Mike Simmons

For other people with similar names, see Michael Simmons.
Mike Simmons
Simmons in 2025
Member of the Illinois Senate
from the 7th district
Incumbent
Assumed office
February 6, 2021
Preceded byHeather Steans
Personal details
Born1983 (age 41–42)
Chicago, Illinois, U.S.
Political partyDemocratic
EducationAmherst College (BA)

Michael Simmons (born 1983)[1] is an American politician serving as a Democratic member of the Illinois Senate from the 7th district, which includes the Chicago neighborhoods of Rogers Park, Edgewater, Andersonville, Uptown, and Lincoln Square.[2] He was appointed to the office in February 2021,[3][4] and was re-elected in 2022 and 2024, running unopposed both times. He is a candidate in the 2026 election for Illinois' 9th congressional district.[5]

Early life and education

Simmons was born in Chicago to an African American mother and an Ethiopian father who came to the United States as a refugee. He was raised in public housing in the Lincoln Square neighborhood.[6] He earned a Bachelor of Arts degree in political science from Amherst College.[7]

Early political career

As an undergraduate student, Simmons worked as an intern in the United States Senate office of Barack Obama. From 2007 to 2009, he worked as a staff assistant and legislative correspondent in the office of Senator Dick Durbin. From 2009 to 2011, he was the policy director for Cook County Commissioner Bridget Gainer. He served as policy director for Chicago Mayor Rahm Emanuel from 2011 to 2013 and as deputy commissioner of the Chicago Department of Planning and Development from 2013 to 2016.[3][8] After leaving the city government in 2016, Simmons spent a year traveling in West Africa and the Balkans.[2] In 2017, he founded Blue Sky Strategies, a public policy and consulting firm focused on "equitable urban planning and anti-racism in public policy."[2][9] In June 2020, Simmons became deputy director of My Brother's Keeper Alliance, an initiative managed by the Obama Foundation.[9]

Illinois Senate

Appointment and elections

On February 6, 2021, Simmons was appointed to the Illinois Senate, succeeding retiring incumbent Heather Steans.[3] The appointment was made by elected committeepeople of the Cook County Democratic Party representing the wards and townships covered by the 7th district. State Representative Kelly Cassidy was reported as the frontrunner for the appointment soon after Steans announced her retirement.[10][11] However, Simmons secured the position after earning the support of 48th ward alderman Harry Osterman (who held the largest weighted share of the votes in the appointment process) and three other committeepeople.[1][3] He is the first Ethiopian American and openly gay member of the Illinois State Senate.[6]

Simmons won re-election to the seat in the 2022 and 2024 elections, running unopposed both times.

Tenure

In 2021, Simmons introduced a bill to address hair discrimination in schools that would prohibit schools from applying uniform or dress code policies to hairstyles, with the goal of prohibiting discrimination faced especially by African American students for traditional hairstyles such as dreadlocks, cornrows, and braids.[12][13] The bill was named the Jett Hawkins Act, after a 4-year-old child who was told to remove his braids by school administrators.[14] The bill was passed later that year and signed into law by Governor JB Pritzker at Uplift Community High School, located in Simmons' district.[15]

Since 2021, Simmons has advocated for a permanent state-level child tax credit.[16] In 2023, he sponsored a bill that would provide a credit of $700 per child under age 17.[17][18][19] He pointed to the impact of the federal American Rescue Plan Act's temporary child tax credit expansion on reducing child poverty, and argued that Illinois could continue those reductions through a permanent state version.[20] Governor Pritzker's budget proposal in 2024 allocated $12 million for a more modest child tax credit applying to children under age 3.[18] The final budget passed by the General Assembly allocated $150 million for a credit of up to $300 per child under age 12.[21][22]

In 2023, as part of the budget for the next fiscal year, Simmons secured $2.5 million in funding for $10,000 micro-grants for small businesses facing financial hardships in the 7th district.[23][24] The grants were allocated to 225 small businesses in 2024.[25]

