Senator Don Harmon and his family have deep roots in the 39th Legislative District. Harmon was born and raised in Oak Park. Harmon remains in the community, where he and his wife Teri are raising their three young children. He attended St. Giles Grade School, and is a member of the parish today.
With the help of family and scholarships, Harmon graduated from St. Ignatius High School on Chicago's west side, and Knox College in Galesburg, Illinois. Harmon worked his way through the University of Chicago, where he received both a law degree and an MBA.
After law school, Harmon served in Springfield on the House legal staff. When he returned home, he based his law practice on creating public-private partnerships to bring billions of dollars of infrastructure improvements to the Chicago area. In his spare time, Harmon volunteered with Street Level Youth Media and the Steckman Studio of Music helping at-risk children and teens.
First elected in the fall of 2002, Harmon has promoted a progressive agenda in the Illinois Senate, advocating for better opportunities for our children, greater access to affordable healthcare, improved government oversight and ethics reform, strengthened civil rights, substantive environmental protections, and economic opportunity for all.
Harmon sponsored legislation creating the Illinois Early Learning council to create policy recommendations regarding the education of children from birth to age five. The result of that effort was the Pre-School for All program, which significantly expanded access to pre-school opportunities for thousands of Illinois families.
Harmon also sponsored legislation to authorize local governments to enhance funding for special recreation programs for children and adults with disabilities.
Inspired by a constituent's battle with post-partum depression, Harmon sponsored Senate Bill 15, which proves for perinatal mental health awareness, treatment, and prevention. This groundbreaking initiative would link efforts by medical professionals and governmental agencies to guard families against the crippling burdens of perinatal mental health disorders.
He assisted in creating the Senior Citizen Prescription Drug Discount Program to provide senior citizens and people with disabilities with significant discounts on their prescription drugs.
Harmon was the primary Senate negotiator of House Bill 824-landmark ethics legislation to end Illinois' reputation for "pay-to-play" politics. The legislation prohibits state contractors from making a contribution to the office holders who gave them the contract.
Senator Harmon helped pass legislation to eliminate two obsolete taxing districts-the Cook County Tuberculosis Sanitarium District and the Cicero Township Trustee of Schools-thereby saving taxpayers millions of dollars and streamlining government services. He is currently sponsoring legislation to separate the Cook County Forest Preserve District from the Cook County Board of Commissioners to ensure a more focused stewardship of local green space.
He authored the Illinois Civil Rights Act of 2003 to prohibit discriminatory policies by State, county or local governments, and to preserve for Illinois citizens civil rights protections eroded by recent U.S. Supreme Court Decisions. Also in 2003, Harmon co-sponsored legislation creating the Equal Pay Act to ensure women in Illinois receive equal pay for equal work. Additionally, he sponsored the "Right to Breastfeed" Act to protect nursing mothers from discrimination.
In response to the change in electric rates, Harmon joined fellow legislators in supporting a $1 billion electric rate relief package which offered significant discounts and credits for electric bills. As a part of the relief package, Harmon included a requirement that 25% of the state's power be generated by renewable sources by the year 2025, and that energy efficiency initiatives be implemented immediately by the utilities to reduce demand for electric power.
Harmon assisted low-income families by co-sponsoring legislation requiring the Department of Human Services to update the income threshold so more families will be eligible for child care services; supporting legislation raising the minimum wage to $6.50 an hour, giving almost half a million Illinoisans a raise; and amending the Illinois Guaranteed Job Opportunity Act to permit pilot programs on Chicago's west side, creating subsidized employment training opportunities for residents of his district.
Additionally, Harmon sponsored legislation to modernize O'Hare International Airport, which is located in his district. This upgrade is projected to create 195,000 jobs and generate more than $18 billion annually in economic development.
Senator Don Harmon is currently serving his fourth term in the Illinois Senate. In January of 2009, incoming Senate President John Cullerton appointed Harmon Assistant Majority Leader, and in 2011 Senate President Cullerton appointed Harmon President Pro Tempore. Senator Harmon serves as Chair of the Executive Committee, Co-Chair of the Joint Committee on Administrative Rules, Vice-Chair of the Assignments Committee.
