LOCKPORT – State Senator John Connor (D-Lockport) released the following statement after resigning from the Senate Friday:

“It is with great sadness that I must resign my position as state senator to care for an immediate family member over the next three months. Being the state senator representing the 43rd District has been the best and most challenging position that I've ever held, and fighting on behalf of the residents of the 43rd District has been a privilege. I want to thank my fellow legislators, both from the House and the Senate, for their partnership and friendship over the years. I want to thank everyone in the 43rd District who entrusted their representation in the State Senate to me. It has been a great honor."

Senator Connor submitted his formal resignation Friday and is effective April 30, 2022 at 12:00 p.m.

SPRINGFIELD – State Senator John Connor (D-Lockport) championed a newly signed law to ensure that when a teacher is found to have engaged in sexual misconduct with a student and seeks a teaching position at another school, that school would be made aware of the situation.

“This law changes how incidents of sexual misconduct involving teachers are handled by school districts and the State Board of Education,” said Connor. “In the past, predatory teachers could hide behind the privacy protections of personnel records to go from one school district to the next and victimize more children.”

Under Connor’s law, when there is an allegation of sexual misconduct that is found to be supported, superintendents must notify school boards and notify parents. The law also requires schools to conduct employment history reviews on new hires to ensure teachers don’t get fired from one school for sexual misconduct then try to hop to another district.

"I was proud to carry this legislation from Rep. Michelle Mussman as the Senate sponsor,” said Connor. “The children of our state owe a huge debt of gratitude to Faith Colson, a survivor of sexual misconduct from a teacher, for putting in hundreds of hours of work with all stakeholders to ensure we pass a meaningful law to protect students.”

House Bill 4316 goes into effect July 1, 2023.

SPRINGFIELD – State Senator John Connor (D-Lockport) was a chief sponsor on two recent measures to provide law enforcement with better technological tools to solve crime.

“I have been an advocate for better tech tools for law enforcement since before I entered the legislature. Expecting better results from law enforcement while not providing them with 21st century tools is not a formula for success. Highway cameras can help not just with highway shootings but with many other dangerous crimes where the perpetrators travel to and from the crime on our highways,” said Connor. “By giving local law enforcement wider access to camera technology that’s already in existence, we are giving them better tools in the toolbox to build cases and make arrests.”

Senator Connor was a chief co-sponsor on House Bill 260, which allows more municipal law enforcement agencies to use images from expressway cameras to investigate shootings, carjackings, terrorism and forcible felonies. The measure would require the agencies to create a webpage with details about the program objectives and counties where the program is operational.
Senator Connor also was a chief co-sponsor on House Bill 4481 that expands the Expressway Camera Act – which currently only relates to Cook County – to include state highways in the collar counties near and including Will such as DuPage, Kane, Kendall, Lake, and McHenry, in addition to many others statewide.

“We have technology that can help prevent and investigate crime to keep residents safe, and we need to expand, improve and fund law enforcement access to that technology in bills such as these two,” said Connor.

House Bill 260 and House Bill 4481 passed Friday.

SPRINGFIELD – In response to the passage of the Fiscal Year 23 budget, State Senator John Connor (D-Lockport) released the following statement:

“This budget prioritizes Illinois being able to better weather future challenges. We paid down our bills to get our state on the right track, now we are helping families do the same.”

“The pandemic has demonstrated the necessity of a Rainy Day Fund, and the state has beefed up considerably under this budget. Taxpayers are also being saved billions of dollars through additional pension payments made in this budget.”

“We don't know what issues next year will bring, so it is better to be prepared, and the budget provides Illinois with extra security.