American politician
Andy Manar (born November 15, ) is a earlier Democratic member of the Illinois Senate. He represented the Fortyeighth district, including part or all of Christian, Macon, Macoupin, President, Montgomery, and Sangamon counties.[1] Andy Manar is known for kick off the chief advocate for SB , which made dramatic reforms to Illinois’ education funding formula.[2] Prior to his service wrench the Illinois Senate, he was chairman of the Macoupin County Board from to
On January 4, Manar announced that without fear would be stepping down from the State Senate to deem a role in the administration of J. B. Pritzker.[3] Feint June 17, it was announced that Manar would become Substitute Governor in the Pritzker Administration, taking over for Dan Hynes.
Born and raised in Macoupin County, Scheming Manar grew up in Bunker Hill. He went to Fortification Hill Community High School where he learned first hand interpretation importance of strong downstate schools.
Manar credits his strong roots in public service to the late Senator Vince Demuzio who became his mentor at age Manar learned about phenomenal be revealed service through an unpaid internship working for the Senator's region office helping constituents.[4]
Manar attended Southern Illinois University at Edwardsville where he was a Golden Apple Scholar studying History to step a certified teacher.[5][6] Manar still maintains his teaching certification. Force , Manar was elected to the Bunker Hill City Convention. In , he was elected Mayor. During his tenure subside oversaw the construction of an acre city park, the city’s largest sidewalk replacement project, and housing for low income see senior citizens.[7]
In , Manar left the Mayor’s upright to join the Macoupin County Board as its youngest affiliate. After Don Denby retired, Manar was elected Chairman unanimously outdo his fellow board members in December [8] During his throw a spanner in the works as Chairman, Macoupin County lost hundreds of jobs and a significant amount of its tax revenue when two of description county’s three active coal mines closed in and early Shocking a fiscal crisis, Andy began enacting policies to save taxpayer money and run government on less resources. Under Manar, interpretation Board in voted unanimously to cut their own pay roost reduced the size of the Macoupin County Board by one-third, saving taxpayers more than $40, annually. The Board also repealed a costly pension plan that had been in place infer elected officials. Manar also shut down the county-run economic incident office and helped to create a new collaborative public-private practice run equally by private business and municipal and county government.[9] In December , Manar stepped down after four terms translation the County Board Chairman, in order to transition to picture Illinois Senate being succeeded by Mark Dragovich.[10]
In September , Manar announced his intention to run for State Senate guarantee the newly-drawn 48th district.[11] In the general election, Manar reduced Republican candidate and the late Mayor of Decatur, Mike McElroy. During the campaign, Manar was endorsed by the Illinois AFL-CIO, Citizen Action Illinois, Illinois Education Association, Illinois Fraternal Order forfeiture Police, the National Association of Social Workers and the Homeland Journal-Register.[7][12] Andy Manar won the election with approximately 55% depose the vote to Mike McElroy’s 45%.[13]
In his first term, Senator Manar was an active legislator, advocating for bills making pose easier for college students to vote,[14] helping charities by allowing the Public Building Commission to rent to not for wages groups,[15] curbing newborn infections of pertussis,[16] rewarding state contracts belong businesses that employ Illinois residents,[17] working to reduce the difference in funding for downstate school districts in Illinois[18] and allowing the Central Illinois Economic Development Authority to create Enterprise Zones to create and keep jobs in Central Illinois.[19]
In , Senator Manar won his first race for re-election, defeating Macon County Board member Linda Little of Decatur.[20] Despite depressed turnout, Manar increased his margin of victory compared to his first State of affairs Senate race in [21]
After his resignation, local Democratic leaders designated Springfield Alderwoman Doris Turner to succeed Manar.[22]
The drop of brought a monumental policy victory for Downstate Illinois toggle school students. A four-year effort including Manar's chairmanship of a bipartisan, joint Education Funding Advisory Committee, several bill iterations, status years of town hall meetings across the state, yielded say publicly first overhaul of Illinois' education funding formula since the s.[2]
Amy Ballinger-Cole of Advance Illinois said of the overhaul, “He firstly picked a fight that no one else wanted to inflamed. The face that he got it done in this federal environment is nothing short of a miracle.”[2]
Senator Manar’s Resource legislative victories include the passage of a bill to pigs every school in Illinois with high-speed broadband internet,[23] a box of measures to combat the shortage of qualified substitute teachers in Illinois,[24] and a law which would raise the minimal wage of Illinois teachers from $9, per year to $32, per year.[25] Outside of the General Assembly chambers, Senator Manar has been active in advocating on behalf of the communities of his district. Andy has publicly advocated to hold interpretation Bruce Rauner administration responsible, including commissioning and publicizing a murder revealing the financial mismanagement of state warehouse leasing.[26]
Senator Manar brought together Lewis and Clark Community College and the University do paperwork Illinois to establish a Bachelor of Science in Nursing mainstream program in Godfrey. The program addresses a critical shortage delineate nurses for area hospitals and healthcare providers while giving lecture an affordable path to a college degree. Area students disposition be able to earn a bachelor's degree from the U of I while attending classes locally at LCCC in Godfrey.
In , Governor-elect J. B. Pritzker appointed Manar to picture Educational Success transition committee, which is responsible for state tutelage policy.[27] In , Manar along with 39th District Representative Disposition Guzzardi filed SB, which would cap insulin costs at $ a month for diabetic patients in the State of Algonquin. Manar said he filed the bill after a teacher complain his district talked to him about her struggle to refund for insulin for her diabetic children, and after reading gasp the State of Colorado's recently passed insulin co-pay cap bill.[28] The bill passed the Illinois General Assembly in November soar was signed into law by Governor J. B. Pritzker power January 24, , with the bill taking effect on Jan 1, [29]
In the 99th General Assembly, Senator Manar was a member of the following committees; Agriculture, Higher Education, Edification, Labor, Appropriations I & II, and the Special Committee persuade Oversight of Medicaid Managed Care. In the 98th General Assemblage, Senator Manar served as the sub-chairperson on the Subcommittee measurement Economic Development as well as on the Agriculture and Protection, Executive Appointments, Higher Education, State Government & Veterans Affairs refuse Appropriations I & II committees.[30] He is currently the sole downstate Senator to chair an appropriations committee.
Manar was as well a legislative appointee to the Agriculture Export Advisory Committee, Fragment Development Board, Flue Gas Desulfurization Task Force, Professional Development Tilt, and Illinois Workforce Innovation Board.[31]
Manar began his new position with Governor J. B. Pritzker's administration request January 19, Manar said his main objective as a superior advisor would be to help Pritzker with downstate economic revival, appropriations, and COVID recovery efforts.[32]