Legislative Updates from Rep. Fritts

Community Outreach

I visited Montmorency School in Rock Falls. It was such a pleasure to speak with the faculty and staff and to see them in action during the school day!

Thank you to the team at Sauk Valley Community College for welcoming us for an informative tour of your campus! One of the highlights of this tour was seeing SVCC’s innovative training centers used to teach our next generation of law enforcement officers and healthcare workers.

I visited Saint Mary’s Elementary School in Dixon for Catholic Schools Week. As a graduate of Saint Mary’s, it was an honor to return and spend the day playing Illinois trivia with current students!

What a fun night at the annual dinner for the Sauk Valley Area Chamber of Commerce! This year, the chamber announced that they were awarded a 5 star status, putting them in the top 1% of chambers nationwide. Congratulations to the Sauk Valley Chamber on this well-deserved recognition!

I recently visited East Coloma-Nelson Elementary School in Rock Falls. Thank you to the faculty and staff who gave me a tour of the campus and told me more about the incredible work they do on a daily basis!

The DeKalb County Convention & Visitors Bureau hosted us for lunch, where we discussed the importance of their efforts to attract more visitors to the area. Their work positively impacts hundreds of businesses across DeKalb County and leads to more economic development in the area!

I visited Northern Illinois University where we received updates on student enrollment, financial aid programs, their budget, and more. Together, we discussed important legislative priorities to ensure that higher education in Illinois thrives!

January Local Business Highlight

For my January 2024 local business highlight, I chose to highlight Total Construction Services in Sterling because of their extensive community outreach efforts. TCS has been involved in the community for years, from donating to Sterling High School sports to giving away free turkeys on Thanksgiving.

But the one thing that really stood out to me about Total Construction Services is their donation of free labor to re-roof a local homeless shelter. That kind of spirit is what a small town community is all about – helping our neighbors when they need us most.

Total Construction Services was founded in 2014 by current owner, Troy Hernandez. The company offers both residential and commercial construction services, along with other services such as dumpster and snow removal. 

For more information about Total Construction Services, visit their website at TotalConstructionServices.us or call their office at (815) 213-7250.

To nominate a local business in District 74 for a future highlight, click here.

Shabbona State Park Survey

In 1829, a Federal Treaty between the Prairie Band Potawatomi Nation and the United States Government allowed the Potawatomi Nation to maintain 1,280 acres of land in what is now DeKalb County. However, the agreement was never fulfilled, and the land was subsequently sold by the U.S. government in 1849. This land now holds part of the Shabbona Lake State Park.

Legislation has been proposed by another member of the Illinois House of Representatives, House Bill 4107, that would return this land by transferring the entirety of Shabbona Lake State Park, 1,550 acres of land and 318 acres of lake, back to the Potawatomi Nation. This land transfer would be done without disrupting or challenging the land of current homeowners. 

In order to best serve my constituents, I am requesting feedback on this legislation from residents who live within a 15-mile radius of the Shabbona State Park. To complete this survey, please click here.

If You Are in Springfield

If you plan to visit Springfield in the coming months, please reach out! I am always available for my constituents and would be happy to meet with you during your visit. It is crucial that the government operates with transparency, and I encourage you to hold me, and my colleagues, accountable! 

Keep Up to Date

Click here to visit my website. There you can contact my office, see what legislation I am working on, and more.

Click here to “like” me on Facebook for more frequent updates.

I will continue to update you via this e-newsletter to keep you up to date on my efforts to pass bills in Springfield and serve you in the district.

Talk to you soon,

State Representative Bradley J. Fritts