Maura Hirschauer: 2026 candidate for Illinois House District 49

Bio

Office sought: House District 49

Party: Democrat

City: Batavia

Age: 49

Previous offices held: State Representative 49th District

Q&A

What do you consider the three most pressing issues facing the state in the next four years, and how should they be addressed?

The three issues Illinois must tackle over the next four years are affordability, responsible data center growth and energy costs, and community safety.

First, we must make Illinois more affordable for working families by addressing the rising costs of child care, housing, property taxes, health care, and groceries. We need a fairer tax system that asks the wealthiest Illinoisans to contribute their fair share while providing meaningful relief to working families.

Second, we must meet growing electricity demands without driving up utility bills or depleting our water resources. I support strong transparency and environmental standards, clean energy investments, and requiring data center developers to pay their fair share of the infrastructure their projects require.

Finally, as Chair of the House Gun Violence Prevention Committee, I know community safety requires more than rhetoric. We must strengthen responsible gun laws, keep firearms out of the hands of those who pose a danger, and invest in violence prevention, mental health care, youth services, and communities most affected by violence.

How would you assess the General Assembly's handling, to date, of the various proposals surrounding a Chicago Bears stadium in Arlington Heights? What proposals would you have been willing to support and in what ways, if any, might you have approached it differently?

As a football fan and Bears fan, I would love to see the Bears remain in Illinois, and I know many residents in my community feel the same way. But keeping the team here should not come at an unreasonable cost to Illinois taxpayers.

I voted for House Bill 910, which was designed to help Illinois compete for major projects that create jobs and attract investment, while providing a potential pathway for projects like a new Bears stadium to remain in Illinois. The measure ultimately stalled when it became clear that not all parties were in agreement, so there is still work to be done.

Any final agreement must protect taxpayers, create good-paying jobs, and ensure all stakeholders—including organized labor—have a meaningful seat at the table. My priority remains making Illinois more affordable for working people. As negotiations continue, I will carefully evaluate any proposal that comes before the General Assembly, consider its long-term impact on taxpayers and our communities, and listen to the people I represent before making a final decision.

Now roughly three years into the elimination of cash bail in Illinois as part of the SAFE-T Act, how would you assess the success or failure of the criminal justice reform measure? What changes, if any, would you support?

I support the SAFE-T Act because public safety and constitutional rights are not competing goals, they are both essential. The law has evolved through input from law enforcement, prosecutors, victims’ advocates, and other stakeholders, and we have made changes as we’ve learned from implementation. That collaborative, evidence-based approach should continue.

As Chair of the House Gun Violence Prevention Committee, I know public safety cannot be achieved through enforcement alone. We must hold accountable those who commit violent crimes while also addressing the root causes of violence. That means investing in mental health care, violence-prevention programs, youth services, and strong communities so we can prevent harm before it happens.

I will continue working with law enforcement, prosecutors, survivors, and community partners to strengthen what works, fix what doesn’t, and keep our communities safe. Our goal should be prevention, accountability, and justice—not simply reacting after someone has been hurt.

Illinois homeowners face one of the highest relative property tax burdens in the country. What specific proposals could you offer to ease the burden on state residents?

Property taxes are one of the biggest affordability concerns I hear from constituents across the 49th District while knocking on doors. We need meaningful relief without shifting costs to other taxpayers or cutting essential services.

First, we must increase the state’s share of education funding by fully funding the Evidence-Based Funding formula. When schools rely less on local property taxes, homeowners face less of the burden.

Second, we should expand targeted property-tax relief by increasing the General Homestead Exemption and strengthening assistance for seniors and homeowners facing especially high tax bills.

Third, we must pursue a fairer, more progressive state revenue system. Millionaires and billionaires should pay their fair share so the state can better support our schools and local governments.

I will not support an unfunded property-tax cap that forces schools and municipalities to cut essential services or shift costs to fees and other taxes. Real property-tax reform means lowering the burden on homeowners while protecting the schools, services, and strong communities our families depend on.

Gov. JB Pritzker recently paused a state initiative granting incentives to data center developers, and residents statewide have concerns about how such developments are affecting their access to water, utility rates, and the environment. How should the state approach data centers going forward?

