New Illinois Valley lawmakers sworn into 103rd General Assembly

State Rep. Brad Fritts made history Wednesday as the youngest elected official sworn into the General Assembly.

The 23-year-old Dixon Republican was elected in November to represent the redrawn 74th House District, which includes parts of Lee, Whiteside, Ogle, DeKalb and La Salle counties.

“Illinois is an amazing place to grow up, but too many young Illinoisans are leaving for greener pastures out of state because they don’t see a future here for themselves,” Fritts said. “I welcome the opportunity to work for the people of my district to address their needs in a way that inspires everyone about the future of this great state.”

Former State Rep. Avery Bourne still holds the record for youngest member sworn into the statehouse, but not the youngest elected member to be sworn in. She was sworn in at age 22 in 2015 to fill a partial term, and was later elected to the seat in November 2016.

The 118 members of the Illinois House of Representatives took the oath of office at noon at the University of Illinois in Springfield before family, friends and supporters.

Fritts farms with his family and is a substitute social sciences teacher at Newman Central Catholic High School in Sterling. He was among more than a dozen other freshmen lawmakers sworn into office for the first time.

“I am honored to serve my community, and it’s important to me that the people of my district understand that my job first and foremost is to represent them down here and at home,” Fritts said. “My office is open to everyone and I encourage constituents to contact me for help with state issues and to discuss their thoughts on legislation. I’m excited to get to work and be their advocate.”

Fritts will be opening a district office at 101 W. First St., Suite 501, in Dixon and has a new district website at www.RepFritts.com.

Sen. Rezin named Deputy Minority Leader

Sen. Sue Rezin, R-Morris, has been renamed as the deputy minority leader for the Illinois Senate Republican Caucus.

“It is my great honor to remain the deputy minority leader for the Illinois Senate Republicans under the new leadership of Leader John Curran,” Rezin said in a press release. “I am grateful for Leader Curran’s confidence and eagerly look forward to working with him as we strive to make Illinois a better place for everyone who calls it home.”

Rezin previously served as the deputy minority leader during the 102nd General Assembly and has served as state senator since December 2010.

“Sen. Rezin has shown a true commitment to the people of our state and improving Illinois government on their behalf,” Curran said in a press release. “I have full trust in her leadership abilities and know that she will continue to be a tremendous asset to me and our entire Caucus.”

Rezin, who previously represented the 38th Senate District during the 102nd General Assembly, will continue to serve as the state senator for the district. The new 38th District contains parts of Bureau, Dekalb, Grundy, La Salle, Kendall and Will counties.

Rezin contacted 309J State House, Springfield, IL 62706, 217-782-3840; 350 Fifth St., Suite 264, Peru, IL 61354, 815-220-8720; 1802 N Division St., Suite 314, Morris, IL 60450, 815-220-8720.

Bennett takes senator seat

Days after being selected by county board chairmen within his district, State Sen. Tom Bennett, R-Gibson City, was sworn in as for the 53rd District, taking the oath of office at a ceremony in the Old State Capitol Senate chamber.

“I am honored to have the opportunity to serve in the Illinois Senate, representing the families of the 53rd District,” Bennett said in a press release. “I am excited to get to work with my colleagues as we tackle the important issues facing Illinois, and to travel my new district, meeting and getting to know the people I will be representing and learning more about their communities.”

Bennett had served as the representative for the 106th Illinois House District since 2015. He was recently appointed to serve as the 53rd District Senator to succeed retiring state Sen. Jason Barickman, R-Bloomington, who was elected in an unopposed race. The 53rd District now takes in southern La Salle County, southern Bureau County and a portion of Putnam County, including Streator.

Before serving in the legislature, Bennett worked as a science teacher at Melvin Sibley High School, and as an IT manager/developer/trainer at State Farm Insurance. He has a BS in education, a BS in applied computer science, an MBA, and a doctorate of business administration.

Bennett lives in Gibson City with his wife. He has two children and five grandchildren. He also is the uncle of the late Sen. Scott Bennett. Go to https://repbennett.com/ or contact him at his Watseka office, 342 W. Walnut St. Watseka, IL 60970, 815-432-0106; Pontiac office, 305 W. Madison Street Pontiac, IL 61764, 815-844-9179; or Springfield office, 220-N Stratton Office Building, Springfield, IL 62706, 217-558-1039.

Jed Davis sworn into House

Jed Davis, R-Newark, was sworn in as the state representative in the 75th District.

“First, I want to state how genuinely grateful I am to the people of the 75th District for electing me to represent them,” Davis said in a news release. “It is a privilege to serve my community, and I will do so honorably while exemplifying family values. I plan to hit the ground running to address the numerous issues our state is facing, and to work tirelessly to get our state back on track.

“To the people of District 75; my door is always open. I am here to serve you, not personal self-interests. I promise to be accessible, hold myself accountable, and always be available to discuss issues or concerns. It is an honor that I am able to work daily to point our district and our state in the right direction.”

Davis remains active in both the field of civil engineering and as a local school board president, committed to preventing government overreach from affecting all Illinois schools, he said. Davis and his wife Melissa are high school sweethearts that have been married for 22 years. They live in Newark with their four children and actively continue their role as foster parents.

The 75th House District covers all or portions of the communities of Sandwich, Plano, Little Rock, Northville, Sheridan, Millington, Millbrook, Fox, Yorkville, Somonauk, Bristol, Oswego, Newark, Helmar, Plattville, Norway, Danway, Nettle Creek, Lisbon, Stavanger, Minooka, Morris, Marseilles and Seneca. For more information, visit RepJedDavis.com.

Stoller sworn into Senate

State Sen. Win Stoller, R-Germantown Hills, took the oath of office in the historic House Chamber of the Old State Capitol, marking the beginning of the new 103rd General Assembly.

“It is a great and humbling honor to be the voice of our region and the 37th Senate District,” Stoller said. “I look forward to helping restore our great state and ensuring it is a place that people are proud to call home.”

The redrawn 37th District contains all or parts of Bureau, DeKalb, Henry, La Salle, Lee, Marshall, Ogle, Peoria, Rock Island, Stark, Whiteside and Woodford counties.

Contact Stoller at A-Section Stratton Building, Office C, Springfield, IL 62706, 217-782-1942; or 5415 University St., Suite 105, Peoria, IL 61614, 309-693-4921.

Yednock set for another term

State Rep. Lance Yednock, D-Ottawa, was sworn in for his second term of office. He represents portions of La Salle, Bureau and DeKalb counties. Contact Yednock at 240A-W Stratton Office Building, Springfield, IL 62706, 217-782-0140; 628 Columbus St., Suite 204, Ottawa, IL 61350, 815-324-5055, or email him at StateRepYednock@gmail.com