The Illinois Secretary of State’s office is asking Illinois military veterans and their families to share their stories, photos and mementos for future generations as part of the Illinois Veterans History Project. The Illinois Veterans History Project is a statewide initiative that collects, preserves and makes accessible first-hand recollections of veterans and civilians who served the five military branches.

“It is an honor to commemorate the brave Americans who have served our country,” said Secretary of State Alexi Giannoulias. “Our state’s Veterans History Project shines a spotlight on veteran voices and serves as a permanent record for Illinois veterans to memorialize their experiences and contributions to ensure they are not forgotten.”

Giannoulias encourages veterans and their family members to submit materials so his office can digitize them and make them available online.

To submit an entry, visit www.ilsos.gov/veteranshistoryproject and complete and fill out an Illinois Patriot Information Form to the Illinois State Library. Completed forms can be submitted electronically to ilvhp@ilsos.gov or by mail to the Illinois State Library, 300 S. Second St., Springfield, IL 62701−1796. For more information about the Illinois Veterans History Project, call (800) 665-5576 – ext. 4, email ilvhp@ilsos.gov or visit the website at www.ilsos.gov/veteranshistoryproject.

The public can visit www.idaillinois.org and search Veterans History Project to view submissions, which can be searched by name, war and hometown of veterans who have submitted materials. Oral history interviews are also available on the project’s YouTube page at youtube.com/user/ilveteransproject.

Banner with US-flag styled stars & stripes on large stars to left and word 'Veterans' on a red banner.

January 10 @ 7:00 pm 8:00 pm

Banner with US-flag styled stars & stripes on large stars to left and word 'Veterans' on a red banner.
  • Join a Veterans Community Advisory Committee
    • Representative Hirschauer invites local veterans to share their thoughts on legislation and how it affects military veterans, their families, and communities. Group will meet periodically throughout the year in-person or on zoom.
  • Local Resources for Veterans
  • State & Federal Program Assistance & Support

6pm Supporting Organization set-up
7pm doors open
7:15pm Brief program

Light appetizers and cash bar will be available.

Please consider registering below to attend the event. This is not required but will help make sure there’s enough food & coffee for everyone and will be shared with participating organizations to facilitate future connections.

Organizations interested in tabling as a service provider, please register HERE.

Free

Veterans of Foreign Wars Post 6791

431 N Neltnor Blvd
West Chicago, Illinois 60185 United States

Your Host

State Representative Maura Hirschauer

331-465-9661

View Organizer Website


Co-Hosts

State Senator Karina Villa

(630) 326-9319

View Organizer Website

State Representative Janet Yang Rohr

630-296-4157

View Organizer Website

This event would not be possible without the support of the following organizations:

Event in the News:

West Chicago Voice

Illinois House Democrats press release (on maurahirschauer.com)

November 18, 2023 @ 1:00 pm 3:00 pm

Celebrate and promote health in our community with Give-aways, health checks, resources!

Connect with local services.

This event would not be possible without the participation or contribution of each of the following organizations.

Free

State Representative Maura Hirschauer

331-465-9661

View Organizer Website

Veterans of Foreign Wars Post 6791

431 N Neltnor Blvd
West Chicago, Illinois 60185 United States
Illlinois State Seal in color with text "Illinois House of Representatives" centered at top and "103rd General Assembly" centered at bottom.

Members of the Illinois House of Representatives Democratic Women’s Caucus and allies release the following statement:

“We are shocked and deeply saddened by the recent gun violence that has again struck our state and our nation. How many people must die before addressing the deadly intersection between domestic violence and firearms? This fatal combination was again painfully evident in the recent murder of Adrianna Lopez, who was shot and killed allegedly by an abusive ex-boyfriend who also shot an Illinois State Trooper. These incidents are grim reminders that the ripple effects of trauma echo far beyond the intimate relationship – affecting children who live with and witness it, and the family members, and law enforcement who respond to it.

The tragic events that unfolded in Maine are all too common, and we cannot relent in our mission to get weapons of war off our streets and out of our communities. Though details are still emerging, early news reports have suggested the suspect, Robert Card may have a history of domestic violence. A recent study showed that in more than two-thirds of mass shootings, the perpetrator either killed family or intimate partners or the shooter had a history of domestic violence.

“While we have made progress in recent years to combat the gun violence epidemic, our work is far from over. We have one more week of the veto session upcoming, and collectively, we urge the General Assembly to pass additional legislation like Karina’s Bill to combat gun violence and get guns out of the hands of domestic abusers.”

