02/22/23 Press Release: DCFS Working Group
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Representative Jed Davis was recently appointed to serve on the Department of Children and Family Services (DCFS) Working Group. This key group is bipartisan, consisting of select members from the Illinois House of Representatives and Illinois Senate. They’re tasked with developing policies and solutions to help improve the state’s child welfare agency.
“My wife and I are foster parents, so the topic of child welfare hits close to home. Together, we’ve lived the challenges and frustrations of working with the system, but love helping kids by providing stability during volatile situations.” Representative Davis continued, “We need to ask the hard questions and remind Springfield child welfare isn’t about position or power, it’s about kids. Kids are the main characters and they sadly get dismissed or overlooked. Let’s work together to make DCFS a true asset for families and kids.”
DCFS was established on January 1, 1964 as the nation’s first cabinet-level child welfare agency. Approximately 4,000 children were in care during the agency’s first year of operation, compared to a peak of 51,000 children during 1997, and 20,000 today.
For more information about Representative Davis, please call his district office in Yorkville at (331) 867-8200. You may also call or text the Representative’s cell at (630) 724-7600. Feel free to share any recommendations or suggestions as they relate to child welfare.
03/02/23 Press Release: Helping Foster Parents
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Representative Jed Davis is calling upon democrats and republicans to help foster parents with HB 2995.
“From my experience as a foster parent, you spend hundreds if not thousands purchasing essentials for placements. These essentials include things like car seats, clothes, and mattresses.” Representative Davis continued, “Foster parents outlay dollars early, but don’t receive their first full stipend until 60 to 80 days later. Why are we creating these financial hurdles when we desperately need more foster parents. My bill, HB2995, addresses this issue.”
This bill provides foster parents an initial stipend within 24 hours of a permanent placement and this stipend is then credited against the final month’s stipend. So, it accelerate stipends without increasing the state’s obligations.
Representative Davis added, “This bill is a simple fix. We either value foster parents and truly want to partner with them or we don’t. It all ultimately helps the kids which should always be the end goal of foster care. I’m calling on democrats and republicans to pass this bill. I also want people to know it’s not about the money. The money never covers the cost, but it definitely helps, so let’s help foster parents here.”
Representative Davis encourages you to contact your local representative and senator, asking them to support HB2995. DCFS is failing and we need to rebuild from the bottom up, starting with foster parents.
For more information about Representative Davis, please call his district office in Yorkville at (331) 867-8200. You may also call or text the Representative’s cell at (630) 724-7600. Feel free to share any recommendations or suggestions as they relate to child welfare.
03/08/23 Press Release: Most Shocking Since Taking Office
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Representative Jed Davis reflects on roughly the past two months in office, suggesting it’s time we talk truth in Springfield. This release highlights his top three most shocking discoveries.
1. Statements by Fellow Republicans: “I have three great examples, all spoken by fellow republicans around Springfield. 1) Voting to double the gas tax was my best vote. 2) Lots of great initiatives from our Governor. 3) Go ahead, take the hard votes, the lobbyists will protect you.” Representative Davis continued, “So we should increase taxes, push our state’s spend spend spend agenda, and side with lobbyists over constituents. Got it, thanks but no thanks. Now these comments were only from a few, so I’m holding onto hope!”
2. Nothing Starts on Time: Representative Davis reflects, “If we start session 20 minutes late, we’re on time. We’ll often sit 40 to 50 minutes, waiting for session to actually start. Republicans complain, but here’s the kicker. Republicans held caucus yesterday, dismissing at 2:50 pm, knowing six committees were scheduled for 2:00 pm starts. So, we held the entire system hostage for 50 minutes, making us no better. It’s all extremely frustrating.”
3. Beyond Blessed: “Everyone always asks, how do you like Springfield, probably expecting me to answer with anger or angst. I actually love every second.” Representative Davis continued, “I’m beyond blessed to be here and so grateful to represent the 75th. It’s definitely an uphill challenge, but our communities and families are well worth the daily climb!”
For more information about Representative Davis, please call his district office in Yorkville at (331) 867-8200. You may also call or text the Representative’s cell at (630) 724-7600. Feel free to share any concerns or recommendations.
03/26/23 Press Release: Springfield Shenanigans Beneath Illinois Electorate
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Representative Jed Davis speaking of session this past Friday evening says, “Absolutely unacceptable, this is what’s happening in Illinois and we need to expose this stuff because it’s absolutely beneath the electorate of Illinois.”
Friday evening was full of political shenanigans on the house floor as democrats tried passing legislation without the necessary votes present. They were essentially sidestepping rules and got caught in their own process. Representative Davis explains what happened here…
For more information about Representative Davis, please call his district office in Yorkville at (331) 867-8200. You may also call or text the Representative’s cell at (630) 724-7600. Feel free to share any concerns or recommendations.
04/20/23 Press Release: Flips the Narrative Playing Devils Advocate
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SB1909 is a bill targeting pregnancy information centers. It’s cleared the senate and is currently fumbling through the house. Representative Jed Davis speaks out against SB1909.
“This bill uses words like deceptive, fraudulent, and misleading regarding pregnancy information centers and their advertising. Why? Well, in the words of the bill, these centers don’t provide ‘comprehensive’ reproductive services.
In turn, this bill weaponizes the attorney general’s office, fining these centers for said deceptive, fraudulent, and misleading advertising, essentially silencing their voices. It’s outrageous!
Let’s flip the narrative, playing devils advocate for just a moment. Imagine local doctors offices. Families visit for health issues, but do they truly provide comprehensive health services? Scans and surgeries are absent. Chiropractors are often frowned upon. Regardless these offices are advertising health services although far from comprehensive. So, why are we not targeting them as well?