Simmons has advocated for public transit improvements and access in Chicago. In 2023, he was the chief sponsor of enacted legislation to accelerate the adoption of electric buses and offer reduced fares for survivors of domestic violence and participants in youth jobs programs.[26] In 2024, after the announcement of plans for overhauling the northernmost part of Lake Shore Drive, he criticized the plan for being "incremental" in its changes to facilitate express bus travel.[27] In 2025, he sponsored a bill to provide free transit for low-income individuals.[28] During the debate over the "fiscal cliff" facing the Regional Transportation Authority in 2025, he supported a proposal to create an integrated regional transit system.[29]

Simmons supports transgender rights and supports providing gender affirming care to youth that identify as transgender. He introduced the Gender Affirming Healthcare Protection Act on November 22, 2022.[30][31]

Simmons supports gun control and describes himself as aggressively supporting gun control legislation, and says that he strongly supports a ban on assault weapons and high-capacity magazines at the state and federal level.[32]

Committees

In the 2023-24 term, Simmons chaired the Senate's Committee on Human Rights.[33] In the 2025-26 term, Simmons is the chair of the Committee on Public Health.[34] Since the beginning of his tenure in 2023, he has also been a member of the committees on Behavioral and Mental Health and Transportation.[35]

2026 congressional candidacy

See also: 2026 United States House of Representatives elections in Illinois § District 9

On July 8, 2025, Simmons announced his candidacy in the 2026 Democratic primary election for Illinois' 9th congressional district, to replace retiring incumbent Jan Schakowsky.[5]

