Kane County Reporter

Each year, Illinois State Senator Don DeWitte sends an End of Session report to residents in the 33rd District. The latest newsletter, which summarizes legislative activity from the spring session, has recently been distributed. The report details passed legislation, measures that were blocked, and bills still under consideration. It also includes a link to an annual survey intended to gather input from constituents.

Senator DeWitte encourages those who have not yet participated in the survey to do so. "The survey provides valuable information that helps me represent the interests and priorities of those I represent in the Senate. If you have not yet taken that survey I would invite you to do so. You can access the survey here," DeWitte stated in his message.

Residents who did not receive a copy of the report are invited to contact his office by phone or email to request one.

Last week, Senator DeWitte met with mayors and managers from across McHenry County at a meeting hosted by the McHenry County Council of Governments (MCCOG). Nearly all communities in the county were represented at the event. Discussions focused on public transit and taxes. "McHenry County residents are fortunate to have such dedicated leaders at the local level, and I appreciate the invitation to participate in the discussion," DeWitte said. He also thanked Johnsburg Village President Ed Hettermann for hosting.

A photo from the meeting shows Senator DeWitte alongside State Senator Darby Hills, Huntley Mayor Tim Hoeft, Cary Mayor Mark Kownick, and Algonquin Mayor Debby Sosine.

The senator’s events calendar continues to be updated with outreach opportunities for district residents. Upcoming activities include Traveling Office Hours at Algonquin Public Library on August 6 and an ICASH Unclaimed Property Event at Gail Borden Public Library District’s South Elgin Branch on August 19. Several Senior Fairs are also scheduled throughout September and October in Carpentersville, St. Charles, and Crystal Lake. According to DeWitte, these events are designed primarily for constituent assistance with state departments and agencies; while he does not usually attend personally, his staff is present at each event.

Illinois lawmakers are addressing concerns after recent reports indicated that Illinois could owe more than $700 million annually due to high error rates in its administration of Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) benefits. SNAP is intended to help low-income families afford groceries but Illinois currently ranks among states with some of the lowest payment accuracy rates—worse than 38 other states according to federal data.

Federal requirements now mandate that states with error rates above 10 percent must repay 15 percent of total SNAP benefits disbursed. For fiscal year 2024, Illinois' error rate reached 11.56 percent based on U.S. Department of Agriculture findings.

Republican legislators are pressing for more openness about how these errors occur and want swift corrective action taken by state officials. "We need increased transparency and urging the Administration to take immediate action to fix the errors and stop the fraud and abuse in the SNAP program," reads a statement from Senate Republicans.

DeWitte has served as state senator since being elected in 2018 as a Republican representing Illinois’ 33rd Senate District after replacing Karen McConnaughay.