This analogy purely attempts to make a point. A point saying SB1909 is full of hypocrisy, pushing agendas versus truths. This bill literally says a pregnancy information center shall not engage in advertising, soliciting, or otherwise offering pregnancy related services. Driving the point home, this bill also says a pregnancy information center shall not engage in conducting, providing, or performing pregnancy related services.
Again, pregnancy information centers shall not engage in pregnancy related services. But this bill isn’t targeting them? Let’s stop hiding behind falsehoods and simply be honest. This bill wants these centers out of business. There’s no other conclusion.
In closing, let’s lay aside the issue of abortion. Our concern here shouldn’t be abortion, rather it should be a single answer to a single question. Is the state unfairly targeting pregnancy information centers? Or, better yet, do we want the state defining the word comprehensive for businesses and nonprofits? Where does it end? Pregnancy information centers, mechanics, electricians, doctors offices, coffee shops? When’s the last time you saw government not expanding elsewhere. The answer is never…”
For more information about Representative Davis, please call his district office in Yorkville at (331) 867-8200. You may also call or text the Representative’s cell at (630) 724-7600. Feel free to share any concerns or recommendations.
04/26/23 Press Release: Fighting on Behalf of Local Constituent Denied by Secretary of State
Click here for a pdf of this release. Click here for a picture of Caitlyn and here for her receipt.
Let’s go back 422 days ago, all the way back to February 28, 2022. Governor Pritzker dropped all masking requirements across Illinois on this date. Again, 422 days ago!
Regardless, did you know our Secretary of State still requires masking for all roadway tests? Representative Jed Davis didn’t, until a constituent reached out sharing her story.
Who remembers turning 16 with the excitement of getting their driver’s license? Talk about freedom! 16 year old Caitlyn from the 75th District didn’t share this excitement. She instead was denied a roadway test by the Secretary of State’s Facility in Plano, IL. Why? She simply refused to wear a face mask.
In fact, reference the attached receipt where the Secretary of State’s Staff literally wrote the words, “Refused to wear a face mask or shield.”
Representative Davis called the Secretary of State’s Office and confirmed this policy does exist. However, when requesting the written policy, he was told it’s unavailable because it’s an internal policy.
Representative Davis commented, “We’re no longer in the midst of a pandemic. Our own state, one of the most progressive with restrictions, dropped these requirements well over a year ago. Did our Secretary of State miss the memo?” Representative Davis continued, “I commend Caitlyn, what courage to stand against government, advocating for her rights. She’s amazing! I’m sending a letter to the Secretary of State on her behalf requesting this ‘internal’ policy be dropped immediately and asking my colleagues to follow suit.”
Representative Davis leaves one question for everyone, “How much power should a state office hold? Here we see the Secretary of State ignoring Governor Pritzker and enacting separate health policy even though the Secretary of State has nothing to do with health. It’s clearly out of bounds from their defined obligations. Alarming, no?”
Hats off to Caitlyn for bringing this matter to everyone’s attention.
For more information about Representative Davis, please call his district office in Yorkville at (331) 867-8200. You may also call or text the Representative’s cell at (630) 724-7600. Feel free to share any concerns or recommendations.
05/16/23 Press Release: Suggesting the Balance of Power is an Injustice to Illinois Voters
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During the recent campaign cycle, Representative Davis knocked on thousands of doors, and one theme was abundantly clear. The majority of voters want neither far-left nor far-right policies, they want both sides working together. Unfortunately, this desire couldn’t possibly be further from our current reality.
The House of Representatives has 78 Democrats and 40 Republicans, a 1.95 supermajority. The Senate is even worse with 40 Democrats and 19 Republicans, a 2.11 supermajority. Democrats have a blank checkbook for the laws and policies of Illinois, leaving them completely unchecked.
There are two significant problems here. 1) Lopsided power disconnects leaders from pressing issues. 2) Lopsided power also generates unhealthy factions within a singular party.
Disconnects leaders from pressing issues: From knocking on doors, Representative Davis learned people are concerned about educational values, rising costs, and rising taxes. He also frequently heard the words healthcare and safety. However, none of these issues were tackled over the past three months, at least absent far left or far right approaches. Representatives instead spent energy debating bears, female prostate exams, male pap smears, pronouns, and stoves. They’ve essentially made a mockery of governing the people. You see, the people lose when a singular party has a 2 to 1 supermajority. Illinois is losing. Losing businesses, losing families, and politicians are disconnected from these realities because there’s no incentive for listening.
“I tire from democrat leaders standing on the house floor, saying Republicans step aside, you’re not needed, we’re passing our agendas.” Representative Davis continues, “This blatant chest pounding exemplifies our lopsided government, telling me Mr. and Mrs. Smith from Main Street Illinois are simply being ignored.”
Generate unhealthy factions: You practically create parties within a party when numbers swell to supermajorities. Instead of wrestling with true kitchen table economics, Democrats are wrestling with spending $0.8 to $1.5 billion on free healthcare for immigrants. This issue alone portrays competing values arising through unhealthy factions. It wouldn’t exist without unbalanced power.
Representative Davis closes, “Listen, I don’t have all the answers, and politicians saying otherwise are simply lying. Together though, there’s hope! Sharp minds exist in the General Assembly, on both sides of the aisle. So, what could we truly accomplish if we set aside trivial issues? What business incentives, cost savings, and family partnerships could we develop? We’ll sadly never know. Democrats demand unity on the floor or likely face primaries. Republicans are in such a minority, our voice is practically irrelevant. And combined – the people continually lose. You deserve better and I’ll work tirelessly for change while praying someone across the aisle is willing to do the same.”
For more information about Representative Davis, please call his district office in Yorkville at (331) 867-8200. You may also call or text the Representative’s cell at (630) 724-7600. Feel free to share any concerns or recommendations.