Rep. Dagmara Avelar-85th

Rep. Diane Blair-Sherlock-46th

Rep. Mary Beth Canty-54th

Rep. Kelly Cassidy-14th

Rep. Sharon Chung-91st

Rep. Terra Costa Howard-42nd

Rep. Eva-Dina Delgado-3rd

Rep. Laura Faver Dias-62nd

Leader Robyn Gabel-18th

Rep. Mary Gill-35th

Rep. Jennifer Gong-Gershowitz-17th

Rep. Angelica Guerrero-Cuellar-22nd

Rep. Will Guzzardi-39th

Leader Elizabeth “Lisa” Hernandez-2nd

Leader Barbara Hernandez-50th

Rep. Norma Hernandez-77th

Rep. Maura Hirschauer-49th

Rep. Hoan Huynh-13th

Rep. Jenn Ladisch Douglass-45th

Rep. Lindsey Lapointe-19th

Leader Natalie Manley-98th 

Leader Theresa Mah-24th

Rep. Joyce Mason-61st

Rep. Anna Moeller-43rd

Rep. Michelle Mussman-56th

Rep. Suzanne Ness-66th

Rep. Abdelnasser Rashid-21st

Rep. Anne Stava-Murray-81st, Women’s Caucus Chair

Rep. Nabeela Syed-51st

Rep. Ann M Williams-11th

Rep. Janet Yang Rohr-41st

Learn more about Karina’s Bill.

WEST CHICAGO, Ill. — State Rep. Maura Hirschauer, D-Batavia, joined more than 600 other representatives from across the country to urge the U.S. Supreme Court to defend access to mifepristone, which can safely end a pregnancy and treat miscarriages.

“As far-right judges and groups push regressive, anti-choice policies, we will continue to push back and reaffirm the fundamental right to bodily autonomy,” Hirschauer said. “This drug has been a safe and reliable option for countless Americans for over 20 years. We will not sit idly by as this becomes less available to those who need it most. I am proud to join 48 other Illinois House and Senate members to reaffirm the right to choose.” 

Hirschauer co-signed an amicus brief to the U.S. Supreme Court urging the high court to reject a right-wing judge’s effort to restrict access to mifepristone, which can be used to end a pregnancy or treat a miscarriage. The judge’s initial ruling not only diminishes a provider’s ability to prescribe mifepristone over the phone, online or through the mail but also lowers the period in which someone can access the drug. Typically, at-home pregnancy tests are reliable after four weeks of a missed menstruation cycle. If the Supreme Court upholds the lower court’s ruling, the time limit would decrease from ten weeks to seven weeks. 

Hirschauer has a strong history of fighting for the right to choose. She passed the Patient and Provider Protection Act, legislation introduced to counter the Supreme Court’s Dobbs ruling to overturn Roe v. Wade. Additionally, Hirschauer worked to expand access to emergency contraception, keep sensitive information out of the hands of politicians who seek to prosecute women seeking reproductive healthcare in Illinois and allow patients to receive hormonal birth control over-the-counter.

Rep. Maura HirschauerRep. Maura Hirschauer

(D-Batavia)
49th District

Springfield Office:
271-S Stratton Office Building
Springfield, IL 62706
(217) 782-1653

District Office:
946 Neltnor Blvd #104
West Chicago IL 60185

The intersection of intimate partner violence and gun violence is deadly and the ripple effects of the trauma echo far beyond the intimate relationship – affecting children who live with and witness it, and the family members, coworkers, and law enforcement who respond to it. Our top priority in the legislature is keeping people safe, especially survivors of domestic and gender-based violence. An order of protection is a key tool to help protect survivors, especially as they try and leave a violent relationship.

Right now, the order of protection process is failing too many domestic violence survivors, especially when firearms are involved. When an order of protection is granted with the firearm remedy, that gun needs to be removed from the home immediately. We cannot have any ambiguity about this process, the stakes are too high.

Karina’s Bill will clarify the law and give law enforcement clear directives on removing firearms from the home. This legislation is critically important as domestic violence is on the rise both in Chicago and across our state. Last year, there were 56 domestic violence homicides across Illinois, up from 40 in 2021 and 37 in 2020. Added to the rise in domestic violence is the proliferation of firearms across our state. In the US, intimate partner homicide represents 40-50% of the murders of all women.

We have taken a number of important steps forward in gun violence prevention in Illinois in recent years, but we cannot stop doing this important work. Karina’s Bill will close loopholes and strengthen state law to keep more survivors safe and ultimately save lives.

October is Domestic Violence Awareness Month, and the legislature is scheduled to be in session in a few weeks. I am going to do everything in my power to ensure this bill is passed during the Veto Session. We cannot sit by while tragedies like the one that struck Karina, Daniela, and their family continue to occur.

Get the latest bill one-pager

Karina’s bill:

  • Requires firearm removal to occur during service of an emergency order of protection (OP) when granted by a judge.
  • Clarifies existing language in statute for a judge to issue a warrant when granting the firearm remedy to allow for consistent firearm removal enforcement across the state.
  • Closes a loophole in current statute by barring transfer of ownership of firearms when the firearm remedy is granted.
  • Adds dating partners and ex-dating partners to the list of petitioners in the firearm restraining orders act to create additional avenues of firearm relief when an OP is not needed.
text reads "Guns make domestic violence deadly. Access to a gun makes a survivor of domestic violence 5 times more likely to be fatally shot by an intimate partner."

October 14, 2023 @ 8:00 am 12:00 pm

The Illinois State Treasurer’s office is where unclaimed money goes… for example, from deposits that were attempted to be returned but never cashed, or from wills that are unable to be fully disbursed. iCash is where community members can search to see if they are owed money. You can do this yourself (https://icash.illinoistreasurer.gov/) but often people think it’s a scam (it’s not!), and would like to see someone in-person to verify.
Stop by on October 14 at the Batavia Farmer’s Market’s BEI Community Tent to learn more about I-Cash and other state services available to you!