References

  1. ^ a b Hinton, Rachel (February 6, 2021). "North Side Democrats choose former Rahm Emanuel policy director to fill Sen. Heather Steans' seat". Chicago Sun-Times. Retrieved February 8, 2021.
  2. ^ a b c "State Sen. Mike Simmons wants to focus on the economic struggles of the unseen in his North Side district". Chicago Sun-Times. February 21, 2021. Retrieved July 18, 2025.
  3. ^ a b c d Hagerty, Erin (February 8, 2021). "Michael Simmons Sworn In As Newest State Senator, Beating Out Cassidy For Far North Side Seat". Block Club Chicago. Retrieved February 8, 2021.
  4. ^ "Senate Member Details". my.ilga.gov. Retrieved February 8, 2021.
  5. ^ a b Olander, Olivia (July 8, 2025). "Competition for 9th Congressional District heats up as 2 state legislators join large Democratic field". Chicago Tribune. Retrieved July 8, 2025.
  6. ^ a b "Illinois' 1st openly gay state senator hopes to inspire". WLS-TV. February 21, 2021. Retrieved July 9, 2025.
  7. ^ "Mike Simmons". Upswell. Retrieved February 8, 2021.
  8. ^ Kapos, Shia (February 8, 2021). "SURPRISE! IT's SEN. SIMMONS — TRACY NAMED GOP CHAIR — TEACHER STRIKE AVERTED?". POLITICO. Retrieved February 8, 2021.
  9. ^ a b "Chicago's Notable LGBTQ Executives - Mike Simmons". Crain's Chicago Business. July 29, 2019. Retrieved February 8, 2021.
  10. ^ Ward, Joe (February 4, 2021). "After Sudden Retirement, 6 Candidates Seek Appointment To Become Far North Side's State Senator". Block Club Chicago. Retrieved February 9, 2021.
  11. ^ Hinton, Rachel (January 26, 2021). "No 'smoke-filled' Zoom: Rep. Kelly Cassidy defends process to fill Steans' state Senate seat". Chicago Sun-Times. Retrieved February 9, 2021.
  12. ^ Hinton, Rachel (May 12, 2021). "Senator champions bill to ban hair discrimination in schools". Chicago Sun-Times. Retrieved July 18, 2025.
  13. ^ "Gov. Pritzker Signs Jett Hawkins Act To Ban Discrimination Against Braids, Dreadlocks - CBS Chicago". CBS News. August 13, 2021. Retrieved July 18, 2025.
  14. ^ Azari, Aryana (August 17, 2021). "Mom's fight against hair bias sparks statewide changes in Illinois". ABC News. Retrieved July 18, 2025.
  15. ^ "Kids to be protected from hair discrimination in schools: 'Our existence deserves to be celebrated, not just tolerated'". Chicago Sun-Times. August 14, 2021. Retrieved July 18, 2025.
  16. ^ "Simmons calls for $600-per-child tax credit for struggling families". senatormikesimmons.com. April 8, 2021. Retrieved July 18, 2025.
  17. ^ Minnis, Glenn (January 31, 2024). "State senator pushes for permanent child tax credit in Illinois". The Center Square. Retrieved July 18, 2025.
  18. ^ a b "Gov. J.B. Pritzker's 'pragmatic progressive' approach being put to the test". Chicago Tribune. April 14, 2024. Retrieved July 18, 2025.
  19. ^ "Simmons advocates for Child Tax Credit, SNAP benefits in subject matter hearings". www.senatormikesimmons.com. May 4, 2023. Retrieved July 18, 2025.
  20. ^ Simmons, Mike (February 20, 2024). "A permanent Illinois child tax credit would put a serious dent in poverty". Chicago Sun-Times. Retrieved July 18, 2025.
  21. ^ "Simmons on Budget Passage: New Child Tax Credit will Ease Economic Strain for Countless Households across Illinois". www.senatormikesimmons.com. May 26, 2024. Retrieved July 18, 2025.
  22. ^ "Illinois Legislature Passes $150M Child Tax Credit". Economic Security Project. May 29, 2024. Retrieved July 18, 2025.
  23. ^ Padar, Kayleigh (December 13, 2023). "Struggling Small Businesses On The Far North Side Can Apply For $10,000 Grant". Block Club Chicago. Retrieved July 18, 2025.
  24. ^ "Simmons announces $2.5 million in funding to launch 7th District Small Business Restoration Grant on Chicago's Far North Side". senatormikesimmons.com. December 12, 2023. Retrieved July 18, 2025.
  25. ^ "Simmons Announces $2.5 Million Awarded to 225 Small Businesses in 7th District!". senatormikesimmons.com. June 20, 2024. Retrieved July 18, 2025.
  26. ^ "Simmons celebrates signage of comprehensive public transit bill". www.senatormikesimmons.com. August 4, 2023. Retrieved July 18, 2025.
  27. ^ Filbin, Patrick (August 9, 2024). "DuSable Lake Shore Drive Redesign Plan Is 'Not Good Enough,' Critics Say". Block Club Chicago. Retrieved July 18, 2025.
  28. ^ "Simmons Fights for RTA Free Transit for Low-Income Individuals". www.illinoissenatedemocrats.com. May 15, 2025. Retrieved July 18, 2025.
  29. ^ Simmons, Mike; Grimshaw, Jacky (April 13, 2025). "Unified whole for transit". Chicago Tribune. Retrieved July 18, 2025.
  30. ^ "Bill proposes to make Illinois a sanctuary for trans, gender diverse people". Retrieved December 5, 2022.
  31. ^ Migdon, Brooke (December 29, 2022). "Three states mulling protections for gender-affirming health care". The Hill. Retrieved December 29, 2022.
  32. ^ "Simmons holds People's Legislative Council on gun violence".
  33. ^ Legislative Information System (June 14, 2024). "Mike Simmons (D) - Member Details - 103rd General Assembly". Illinois General Assembly. Retrieved July 18, 2025.
  34. ^ Legislative Information System (June 14, 2024). "Mike Simmons (D) - Member Details - 105th General Assembly". Illinois General Assembly. Retrieved July 18, 2025.
  35. ^ Legislative Information System (June 14, 2024). "Mike Simmons (D) - Member Details - 102nd General Assembly". Illinois General Assembly. Retrieved July 18, 2025.
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