Carbondale Reporter

State Representative Dave Severin of Benton has announced his appointment to several key committees for the 104th General Assembly. Severin will be a member of the House Mental Health & Addiction Committee, Restorative Justice & Public Safety Committee, and Transportation Regulation Roads and Bridges Committee. He will also serve as the Republican ranking member on the House Higher Education Appropriations, Energy & Environment, and Immigration & Human Rights Committees.

"I am grateful to be appointed to serve on several committees that will consider legislation that will have a great impact on the people of Illinois," said Severin. He emphasized his commitment to energy independence and opposition to what he described as "Illinois’ lurch away from using our natural resources." As Republican Spokesperson on the Immigration & Human Rights Committee, Severin plans to support actions against illegal immigration.

Severin expressed concerns about provisions in the SAFE-T Act, stating they make residents less safe. "In my position on the Restorative Justice Committee, I plan to vote to back our police officers and put the rights of victims of crime over the rights of criminals," he said.

Severin is serving his fifth term as State Representative with offices in Benton and Mount Vernon. He can be contacted by phone or email for further inquiries.

Meanwhile, House Republicans have filed a lawsuit challenging partisan gerrymandering in Illinois' legislative maps. The suit was filed by House Minority Leader Tony McCombie with support from Representatives Ryan Spain and Dan Ugaste. They argue that current district maps violate constitutional requirements for compactness and fairness.

"Illinois’ State House District Maps are the byproduct of extreme partisan gerrymandering," stated McCombie during a press conference at the State Capitol. The lawsuit seeks a special master to draft new maps compliant with state law.

Representative Spain criticized Democratic efforts opposing fair redistricting initiatives while Ugaste highlighted disparities between statewide votes and seats won by Democrats due to gerrymandering tactics. Dr. Jowei Chen's research was cited as evidence supporting these claims.

The Madigan trial continues with wiretap evidence presented against former Speaker Michael Madigan involving controversial legislative deals. Jury deliberations are expected next week regarding these charges.

In education news, Illinois students scored above national averages in math according to a National Report Card assessing fourth- and eighth-grade performance across states despite ongoing achievement gaps post-pandemic lockdowns impacting overall progress nationally since 2020-21 school year disruptions occurred

The Illinois Department of Employment Security reported shifts within job sectors showing declines within professional/business services (-16k jobs) alongside manufacturing (-7k jobs), reflecting long-term trends reshaping economic landscapes statewide through December 2024 figures released recently