which develops the caucus’ legislative agenda and priorities for each session year.

In addition to serving a primary role on the leadership team, Senator DeWitte serves as the Minority Spokesperson for the powerful Senate Revenue Committee, and as Minority Spokesperson for the Senate Transportation Committee.

He also serves on the Senate Executive Committee, which hears the most controversial and impactful bills, and on the Senate Behavioral & Mental Health, Commerce, Local Government, and Pension Committees.

In January of 2021, Senator DeWitte was appointed as a member of the bipartisan and bicameral Joint Commission on Administrative Rules (JCAR), which provides legislative oversight over state departments’ application of laws.

In addition to the capital plan, Senator DeWitte has had several other legislative accomplishments that are a direct result of bipartisan collaboration.

During his first term, he was a leading proponent of important legislation that starts to address Illinois’ pension crisis.

Through a carefully negotiated bill, where Republicans, Democrats, and representatives of the state’s police and fire departments were at the table, legislation was written and passed that consolidated approximately 650 police and fire pension systems into two systems, streamlining administration of the pension systems and saving taxpayers hundreds of millions of dollars.

Equally as important as the tax savings that were delivered to taxpayers is the process that was utilized in developing the bill.

“All stakeholders had a seat at the table, and opinions were heard, valued, and respected. In the end, the negotiated bill addressed our public safety representatives’ primary concerns, while delivering better, more streamlined government to the people of Illinois,” said Senator DeWitte.

“This process is a model for how invested parties can come together and find common ground to address the state’s taxpayer-funded pension crisis.”

Senator DeWitte has also championed several new laws that improve public safety, especially for victims of violent crime.

He worked with legislators from the Senate and House to push a reform that allows survivors of domestic abuse, sexual assault, and stalking to have their address and other identifying information redacted from searchable public databases like the Secretary of State’s office.

Another public safety law provides a mechanism for law enforcement to quickly pinpoint cell phone location in cases of kidnapping and other emergencies if a person has been determined to be at risk of death or serious harm.

The impetus for the law came from an instance where an abducted individual dialed 9-1-1, but police were unable to promptly access cell phone records to determine her location.

Senator DeWitte also sponsored and passed bipartisan teacher misconduct legislation that requires all Illinois school districts, including Chicago, to directly report the criminal conviction of any teacher to the Illinois State Board of Education.

By placing this responsibility at the local level, these convictions are much less likely to fall through the cracks, and a greater emphasis is placed on ensuring high quality teachers are in Illinois classrooms.

And in response to a tragic kennel fire that led to the death of over 30 animals in suburban West Chicago, Senator DeWitte sponsored and championed a new law that requires the installation of fire alarm systems in all animal kennels and shelters that do not have personnel on site 24/7.

When signed into law, Illinois became the first state in the nation to require fire protection at kennels for pets.

Prior to his appointment to the Illinois Senate, Senator DeWitte was the Mayor of St. Charles from 2005-2013 and a St. Charles alderman from 1993-2005.

From 2013-2018, he served as a Director on the Regional Transportation Authority (RTA) Board as a representative for Kane County.

Senator DeWitte is a graduate of St. Charles schools, and attended Elgin Community College, with continuing education at the University of Illinois-Springfield, and Champaign-Urbana.

Outside of his full-time commitment in Springfield and at home in the 33^rd District, he has enjoyed a 40-year career in the building materials and commercial insurance industries.

He and his wife Diane have been married for 38 years, and together they have two adult children.