Kirk Dillard Resigns from Illinois Senate

Submitted by the Illinois Senate Republican Staff

State Sen. Kirk W. Dillard stepped down from his seat as state senator for the 24th District, ending a prolific legislative career.

Dillard begins work immediately as chairman of the Regional Transportation Authority, which oversees the nation’s second largest mass transit system, over 2 million riders daily.

Dillard’s resignation from the Senate was effective at 11:59 p.m. Sunday, Aug. 3. Republican Party officials are meeting Monday to discuss appointing Dillard’s replacement.

“It has been a true privilege to serve the people of the 24th District,” said Dillard. “It has been a tremendous honor to work side by side so many great people in my district serving them to make our communities better places to live and work.

“I began my career as an intern right out of Western Illinois University in 1977 on the Senate Republican staff and then attended law school at DePaul while living in my parents house and taking Metra to school daily,” said Dillard.

Dillard served with distinction as Chief of Staff for Gov. Jim Edgar (from 1990 to 1993) and as a Legislative Director for former Gov. Jim Thompson (from 1983 to 1987). He was a Judge on the Court of Claims from February 1987 to December 1990.

“I’ve greatly enjoyed my work as a lawmaker.” Dillard said. “I respected the process and worked hard to honor the wishes of those who elected me and sent me to the General Assembly to work humbly on their behalf. I’ve worked with many outstanding lawmakers and community leaders over the years and I am grateful for the opportunity to have served the state of Illinois.

“Among my accomplishments legislatively, I’m very proud to have sponsored a bill to create the Amber Missing Child Alert System here in Illinois,” said Dillard. And we bolstered public access to Internet information about sexual predators, said Dillard, who was first elected to the Senate in 1995.

“I am proud to have worked in a bipartisan fashion, without ever giving up my Republican principles of less government, lower taxes and individual liberties.”

Most recently, Dillard served as the Republican Spokesman for the Senate Judiciary Committee, and as a member on the Senate Transportation, Energy, Executive Appointments, and Veterans Affairs Committees.

Senate Republican Leader Christine Radogno (R-Lemont) adds, “Sen. Dillard is a respected legislator in the Capitol, a statesman recognized by both chambers and both parties. We will truly miss his experience.”

Local Projects

Dillard said one of the most rewarding aspects of his work as a senator has been watching community projects develop in Springfield and then become reality at home in the local communities he represented.

On the local level, Dillard sponsored legislation to help create the Giant Steps Autism School in Lisle.

“I also was very happy to have had a hand in securing funding for Woodridge-based Respite House to help medically fragile children.”

Dillard said helping maintain and improve infrastructure in the suburbs has always been a priority for him as a lawmaker.

“I always point to the Belmont Road underpass in Downers Grove, a project we helped secure tens of millions of dollars for in capital funds, as a major project that helped improve the quality of life for people locally,” he said. “Another crucial project undertaken while I was senator was the complete 30-year rebuild of Chicago Avenue/Naperville Road through Clarendon Hills and Westmont which was a $10 million project. Currently, I am looking forward to the completion of the new soon-to-be built Oak Street bridge over the railroad tracks in Hinsdale.”

Dillard also helped obtain more than $6 million to rebuild Maercker and renovate Miller and Manning middle schools in Westmont.

Dillard also worked to clean up contaminated drinking water wells in unincorporated Lisle, Woodridge and Downers Grove.

He facilitated state grant funds for construction of a new Indian Prairie Library in Darien.

He helped obtain funding to rehabilitate the Route 83 bridge over the Stevenson Expressway in Willowbrook.

And recently, Dillard worked to obtain nearly $2 million for the Elmhurst Park District Wilder conservancy and greenhouses and $350,000 for the Naper settlement in Naperville.

Dillard also helped obtain funding for the visitor center entrance and for construction of an environmentally sensitive parking lot for the Morton Arboretum and funding for the improvement of Meadow Lake.

