The Chamber

Current Office: Senator
First Elected: 12/26/2010
Next Election: 2012
Party: Republican

General

Gender: Male
Family: Wife: Virginia; 3 Children: Soren, Derek, Kirk
Birth date: 04/30/1945
Birthplace: Oakland, CA
Home City: West Chicago IL
Religion: Christian

Profession

Attorney/Private Law, Johnson, Westra, Broecker, Whittaker, & Newitt, P.C., 1977-present Principal of Law Firm, 1980-1998 Hardware Store Owner, 1977-1979 Associate, Laraia, Solano, Berns & Kilander, Ltd., 1976-1977 Prosecuting Attorney, DuPage County State's Attorney's Office, 1974-1976 Assistant State's Attorney, 1970-1976 Investigator, DuPage County State's Attorney's Office, 1970-1974 US Army, Vietnam, 1966-1968 Former Attorney, Winfield Township Trustee, First America Trust Funds

Education

JD, DePaul University School of Law, 1974 BA, University of Michigan, 1970

Committees

Committee of the Whole
Criminal Law
Gaming
Judiciary
Labor
State Government and Veterans Affairs

SB 400 Amends State Income Tax
Stage: Concurrence Vote
Vote: Yea

SB 397 Tax Code Amendments
Stage: Concurrence Vote
Vote: Nay

HB 1883 Property Tax Amendments
Stage: Passage With Amendment
Vote: Nay

SB 2147 Paying Regional Superintendents
Stage: Concurrence Vote
Vote: Nay

SB 1652 Smart Grid Technology
Stage: Override of Veto
Vote: Yea

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SB 400 Amends State Income Tax
Stage: Concurrence Vote
Vote: Yea

SB 397 Tax Code Amendments
Stage: Concurrence Vote
Vote: Nay

HB 1883 Property Tax Amendments
Stage: Passage With Amendment
Vote: Nay

SB 2147 Paying Regional Superintendents
Stage: Concurrence Vote
Vote: Nay

SB 1652 Smart Grid Technology
Stage: Override of Veto
Vote: Yea

SB 965 Authorizing Speed Cameras in Certain Cities
Stage: Passage
Vote: Nay

SB 1652 Smart Grid Technology
Stage: Override of Veto
Vote: Yea

SB 965 Authorizing Speed Cameras in Certain Cities
Stage: Passage
Vote: Nay

SB 744 Gambling and Gaming Bill
Stage: Concurrence Vote
Vote: Nay

SB 1652 Smart Grid Technology
Stage: Concurrence Vote
Vote: Yea

SB 1178 Congressional Redistricting
Stage: Concurrence Vote
Vote: Nay

SB 1652 Smart Grid Technology
Stage: Concurrence Vote
Vote: Yea

SB 744 Gambling and Gaming Bill
Stage: Concurrence Vote
Vote: Nay

SB 145 Nursing Home Infection Control
Stage: Concurrence Vote
Vote: Nay

SB 1177 General Assembly Redistricting
Stage: Concurrence Vote
Vote: Nay

HB 1490 Regulating Full-Contact Martial Arts Events
Stage: Passage With Amendment
Vote: Nay

HB 1600 Artificial Trans Fat Restriction Act
Stage: Passage With Amendment
Vote: Nay

HB 1490 Regulating Full-Contact Martial Arts Events
Stage: Passage With Amendment
Vote: Nay

HB 1600 Artificial Trans Fat Restriction Act
Stage: Passage With Amendment
Vote: Nay

HB 1091 Public-Private Transportation Partnership
Stage: Passage With Amendment
Vote: Nay

SB 2185 Establishes the DREAM Fund Commission
Stage: Passage
Vote: Yea

SB 2505 Amends Property Tax Code
Stage: Concurrence Vote
Vote: Nay

SB 3539 Abolishing the Death Penalty
Stage: Concurrence Vote
Vote: Yea

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