As data centers expand across Illinois, we must ensure economic development does not come at the expense of our communities, environment, or affordability. Constituents in the 49th District have raised serious concerns about long-term impacts of these developments, and I take those concerns seriously.

I strongly support the POWER Act, which establishes meaningful safeguards for data center development. We need transparent reporting of water and energy use, enforceable conservation standards, and assessments of cumulative environmental impacts. Developers, not residential rent payers, should pay for the additional energy infrastructure, water and wastewater systems, and other public resources their projects require.

We must protect consumers from higher utility bills and ensure local communities have a meaningful voice in siting decisions. State incentives should deliver clear public benefits, including good-paying jobs, responsible resource use, and strong environmental protections.

The POWER Act is an important step toward holding developers accountable, protecting our natural resources, and ensuring data center growth serves the public interest.

Illinois’ “sanctuary” policies concerning immigration have made it a target for the Trump administration and critics who say they encourage criminal behavior. How do you feel about those policies, and how, if at all, would you change them?

I strongly support Illinois’ TRUST Act and our commitment to protecting immigrant communities. Local law enforcement should focus on public safety and building trust, not be drawn into federal civil immigration enforcement. These policies allow residents to report crimes, seek help, and cooperate with police without fear.

Across the 49th District, Operation Midway Blitz has caused profound harm, and its effects continue to ripple through our communities. Families remain fearful, parents worry about going to work, children fear going to school, and local businesses suffer. Our immigrant neighbors are essential to our district and deserve dignity, safety, and respect.

Public safety and immigrant rights are not competing goals. I will continue defending constitutional rights, strengthening trust between residents and local police, and demanding accountability for federal agent misconduct. I also support protections for sensitive locations, including schools and places of worship.

I will not turn my back on our immigrant communities. Illinois must remain a place where every family can live, work, learn, and thrive without fear.

Many women in the legislature complain about a culture of sexual harassment in Springfield. Do you see evidence of this and, if so, what should be done about it?

Yes. The reports of sexual harassment in Springfield are deeply troubling, and I am angry that women continue to face this behavior in the very institutions entrusted with serving the public. We cannot accept a patriarchal culture that protects powerful people, silences survivors, or treats harassment as an unfortunate but inevitable part of government.

No one should have to tolerate harassment, fear retaliation, or choose between their safety and their career. We need an independent Legislative Inspector General with the authority, resources, and independence to investigate complaints without political interference. We must establish clear investigative standards, protect complainants and witnesses from retaliation, ensure confidentiality, and provide transparent procedures and meaningful accountability.

As a woman in the General Assembly, I believe our responsibility is not simply to condemn individual acts of harassment, but to dismantle the systems that enable them. Survivors must be heard, perpetrators must be held accountable, and no one should be above the rules. There is no place for sexual harassment or abuse of power anywhere in public service.

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?

As a state representative, I earn my constituents’ trust by showing up at their front doors and throughout the community. I hold town halls, attend local events, and help people navigate state government because representation means being present—not sitting behind a desk.

Now more than ever, Illinoisans deserve a General Assembly that is transparent, accountable, and held to the highest ethical standards. I support stronger financial disclosures, greater transparency around lobbying and gifts, timely disclosure of potential conflicts of interest, and an independent Legislative Inspector General with the authority and resources to investigate and enforce ethics violations.

Ethics rules mean nothing without enforcement. We must end the culture that allows misconduct to go unchecked and ensure that every complaint receives a fair, thorough investigation. No elected official should be above the rules, including me. Public service is a privilege, and accountability is nonnegotiable.

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

I bring a strong work ethic, a deep commitment to community service, and a firsthand understanding of the challenges facing working families. As a former educator, community activist, and working mom of three, I know what it means to balance family responsibilities, manage a household budget, and worry about ever rising costs. I live these challenges alongside my constituents, I don’t just read about them in reports.

I believe effective representation starts with showing up. I knock on doors, host town halls, attend community events, and our district office doors are always open. My background in education and grassroots organizing has taught me how to bring people together, solve problems, and fight for those whose voices are too often overlooked.

My motivation is deeply personal: I want my three children to grow up in an Illinois where they can afford to build a life, find good jobs, raise families, and feel safe in their communities. I will keep fighting to make Illinois a better place for the next generation, not just for my children, but for every family who calls this state home.