Mike Simmons facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Mike Simmons
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Simmons in 2025
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| Member of the Illinois Senate from the 7th district |
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| Assumed office February 6, 2021 |
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| Preceded by | Heather Steans |
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| Born | 1983 (age 41–42) Chicago, Illinois, U.S. |
| Political party | Democratic |
| Education | Amherst College (BA) |
Michael Simmons (born in 1983) is an American politician. He is a member of the Democratic Party. He serves in the Illinois Senate for the 7th district. This district includes several neighborhoods in Chicago, like Rogers Park and Lincoln Square. He first became a senator in February 2021. He was re-elected in 2022 and 2024.
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Early Life and Education
Michael Simmons was born in Chicago. His mother was African American, and his father came to the United States as a refugee from Ethiopia. He grew up in public housing in the Lincoln Square neighborhood. He went to Amherst College. There, he earned a degree in political science. This means he studied how governments work.
Early Political Work
While in college, Simmons worked as an intern for Barack Obama. At that time, Obama was a U.S. Senator. From 2007 to 2009, Simmons worked for Senator Dick Durbin. He helped with legislative tasks.
Later, he worked for Cook County Commissioner Bridget Gainer. He helped make plans for the county. From 2011 to 2013, he was a policy director for Chicago Mayor Rahm Emanuel. He helped the mayor with city plans. Then, he worked for the Chicago Department of Planning and Development. He helped plan how the city would grow.
In 2017, Simmons started his own company called Blue Sky Strategies. This company helped with city planning. It also worked on making public policies fair for everyone. In 2020, he joined the My Brother's Keeper Alliance. This group is part of the Obama Foundation.
Serving in the Illinois Senate
How He Became a Senator
On February 6, 2021, Michael Simmons was chosen to join the Illinois Senate. He took the place of Senator Heather Steans, who was retiring. Local leaders from the Cook County Democratic Party picked him. He is the first person of Ethiopian American background to serve in the Illinois State Senate.
Simmons won his re-election campaigns in 2022 and 2024. He ran without anyone opposing him both times.
What He Has Done
As a senator, Michael Simmons has worked on several important issues.
Protecting Student Hairstyles
In 2021, Simmons introduced a bill to stop hair discrimination in schools. This bill would make sure schools cannot tell students to change their natural hairstyles. This is especially important for African American students. It protects hairstyles like dreadlocks, cornrows, and braids. The bill was named the Jett Hawkins Act. It was named after a 4-year-old boy who was told to remove his braids at school. The bill became a law later that year. Governor JB Pritzker signed it.
Helping Families with Children
Since 2021, Simmons has supported a permanent child tax credit for Illinois families. This credit would give money to families with children. In 2023, he supported a bill to give $700 per child under age 17. He said that a similar federal program helped reduce child poverty. He believed Illinois could do the same. In 2024, the state budget included $150 million for a child tax credit. It gives up to $300 per child under age 12.
Supporting Small Businesses
In 2023, Simmons helped get $2.5 million in funding for small businesses. These businesses were in his district and needed help. The money was given out as $10,000 micro-grants. In 2024, 225 small businesses received these grants.
Improving Public Transportation
Simmons has also worked to make public transit better in Chicago. In 2023, he helped pass a law to use more electric buses. This law also offered cheaper fares for people who survived domestic violence. It also helped young people in job programs. In 2025, he supported a bill to give free transit to people with low incomes.
Supporting Gun Control
Simmons strongly supports gun control. He believes in laws that control guns. He supports banning assault weapons and large-capacity magazines. He wants these bans at both the state and federal levels.
His Committee Roles
In the 2023-24 term, Simmons led the Senate's Committee on Human Rights. For the 2025-26 term, he is the leader of the Committee on Public Health. He has also been a member of committees that focus on mental health and transportation.
Running for Congress
On July 8, 2025, Michael Simmons announced he is running for a new job. He wants to be a member of the United States House of Representatives. He is running for Illinois's 9th congressional district. He hopes to replace Jan Schakowsky, who is retiring.
