Chris Henning: 2024 candidate for Illinois House District 59

Bio

Party: Republican

Office Sought: Illinois House District 59

City: Mundelein

Age: 58

Occupation: Attorney

Previous offices held: None

How should the state respond to the influx of migrants bussed here from Southern states?

First, the State needs to admit its problems and honestly look for viable solutions. There needs to be accounting for the funds being spent on a crisis largely created by the caviler attitudes of the Democrats in Springfield and throughout the State.

Their sanctuary policies and flippant denial of the issues when effective action may have stemmed the tide, and their failure to call for the enforcement of our laws, primarily at the Southern Border, have exacerbated the problem. We need to enforce our laws, cease the existing sanctuary policies, and find interim solutions which are humanitarian and yet conform with and enforce the law.

Are you satisfied with the state's existing ethics policies for senators and representatives? If so, what about the policies should reassure Illinoisans that elected leaders abide by high standards? If not, what changes need to be made?

I am not satisfied with the existing ethics policies in place in Illinois. Our State's dismal political reputation for corruption has called for significant improvements for many years. There have been small steps made, but the hard decisions have been shied away from for years, and need to be upgraded and codified.

As part of the need to better support the enforcement of laws, financial resources need to be redirected from pet projects to the effective investigation and enforcement of our governmental ethics laws, and those tasked with their enforcement. I sit in a District where, according to his Illinois General Assembly biography, he is the Chairperson of the Gaming subcommittee and member of the Ethic and Elections Committee, yet per his campaign disclosures, shows multiple donations accepted from casinos and other gaming related entities.

As a member of the Bar, he should understand the importance of not only avoiding impropriety, but also avoiding the appearance of impropriety.

Would you support a requirement that election petitions include a line asking candidates for their campaign email address?

The general concept, as presented is overly broad. I don't think it hurts all, but is it necessary? Not all candidates in the State set up formal campaign email accounts, think of positions like School Boards, Library Boards, Precinct Captains, Municipal elected officials.

Does this requirement, as a general proposition, create a burden on the individual, and in our growingly activist society, creates potential risks for individuals using personal emails, including hacking risk and Swatting risks. The unanswered question is does the inclusion of the email on the petition outweighed the public interest in the inclusion?

How well do you think criminal justice reforms made in recent years are working? What, if any, changes need to be made?

I don't think they are working. Having been certified as a Peace Officer in Illinois, a Legal Specialist with the 1st Cavalry Division, a member of Boston University's Criminal Clinical Program, Intern with Norfolk County, MA, Student Prosecutor, member of the University's Gibbons National Criminal Procedure Moot Court Team, and teaching Introduction to Criminal Justice, and reading the current news, I feel I have good idea of the issue.

I think law enforcement needs to be supported and State's Attorney's need freedom to do their jobs. I believe the statistics supporting the removal of cash bonds are artificial in that the number of arrests is down, yet crimes significantly up.

In addition, between 7/1/24 and 9/12/24 approximately 20% of new felonies, excluding domestics, in Chicago were by individuals on pretrial release. The SAFE-T Act needs repeal, our police need to maintain reasonable protections for qualified immunity, and need the funding they deserve to protect our citizens.

We now have an assault weapons ban in Illinois. What if any changes should be made to the law? What more can be done to improve gun safety?

Our State needs to stop trampling its citizen's constitutional Rights. The Southern District will soon hear the consolidated challenges to PICA, which will likely result in a finding the legislation is unconstitutional, which based on the 7th Circuit's prior logic will be overturned, despite their logic seemingly inconsistent with the Supreme Court's Heller and Bruen decisions.

The issue will likely be decided by the Supreme Court soon either under Bianchi out of Maryland or pending the outcomes in the Southern District and 7th Circuit, the consolidated Illinois cases. In short the issue is not the firearms, they are tools.

Too many times, what has happened is individuals have entered areas where there was no protection and acted with impunity. We not need to remove Resource Officers in the Illinois, we need them support and strengthened for our children.

Illinois is the only state in the nation that mandates regular behind-the-wheel tests for senior drivers. Do you support any changes?

I do not know all of the statistical research supporting the maintenance of this unique requirement. I believe there may be merit in some additional testing, but I am not sure at which point or how often the testing should occur.

What personal qualifications do you bring that would make you an effective legislator?

I was born and raised in the Northwest Suburbs, a graduate of St. Viator High School, a Veteran who voluntarily served our country, an attorney with over 20 years of experience with additional experience in the law beyond just my time as an attorney.

I have taught Business Law and Criminal Justice at the colligate level. I have spent my time working in warehouses and manufacturing as well as working with and for as advising corporations and private clients. I am resident of Mundelein for over 20 years, with children having gone through both parochial and public education. I am active in my community and have spent time locally coaching AYSO soccer. I am a member of the DAV, American Legion, and Knights of Columbus.