Senator Bill Brady announces retirement effective immediately

 

[December 31, 2020] 

It has been my great privilege and pleasure to represent the people of Central Illinois for more than 25 years in the Illinois General Assembly. I'm writing to tell you that I am retiring from the Illinois Senate effective 11:59 p. m. December 31.

I am proud of the work Republicans have done in Springfield during my career in the Illinois legislature, both in the Illinois House and the Senate, and during my tenure as Senate Minority Leader for the last three-and-a-half years. And I thank the people of Central Illinois for giving me the opportunity to represent them in the state’s Capitol.

I’m proud of our efforts in securing additional funding for our public schools, creating a first-time-ever private school scholarship program for low- and middle-income students, standing up against income tax hikes that hurt working families, and working to improve our state’s crumbling infrastructure.

Among others, I’m proud of my efforts to protect children from sexual predators and to boost highway safety with expanded teen driving education. I worked to expand property tax breaks for our veterans and to protect health benefits for retired teachers. I sponsored a rewrite of our state’s banking and insurance laws and to restore integrity to state government, ensuring fairer representation and better use of taxpayers’ hard-earned dollars.

I am proud to have been a part of securing a main campus for Heartland Community College, in helping to attract new businesses and manufacturing to our area and in gaining approval for funding that will safeguard the heritage of Abraham Lincoln at New Salem State Park.

Illinois has much it can be proud of, and I am proud to have made a contribution to this state, and especially the citizens of Central Illinois, during my time in office.

Although I am retiring from the General Assembly, I am not quitting on Illinois.

I hope to continue helping forge a stronger, more vibrant Illinois for the generations that follow. I will continue to be an advocate for the growth and survival of businesses in Illinois and for policies that protect taxpayers and promote better futures for the working families of Illinois.

In the last year, the people of Illinois have struggled valiantly against a pandemic that has cost far too many lives and livelihoods. We have a state in a precarious financial situation with numerous challenges.

I believe in this state. I believe Illinois’ days can be bright again, and I hope to find even greater avenues to help assure that future and to serve the people of Illinois.

Thank you for all your friendship, support and encouragement. And may all of you have a Happy New Year.

[Senator Bill Brady]