Sen. Don Harmon (D-Oak Park) was among the members of Illinois Senate Democratic Caucus to be publicly acknowledged by President Barack Obama during his speech to the Illinois General Assembly Wednesday in Springfield.

Obama noted Illinois' role as a progressive leader in the nation – championing matters of diversity, the working class and voting access – and challenged the state to keep it up. The president offered a shout out to Harmon regarding his recent efforts to allow same-day voter registration.

"Thanks to the good work of my dear friend, Senator Don Harmon, and many of you, there's a new law going into effect this year that will allow Illinoisans to register and vote at the polls on Election Day," Obama said. "It expands early voting – something that makes it a lot easier for working folks and busy parents to go vote."

Harmon was lead sponsor of Senate Bill 172, which expanded same-day voter registration in Illinois. It was the latest effort by Harmon to modernize the voting system in Illinois and make it easier for people to participate in elections.

Harmon said he is thrilled that President Obama considers voter participation a key component of improving American government.

"I think he put forth a plan for what could be a real turning point for the American body politic. I look forward to being part of this important conversation,” Harmon said.

• Read President Obama's speech or watch it here.

(Photo: Members of the Illinois Senate Democratic Caucus pose for a photo with President Barack Obama, a former Democratic Illinois state senator, prior to his speech at the Illinois Capitol on Wednesday, Feb. 10, 2016.)

Sen. Don Harmon (D-Oak Park) issued the following statement about President Barack Obama’s address to the Illinois General Assembly in Springfield on Wednesday, Feb. 10, 2016:

“President Obama delivered a magnificent speech to the Illinois General Assembly and offered a timely call for a better politics. It was simultaneously a reminder of the nobility of public service and a warning about the fragility of our democracy if we don’t work every day to protect it.

“I was thrilled that the president made voter participation a key ingredient in his recipe for a better America. I think he put forth a plan for what could be a real turning point for the American body politic. I look forward to being part of this important conversation.”

Sen. Don Harmon (D-Oak Park) issued the following statement today about former Illinois Senate President Phil Rock, who has died at age 78.

“Phil Rock is a giant in Illinois politics. His ability to get things done and his unerring sense of fairness should be the standard to which all of us in politics hold ourselves,” Harmon said. “I will always be grateful for his kindness, his decency and his sense of duty to encourage young people to engage in politics. He devoted his public life to make Illinois a better and more humane place for all of us, and he succeeded.”

Rock was an Illinois state senator representing Illinois' 8th District, including Oak Park and parts of Chicago's west side, from 1970 until his retirement in 1993. He was president of the Illinois Senate from 1979 to 1993.

It is vital that government continues reassessing how it handles juvenile justice, Sen. Don Harmon (D-Oak Park) said Thursday in response to two high-profile developments on that front this week.

President Obama on Monday announced plans to reform the federal prison system by banning solitary confinement for juvenile inmates and expanding mental health treatment for them. Illinois abandoned solitary confinement for juveniles last year.
In addition, a U.S. Supreme Court ruling this week found that a 2012 decree barring automatic life terms for young offenders also applies to past crimes.

The ruling reinforces a 2014 Illinois Supreme Court decision that mandatory life sentences for juveniles are unconstitutional.

In 2015, Harmon negotiated and sponsored legislation last year that became law giving Illinois judges more discretion when they hand down sentences for minors accused of serious crimes.

“If we really care about fairness and second chances, we must be willing to regularly re-evaluate sentencing guidelines and other criminal justice policies, especially with regard to young offenders,” Harmon said. “Whenever it is sensible, prudent and possible to give people a chance to redeem themselves and become good neighbors, we should seize those opportunities.”

Sen. Don Harmon (D-Oak Park) was among the lawmakers who voted Thursday to fund Illinois’ college tuition assistance program and ease the worries of thousands of low- and middle-income students who’ve been left to flounder because of the state budget stalemate.

Senate Bill 2043 would release more than $397 million for Illinois Monetary Assistance Program grants for students who can’t afford the cost of college on their own. The MAP grants have been held up for months because of the stalemate, leaving struggling students to seek financial help elsewhere or put their education on hold.

“Although this does little to advance a budget, it does ensure the state lives up to the promise it made to support young people who want to stay in college but can’t afford to do so on their own,” Harmon said. “I urge the governor to sign SB 2043 into law as soon as possible and then refocus his attention on negotiating a state budget in good faith with lawmakers.”

Senate Bill 2043 does the following:

• Authorizes $397.1 million for the MAP program, an increase of $32 million over the previous fiscal year. Last year MAP grants were provided to about 128,000 low-income college students. The increase this year would enable an additional 15,000 eligible students to attend college.
• Provides more than $260 million for operations at community colleges throughout the state.
• Provides nearly $14 million to support operations at the City Colleges of Chicago.
• Provides $49.8 million for statewide career and technical education, as well as GED programs.

The bill passed in both houses of the legislature. It now goes to Gov. Bruce Rauner for his signature.