Julie Morrison: 2026 candidate Illinois Senate District 29

Bio

Office sought: Illinois Senate District 29

Party: Democrat

City: Lake Forest

Age: 69

Previous offices held: West Deerfield Township Supervisor

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?

As an experienced leader in Springfield, I foresee three issues we will have to tackle over the next four years:

1. The fallout from HR 1: The cuts to SNAP we’ve seen, along with the incoming cuts to Medicaid, are expected to affect not only those who rely on these programs, but also our state’s budget. Over the next few years, we must protect core services and be transparent about the cost of any new programs or budgetary commitments.

2. Cost of living: Everyday costs like groceries, utilities, healthcare, gas, and childcare are still too high and working families are being squeezed. We must continue expanding our investments in child care subsidies, explore health insurance subsidies, investing in renewable energy, and reducing unnecessary fees.

3. Cost of housing and housing supply: Illinois needs to construct 227,000 new homes by 2030 to meet demand. We need to continue working on solutions that incentivize new home building like: speeding up permitting, redeveloping vacant land, and expanding avenues for first-time homebuyers.

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?

Since the beginning of this debate, I’ve been guided by one principle: we should do what we can to keep the Bears in Illinois while ensuring taxpayers are not left on the hook for the cost of constructing a stadium.

At the end of last May’s session, I supported the Senate bill put forward by Senator Cunningham. The legislation would ensure that the municipality owns the stadium, with the Bears responsible for its maintenance, while development around the stadium would remain subject to taxation so that local school districts and other taxing bodies can share in the public benefit of that development. I believe Senator Cunningham has done a thoughtful job navigating these negotiations and putting forward a proposal that balances the interests of the Bears, local communities, and taxpayers.

Now that both the House and Senate have put proposals on the table, I’m hopeful the Bears and the NFL will come to the table so that we can find common ground and get an agreement across the finish line, one that keeps the Bears in Illinois and delivers a meaningful public benefit.

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?

At its core, the SAFE-T Act was designed to focus on whether a person presents a threat to public safety or a high likelihood of evading court, rather than whether they can afford to pay bail. On that fundamental principle, I believe the law has been a success.

At the same time, I’ve heard legitimate concerns about public safety, repeat offenders, and the use of electronic monitoring. I would support efforts to ensure prosecutors and judges have reliable information about a defendant’s history, improve consistency in detention decisions, and expand the collection and reporting of data on failures to appear, pretrial outcomes, and county-level trends.

Our system must continue to protect due process while ensuring judges have the information, resources, and tools they need to protect victims and the public.

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 tax relief has been a priority of mine, and I’m proud of the legislation I’ve passed to address this burden. That includes expanding property tax exemptions, providing state grants to school districts exploring consolidation, and requiring local governments to identify opportunities to reduce costs and consolidate services when appropriate.

A major driver of property taxes is the cost of funding our schools. When Illinois homeowners look at their property tax bills, the largest share often goes to their local school district. That’s why I will continue to support increased investment in the Evidence-Based Funding Formula, so communities across the state can provide well-funded, high-quality schools without relying as heavily on property taxes.

We also need to look at additional ways to provide direct relief to homeowners. I’m interested in exploring property-tax “circuit breaker” proposals that would provide assistance to income-qualified homeowners facing significant increases in their property taxes. By addressing the drivers of property taxes while providing targeted relief to those who need it most, we can make homeownership more affordable for Illinois families.

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 a State Senator whose district borders Lake Michigan, protecting our environment and water resources is personal to me. I’ve also heard from many constituents concerned about the rapid growth of data centers and their potential impact on our environment, water resources, and utility bills. I believe new data center construction should be paused while the legislature considers comprehensive safeguards. Any legislation I support should:

-Require data centers to cover the costs of necessary power grid and transmission upgrades.

-Require data centers to use renewable energy or transition to it within five years of operation.

-Ensure utility contracts protect grid reliability and require data centers to pay their fair share of electricity and infrastructure costs.

-Require robust environmental impact reviews before major projects move forward.

-Prohibit non-disclosure agreements that conceal the terms of local government deals with developers.

-Incentivize closed-loop water systems and require reporting of water usage for facilities that use water for cooling.

Illinois can support innovation and investment while protecting our environment, water resources, and utility customers.

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?

Illinois has the TRUST Act, legislation I supported because public safety should be about keeping our communities safe, not turning local law enforcement into immigration enforcers.

The TRUST Act does not prevent police from investigating crimes or arresting people who violate Illinois law. Anyone who commits a crime should be held accountable, regardless of immigration status. At the same time, victims and witnesses need to feel safe reporting crimes and cooperating with police without fear that doing so could trigger immigration enforcement.

Strong communities depend on trust between residents and law enforcement. Our public-safety priorities should be guided by what keeps Illinois communities safe, not by political pressure from the Trump administration.

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?

Any workplace where a person feels uncomfortable, intimidated, or harassed needs to change. There is no place for sexual harassment, and it should never be tolerated. Anyone who wants to come forward should feel safe doing so, knowing their complaint will be taken seriously and investigated thoroughly and fairly.

I want to strengthen the independence of the Legislative Inspector General, ensure individuals are protected from retaliation, and hold anyone who engages in harassment accountable. That standard should apply to everyone who works in and around Springfield, regardless of their title or political party.

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?

No. I believe we can, and should, hold ourselves to a higher ethical standard.

That’s why I’ve consistently filed legislation to address conflicts of interest, prevent fundraising activities while the legislature is in session, strengthen economic-interest disclosures, and ensure legislators assist their constituents regardless of political party.

Beyond the legislation I’ve worked on, I also believe we need to address emerging ethical challenges, including prediction markets like Kalshi and Polymarket. We should ensure that state government employees and officials are prohibited from using nonpublic or insider information for personal financial gain through these markets.

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

I’ve served as State Senator for the 29th District for more than a decade, helping pass hundreds of bills into law and working on issues including health care, children’s services, environmental protection, election reform, and the state budget.

That work has earned the trust of my constituents and organizations across Illinois. My constituents know I will be their voice in Springfield and fight for the issues that matter to them. Organizations including the Illinois AFL-CIO, Illinois Nurses Union, and IUOE Local 150 have trusted me to stand up for workers’ rights. Planned Parenthood has recognized my commitment to reproductive rights, while the Sierra Club has recognized my environmental work. The Illinois Federation of Teachers and Retired Teachers Association have trusted me to advocate for strong public education and adequate school funding.

But being effective is about more than bills passed or positions held. It means listening, working with those who disagree, and staying focused on solutions. I believe my experience, willingness to collaborate, and commitment to my constituents have made me an effective Senator, and I intend to continue bringing that approach to the job.