Daniel Didech: 2024 candidate for Illinois House District 59

Bio

Party: Democrat

Office Sought: Illinois House District 59

City: Buffalo Grove

Age: 37

Occupation: State Representative; Attorney

Previous offices held: Vernon Township Supervisor (2017-19)

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

The state’s role in response to the influx of migrants is to ensure this situation does not devolve into a humanitarian crisis. The new arrivals in Illinois are legally in our country as asylum-seekers who were brought here from Texas under false pretenses and can't work because of outdated federal laws.

Although I have urged our federal government to issue work permits and I have called on the governor of Texas to stop using human beings as political props, the state’s ability to address the root causes of this challenge is limited.

Our response has, sadly, been frustrated by the Texas governor’s refusal to communicate with Illinois human service agencies. We have a moral responsibility to ensure that the children brought to Illinois are cared for and educated, families have access to preventative health care and reliable shelter, and working-age adults can secure employment. Since this challenge began, the state has effectively worked with our local partners to accomplish these goals.

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?

We have seen high-profile examples of corruption in public office, from local officials to our nation’s highest court. As a member of the Ethics & Elections Committee, I am deeply engaged in the work of strengthening trust in government and I take my obligation to maintaining a high ethical standard seriously.

I was one of the 19 Democrats who stood strong in the face of intimidation and ushered in a new Speaker of the House for the first time in decades.

Since then, we have strengthened lobbyist registration requirements and economic disclosures. We also passed term limits for legislative leaders. The most important change we still need is campaign finance reform.

Unfortunately, the Supreme Court constrained our ability to legislate because of the poorly reasoned Citizens United decision that opened the floodgates of money in politics. I support a constitutional amendment to overturn Citizens United and restore our ability to regulate political spending by wealthy, secretive groups.

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

Yes, I would support this requirement. Including an email address line on election petitions would make it easier for the news media to contact candidates to inquire about their campaign and policy platform.

It would also help facilitate communication between the candidate and voters who are seeking more information about their choices on the ballot. This is a simple, common-sense reform that would result in more transparency, more accountability, and a more informed electorate.

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

We have worked with law enforcement to pass several reforms that are improving public safety, including allowing police to use drones to monitor large outdoor gatherings and adopting universal body cameras. I support providing more funding to local agencies to implement these measures.

Additionally, our transition from a cash-based to a safety-based system of pre-trial detention has been largely a success. Before, detention decisions were made based on the defendant’s ability to pay money to be released. We regularly had violent criminals and child predators buying their way out of jail.

Now, judges decide whether detention is necessary to protect the public. It’s a better system that keeps dangerous people in jail, stops punishing people solely because they are poor, and respects the core American value that you are innocent until proven guilty. We have passed several bills modifying this program; I will continue to monitor its implementation and support improvements to this system.

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?

I voted to ban assault weapons because of the overwhelming evidence that these laws save lives. These weapons of war are designed to kill as many humans as possible in a short period of time and have virtually no legitimate purpose in a civilian context. Since the federal assault weapon ban expired in 2004, we have seen an alarming increase of preventable mass shootings. I am hopeful that other states and the federal government will follow our lead and further limit assault weapons.

Additionally, I support legislation that would authorize law enforcement to seize firearms from adjudicated domestic abusers. We should also pass safe storage laws that require unattended firearms to be securely stored, including education to inform the public about safe storage best practices and tax incentives to make it more affordable to purchase gun safes. I support increasing the minimum age to purchase a firearm to 21 and holding parents accountable when their children commit crimes with their guns.

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

Yes, I would support changes to this law. Our approach to this issue should be driven by data and evidence, with the goal of reducing accidents and improving roadway safety for all drivers and pedestrians.

I don’t think it is fair that Illinois is the only state in the country that imposes additional testing requirements solely based on a driver’s age. A better approach would consider an individual’s driving record and other factors that are relevant to ensuring safety on our roadways. I am committed to working with my colleagues to adopt policies that more precisely protect the public and treat all drivers fairly.

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

First, my values are in alignment with the vast majority of my constituents. I am 100% pro-choice. I support full equality for the LGBTQ+ community. I trust the scientific consensus on the impact of climate change and the efficacy of vaccines. I embrace the diversity of our state and I celebrate the many immigrant communities in my district.

Second, my collaborative approach has proven to work. The Buffalo Grove cannabis dispensary was licensed several years ahead of schedule because of my advocacy, bringing in additional revenue to the village. My district benefited from some of the largest Rebuild Illinois infrastructure investments in the entire state, including over $120 million to Lake County Stormwater Management.

I have been the chief House sponsor of 43 bills that have been signed into law by the governor in a variety of subject areas. These initiatives were successful because I have built respectful, professional relationships with my colleagues on both sides of the aisle.