“During my time as a senator I’ve enjoyed helping our communities with dozens of state-funded projects, including helping build a new police station in Clarendon Hills and securing state funding to save historic Immanuel Hall in Hinsdale. I also helped obtain funding for the Graue House at Graue Mill in Oak Brook, along with millions in flood relief mitigation from Salt Creek.”

“I believe taxpayers should be treated like a trusted business customer, with a smile and respect,” said Dillard. “Locally my district office has remained responsive and effective which is a large part of being a good state senator.”

Landmark Legislation

Since taking office, Dillard has been the chief sponsor of many landmark pieces of legislation, including a law banning sex offenders from practicing medicine in Illinois.

Dillard also sponsored Illinois’ first campaign finance/ethics reforms in 25 years, and was the sponsor of the law to create the Illinois Internet Portal to disclose online every salary, contract, tax break, and tax deadbeat.

Also, Dillard rewrote the Illinois archaic 1961 Criminal Code with Senate President John Cullerton (D-Chicago).

Dillard was the sponsor of the truth-in-sentencing law to ensure felons serve their full sentences, mandatory DNA testing of all felons, the “Safe to Learn” Act ensuring school safety, the reorganization of the public higher education system, the tough anti-gun crime law known as “15-20-Life,” and a Dillard law made it a felony to commit a drive-by shooting from a motor vehicle. Senator Dillard authored the first statute outlawing date rape or designer drugs.

Dillard, in conjunction with Senate GOP Leader Radogno, worked to abolish the much abused and maligned General Assembly legislative scholarships program.

He also sponsored a law to give citizens access to more information about sex offenders. Kirk Dillard cosponsored the comprehensive reform of Illinois’ capital punishment system, and has been a strong advocate for tort reform and medical malpractice insurance reform to ensure access to health care in Illinois, especially for cases involving women, children and in emergency situations.

He developed legislation to require a review of veterans benefits for Illinois soldiers to ensure same or better benefits/services than other states.

And he recently sponsored legislation that created a Task Force to study the unique needs of female returning veterans.

He worked on a Task Force to combat Illinois’ deadly heroin epidemic and developed legislation that increased penalties for limo and school bus drivers under the influence.

Dillard worked in conjunction with House Speaker Michael Madigan on work rule changes at McCormick Place, ensuring the convention center remained a top destination. He also sponsored the law encouraging the Boeing Company to establish its headquarters in Chicago, as well as legislation to encourage Navistar to move its headquarters back to Lisle, Illinois.

Dillard also assisted in bringing Allstate Client Information Center to Woodridge which resulted in creating 700 new quality jobs for the area.

A Dillard bill was responsible for returning the Pledge of Allegiance to Illinois high schools after a 30-year absence, and he successfully sponsored the Secretary of State’s railroad safety initiatives, which have dramatically reduced railroad crossing deaths.

Dillard chaired the Senate High Technology Task Force, which led to the creation of the Illinois Century Network, linking vast information sources of schools, libraries, universities, museums and our nation’s laboratories, like Argonne National Laboratory in Darien.

Dillard was voted Outstanding Legislator presented by both the nation’s private bi-partisan and Republican lawmakers associations.

Dillard was the sponsor of the very popular pet-friendly license plate bill where the proceeds go to animal shelters for spaying and neutering.

And, a Dillard bill outlawed the use of social media to create “flash mobs” or roving thugs of teenagers terrorizing tourists or residents like has taken place on Chicago’s Gold Coast or neighborhoods.

He won the NFIB Guardian of Small Business Award and the Illinois Chamber Champion of Free Enterprise ward multiple times.

Dillard received the Illinois Press Association legislative service award in honor of his commitment to the principles of free and open government.

Dillard was selected Legislator of the Year by the Illinois State Crime Commission.

He was selected for the Legislative Staff Hall of Fame presented by Illinois Issues magazine in conjunction with the University of lllinois.