State Representative Regan Deering

Transparency is a crucial part to holding elected officials accountable. With the unsealing of the investigation into former Rep. Harry Benton, I am hopeful that my colleagues on the other side of the aisle will join House Republicans by taking legislative action to stop bad behavior by lawmakers.

Illinois Legislative Ethics Commission votes to unseal report on probe of former Rep. Harry Benton The Illinois Legislative Ethics Commission voted on Thursday to publish a report outlining details of the investigation that led to state Rep. Harry Benton (D-Chicago) to resign his post earlier this month​.

The Governor and Speaker Welch like to agree that Illinois needs ethics reform when talking to the media, but their actions tell a different story. Now, following multiple ethics scandals, one including the Speaker himself, House Democrats are scrambling to save face.

Pritzker: Speaker Welch needs to be 'utterly and completely transparent' in Benton probe JB Pritzker says House Speaker Chris Welch must fully explain his handling of Harry Benton allegations.

In late April, I penned an op-ed to The Pantagraph calling for affordability in Illinois. Illinois families are being squeezed from every direction, and Springfield is not making it any easier. With the new budget in effect, families are now being hit with $800 million in new taxes, forcing our residents to make harder decisions to make ends meet.

Illinoisans aren’t asking for excuses. They are asking for relief. House Republicans have proposed so many solutions that would help families keep more of their hard-earned money, but Democrats fail to oblige.
https://repdeering.com/2026/04/27/op-ed-illinois-families-need-relief-not-more-tax-hikes/

This spring, I was pleased to support three bipartisan pieces of legislation, supporting our service members and veterans.

-SB 3737: a measure I co-sponsored, requires universities to promptly readmit students following academic military leave.
-SB 3818: incentivizes Illinois National Guard recruitment with peer-to-peer referrals.
-SB 3926: moves the Breakthrough Therapies for Veteran Su***de Prevention Program Advisory Council under the the Dept. of Public Health, expanding support for veterans.

The bills were signed into law last week and all take effect on January 1, 2027.

New Illinois laws strengthen support for service members, veterans ILLINOIS (WCIA) — Illinois Governor JB Pritzker signed three bills on Wednesday that aim to improve National Guard recruitment, as well as higher education and mental health services for vete…

I issued the following statement following new reporting that Illinois House Speaker Chris Welch's office was informed of harassment allegations against former State Representative Harry Benton in 2023 but failed to take prompt and meaningful action.

"As a mother of two daughters, I find the Speaker's handling of these allegations deeply disturbing. When a young woman finds the courage to come forward, government leaders should protect her—not the political insider she accused. Illinoisans deserve transparency, accountability, and leaders who stand with victims instead of protecting politicians."

To read the full statement, click the link below.

» Deering: Welch’s Handling of Benton Allegations Exposes Rotten Culture DECATUR, IL… State Representative Regan Deering (R-Decatur) issued the following statement following new reporting that Illinois House Speaker Chris Welch’s office was informed of harassment allegations against former State Representative Harry Benton in 2023 but failed to take prompt and meanin...

Yet another major business is moving its headquarters out of Illinois. We need to enact strong pro-growth policies that keep job creators here at home if we want to provide the best opportunities for our residents.
https://www.chicagobusiness.com/retail/ccb-true-value-do-it-best-headquarters-move-20260709/

Following our recent diaper drive event in April, my office has been able to deliver more than 100 boxes of diapers and wipes to area resource centers including DOVE in Clinton, New Life Pregnancy Center in Decatur, and the Pregnancy Resource Center in Bloomington with additional stops planned this summer.

Community initiatives like this show moms and families that they are not alone, and that our district will show up for them. I want to thank the Macon County Farm Bureau for their continued partnership, and everyone who gave generously to make this donation possible. I am so proud of our community.

Last Friday, I signed onto a petition to establish a Special Investigating Committee concerning State Representative Carol Ammons. Ammons was indicted last week on multiple counts of wire fraud and one count of making a false statement to the FBI.

“I signed onto the petition to further investigate the charges filed against Rep. Carol Ammons because Illinoisans deserve full transparency from their public officials and government. The allegations brought up against Rep. Ammons are incredibly serious and warrant a thorough review of her actions. As public officials, we have a duty to uphold the law and public trust, and we must adhere to investigations and consequences following serious allegations and findings. I am calling for Rep. Ammons to resign from public office immediately.”

Continue reading my statement here:

» Deering Signs Petition to Establish Special Committee Investigating Rep. Carol Ammons DECATUR, IL… State Representative Regan Deering (R-Decatur) issued the following statement after signing a petition on Friday to establish a Special Investigating Committee concerning State Representative Carol Ammons.

The Senior Farmers’ Market Nutrition Program (SFMNP), a joint program with the Department of Human Services and the Department on Aging, provides eligible seniors with vouchers to purchase fresh produce from farmers markets and roadside stands. 37 counties in the state are participating in the voucher program, with Macon and McLean counties right here in the 88th District included.

To check eligibility and to apply in your county, visit IDHS's website below.

IDHS: Senior Farmers' Market Nutrition Program (SFMNP) Adding IEG table, links to local service providers

As House Democrats’ list of ethics scandals continues to grow, it is further cemented that we need meaningful ethics reforms. House Republicans continue to push for this, along with accountability and transparency, but House Democrats never want to have the hard and much-needed discussion.

Illinois families deserve better. They certainly don’t deserve representation from officials accused of misusing taxpayer-funded programs and “clear patterns of conduct” that were “outrageous, unethical, and unbecoming of a member of the Illinois House.”