Karen Battaglia: 2026 candidate Illinois Senate District 32

Bio

Office sought: Senate District 32

Party: Democrat

City: Antioch

Age: 64

Previous offices held: None

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?

Affordability and economic stability: Illinois families are struggling with rising costs for housing, utilities, groceries, and property taxes. We need responsible budgeting, greater accountability for public spending, and policies that support good-paying jobs while reducing the financial burden on working families and seniors.

Healthcare affordability and access: Changes in federal Medicaid funding and healthcare subsidies threaten access to care and the financial stability of hospitals and nursing homes. Illinois must protect access to essential services, address rising prescription drug costs, and strengthen our healthcare workforce. Having insurance means little if people cannot afford to use it.

Education funding and property tax relief: Illinois must continue investing in evidence-based school funding to reduce reliance on local property taxes. We also need to address teacher shortages, support career and technical education, and ensure public dollars are spent effectively. Strong public schools and sustainable local funding are essential to thriving communities.

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?

believe the General Assembly was right to insist on protecting taxpayers, but the prolonged negotiations demonstrate the need for a clearer, more coordinated approach. Keeping the Bears in Illinois could preserve jobs, generate economic activity, and create opportunities for surrounding communities. However, those benefits must be weighed against the public cost.

I would have considered proposals providing predictable property tax obligations, provided local schools and taxing bodies were protected from revenue losses.

I would also consider targeted infrastructure investments that provide lasting public benefits, supported by independent economic analysis, transparent financing, and enforceable accountability measures. I would approach negotiations by bringing local governments, school districts, labor representatives, and taxpayers to the table earlier. Any agreement should include measurable economic benefits, strong labor standards, and safeguards against shifting costs onto residents. Illinois should compete for major investments without compromising essential public services or fiscal responsibility.

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?

Public safety must always be a priority. As an emergency and trauma nurse for almost 30 years, I have cared for victims of domestic violence, sexual assault, and child abuse, and have testified on behalf of victims. I understand firsthand the devastating consequences of violent crime.

I believe individuals who pose a serious threat to public safety should be detained while awaiting trial. The SAFE-T Act eliminated cash bail, not judicial authority to detain dangerous individuals. A person's ability to pay should not determine their release; the risk they pose to others should be central to that decision.

Three years into implementation, we must evaluate the law using reliable data on repeat offenses, court appearances, and victim safety. I would support evidence-based changes that strengthen judicial discretion, improve pretrial supervision, and protect victims, including reviewing detention eligibility when necessary.

Protecting our communities and ensuring fairness in our justice system are not mutually exclusive.

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?

Illinois homeowners, particularly seniors and working families, are being squeezed by property taxes that continue to rise faster than household incomes. In Lake and McHenry counties, school funding accounts for a significant portion of those bills.

I support increasing the state's share of public education funding through the Evidence-Based Funding formula, reducing reliance on local property taxes while protecting the quality of our schools. I would also support expanding the Property Tax Relief Grant program, which provides state funding to school districts in exchange for reducing local property tax levies.

Additional relief should include reviewing homestead exemptions, protecting seniors on fixed incomes, and improving transparency in assessments and local government spending.

I am open to proposals that generate dedicated revenue for meaningful property tax relief, including a graduated tax on income above $1 million, subject to voter approval and fiscal analysis.

Simply capping property taxes without replacing lost revenue risks undermining schools, fire protection, and other essential services. We need sustainable relief, not unfunded promises.

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?

Illinois should welcome technological innovation and economic development while ensuring that data centers do not shift their costs onto residents or compromise our natural resources.

I support requiring developers to pay for the electricity, grid improvements, and water infrastructure their facilities require, rather than passing those expenses along to homeowners and small businesses. Projects should undergo independent environmental assessments addressing groundwater supplies, water consumption, air quality, and noise, with ongoing monitoring and public reporting.

Local communities deserve a meaningful voice before projects are approved. Agreements should provide transparency, enforceable environmental protections, and measurable community benefits.

Data centers can create valuable construction opportunities, particularly for skilled union trades. We should preserve those opportunities while ensuring development is responsible.

Any future tax incentives should be tied to demonstrated economic benefits, job creation, environmental safeguards, and accountability. Economic growth and protecting our communities should go hand in hand.

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 believe in the rule of law, due process, and protecting the safety and dignity of everyone in our communities. Immigration enforcement is a federal responsibility, while state and local law enforcement must remain focused on protecting residents and addressing criminal activity.

Illinois' TRUST Act does not prevent law enforcement from investigating crimes, arresting violent offenders, or cooperating with federal authorities in criminal investigations. It limits participation in federal civil immigration enforcement.

As an emergency and trauma nurse, I have cared for victims of violence from many backgrounds. Everyone should feel safe reporting a crime, seeking medical care, or cooperating with law enforcement without fear.

I support maintaining the TRUST Act while ensuring its implementation protects public safety and constitutional rights. Individuals who commit violent crimes must be held accountable regardless of immigration status.

Immigration policy should be guided by the law, reliable evidence, and respect for human dignity, not political rhetoric. Safe communities and fair enforcement are not competing priorities.

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 documented complaints and investigations involving members of the General Assembly demonstrate that sexual harassment remains a serious concern in Springfield. No workplace, particularly one responsible for making our laws, should tolerate harassment, intimidation, or retaliation.

Throughout my nursing career and leadership roles, I have advocated for workplace safety, professional accountability, and protecting those who speak up. Those same standards should apply to elected officials, legislative staff, and everyone working in the Capitol.

I support strengthening the independence and investigative authority of the Legislative Inspector General, establishing clear and confidential reporting procedures, protecting complainants and witnesses from retaliation, and ensuring timely, impartial investigations with meaningful consequences for substantiated misconduct.

Annual training is important, but training alone does not change workplace culture. Leadership must demonstrate accountability, regardless of political party or position. Everyone deserves a safe, respectful workplace.

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. While Illinois has made progress strengthening ethics laws, more must be done to restore public trust. Elected officials should be held to the highest standards of integrity, transparency, and accountability.

I support strengthening the independence and investigative authority of the Legislative Inspector General, improving financial disclosures, enforcing conflict-of-interest protections, and strengthening restrictions on legislators becoming lobbyists after leaving office.

Campaign contributions from individuals and organizations should be transparent, and the same disclosure and accountability standards should apply to everyone. Voters deserve to know who is funding political campaigns and independent expenditures. I support stronger disclosure requirements to address dark money and identify the original sources of political funding whenever possible.

Throughout my nursing career, I have been held accountable to professional and ethical standards. Elected officials should be no different. Public service is a responsibility, not an opportunity for personal gain.

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

I bring more than 30 years of experience as an emergency and trauma nurse, healthcare leader, educator, and advocate. My career has taught me to listen carefully, evaluate evidence, make difficult decisions under pressure, and work collaboratively to solve complex problems.

As President of the Illinois Emergency Nurses Association, I work with healthcare professionals, policymakers, and stakeholders across the state. I have participated in legislative advocacy involving the Illinois Nurse Practice Act, workplace violence prevention, and healthcare policy. These experiences have given me firsthand knowledge of how legislation is developed and how it affects the people and communities we serve.

I also bring the perspective of a lifelong community member, working mother, and grandmother who understands the challenges families face.

I have never held elected office, but I have spent my career serving others, building consensus, and holding myself accountable for results.

I believe effective legislators must listen, ask difficult questions, and put their constituents ahead of political interests. I'm not running for the title of senator. I'm running to do the work of a senator.