Free

State Representative Maura Hirschauer

331-465-9661

View Organizer Website

Illinois State Treasurer

View Organizer Website

Veterans of Foreign Wars Post 6791

431 N Neltnor Blvd
West Chicago, Illinois 60185 United States
Hirschauer Champions Trauma-Informed Care in Task Force Appointment

WEST CHICAGO, Ill. — State Rep. Maura Hirschauer, D-Batavia, was appointed to the Healing-Centered Illinois Task Force, continuing her commitment to more effective and compassionate  approaches to tackling Illinois’ biggest health issues. 

“We need to move beyond old ways of treating patients and problems if we are going to combat our state’s physical and mental health issues,” Hirschauer said. “I am excited to bring the voices and insight of my community and stakeholders to this appointment as we work collaboratively to shape a better future for healthcare in Illinois. By looking at our leading health problems through the lens of individual and generational trauma, our healthcare system can better serve the people.” 

The Healing-Centered Illinois Task Force is a product of Senate Bill 646, which moves Illinois into a trauma-informed direction. The task force would align definitions and goals laid out in the Whole Child Task Force, Children’s Mental Health Plan, and the recent Children’s Mental Health Transformation Initiative. Receiving trauma-informed care means that healthcare professionals at the clinical and organizational level understand a patient’s complete history, even the history often overlooked in mainstream healthcare practices. By opening up relationships between patients and providers, treating health issues can become more long-lasting and effective.

For more information on Senate Bill 646 and the Healing-Centered Illinois Task Force, visit ilga.gov.

Rep. Maura HirschauerRep. Maura Hirschauer

(D-Batavia)
49th District

    Springfield Office:
    271-S Stratton Office Building
    Springfield, IL 62706
    (217) 782-1653

    District Office:
    946 Neltnor Blvd #104
    West Chicago IL 60185

    WEST CHICAGO, Ill. — State Rep. Maura Hirschauer, D-Batavia, is continuing her commitment to cutting healthcare costs by lowering the price of costly, life saving medications through two new reforms that are now law. 

    “Too many people depend on insulin in their day-to-day lives for us to do nothing about outrageous price gouging by major pharmaceutical companies,” Hirschauer said. “By lowering the cost of insulin, we will help countless people manage their diabetes, and afford to do so.” 

    Hirschauer championed House Bill 2189 which lowered the cap on the price of insulin to $35, making it more attainable to low-income people with diabetes. Insulin helps diabetic people manage their blood sugar levels and helps turn food into energy. 

    Allergic reactions can turn deadly at a moment’s notice. That’s why Hirschauer fought for House Bill 3639, requiring insurance companies to cap the costs of a twin-pack of medically necessary epinephrine injectors. Due to large-scale price gouging, the cost of this life saving medication has risen dramatically, often causing those with severe allergies to navigate precariously around potentially deadly interactions. 

    “It is unacceptable that those with severe allergic reactions to things like nuts, household products and environmental triggers have to take their life into their hands every time they walk outside, because they can’t afford an Epi-pen,” Hirschauer said. “Epinephrine can mean the difference between life and death for many, so I am thankful to Governor Pritzker, my colleagues and all those who helped make this possible.” 

    For more information on this and other Hirschauer-backed legislation, visit ilga.gov. 

    Rep. Maura HirschauerRep. Maura Hirschauer

    (D-Batavia)
    49th District

    Springfield Office:
    271-S Stratton Office Building
    Springfield, IL 62706
    (217) 782-1653

    District Office:
    946 Neltnor Blvd #104
    West Chicago IL 60185

    WEST CHICAGO, Ill. – State Rep. Maura Hirschauer released the following statement Friday after the Illinois Supreme Court upheld legislation she worked to pass banning the sale of assault rifles, high-capacity magazines, and rapid-fire modifications:

    “I applaud today’s ruling for commonsense gun safety as a lawmaker, as a Moms Demand Action volunteer, and as a mother myself. First and foremost, I’m glad to see our Supreme Court upholding the work so many of my neighbors sent me to Springfield to do. I know there is more work to be done, so I am heartened to see that the voices of so many students, moms, and other advocates means more than the money and clout of the gun lobby. And I’m grateful to know, at least in Illinois, we will value our children more than we value guns. We will not accept the national mania that would have us believe that seeing people massacred in our classrooms, in movie theaters, and on our streets is a price we must pay again and again. We will act on behalf of the students who have spoken clearly about the need for change; we will comfort the parents who drop their kids off at school and say a silent prayer that they make it home safe; and we will continue the work of ending gun violence in every community in this state.”

    Rep. Maura HirschauerRep. Maura Hirschauer

    (D-Batavia)
    49th District

    Springfield Office:
    271-S Stratton Office Building
    Springfield, IL 62706
    (217) 782-1653

    District Office:
    946 Neltnor Blvd #104
    West Chicago IL 60185