About – Senator Robert Peters

HE/HIM

Senator Robert Peters

Senator Robert Peters was born in 1985 deaf and with a massive speech impediment. His biological mother was addicted to drugs and alcohol, and his adopted mother and father were a social worker and a civil rights lawyer. He saw first hand the impact and devastation of the racist war on drugs.

As he grew up, he admired the work his father did as a civil rights and criminal defense attorney and challenging wrongdoing by the police. This combined with the effect of the criminalization of addiction, inspired his work on criminal justice reform rooted in the safety, freedom, and wellness of all people.

A defining moment for Peters was the Great Recession, as he struggled to find work and lost his parents within a year and a half of each other. He found his power through political organizing in solidarity with a variety of organizations in Chicago fighting for justice.

"The 13th District is my home. It’s baked into my DNA. I am a proud product of Ray Elementary and Mount Carmel High School. It’s where I organized to raise the minimum wage and reform our broken bail system."

As a state senator, Peters has championed the end of cash bail in Illinois after years of organizing around it before becoming a Senator. This legislative session alone, Peters has passed six bills out of the Senate, as he continues to push Illinois forward as a leader in criminal justice reform and true public safety for all. He chairs the Public Safety Committee in the Senate and is Chair of the Senate Black Caucus. He is focused on environmental justice, racial justice, economic freedom, and public safety for all.

OUR FIRST YEAR

Accomplishments

I was the chief co-sponsor of 13 bills, which means I led the process of drafting bill language, collaborating with community organizations, and recruiting my Senate colleagues to vote yes. All 13 bills passed in both chambers and were signed into law by Governor JB Pritzker.

Here is a quick breakdown of what each bill will do now that they have been signed into law. If you want more details, simply click on the bill number and you can see the legislation yourself!

Banning Private Detention Centers: HB2040

Bans all private civil detention centers in Illinois. I worked with the Campaign for a Welcoming Illinois to pass this bill, which is the first in the nation to ban private detention centers.

read the bill

Providing SNAP Benefits to Students: SB1641

Requires the Illinois Student Assistance Commission to identify and flag college students who could be eligible to receive Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) benefits.

read THE BILL

Expanding Access to Preventative Services: HB2665

Allows minors 12 years of age and older to seek preventative treatment against HIV from a doctor without parental consent, opening up thousands of queer youth to treatment that they’ve been historically denied.

READ THE BILL

Ending ‘Pay to Stay’: HB900

Ends the Department of Corrections' practice of suing formerly incarcerated people to recoup the cost of their incarceration, also known as “pay to stay.”

read the bill

Requiring Transparent Class Sizes in Chicago: HB254

Requires CPS to publicly report their data on class sizes on their website, which will bring us closer to a win on class size caps.

read the bill

Bringing Civics to Incarcerated People: HB2541

Also known as the Unlock Civics Bill, brings non-partisan civic education into prisons to teach civics to soon-to-be released citizens who will be re-entering society.

read THE BILL

Youth Feedback for Foster System: SB1743

Requires the Department of Children and Family Services (DCFS) to develop a survey to regularly gather feedback from children who transition out of foster care.

READ THE BILL

Expanding Post-Adoption Support Services: HB3587

Requires DCFS to establish and maintain a toll-free number to respond to requests from the public about its post-placement and post-adoption support services.

read the bill

Preventing Youth Homelessness, Incarceration, and Unemployment: SB1808

Requires DCFS and other agencies to work together to provide preventative care to ensure young people have the resources and tools they need to be successful.

read the bill

Funding Youth Apprenticeships: SB1525

Provides eligible youth an apprenticeship stipend to cover those costs associated with entering a program.

read THE BILL

Expanding Transparency for the Department of Corrections: HB386

Required correctional facilities to annually publish a report on their use of evidence-based practices to set conditions of local supervision and mandatory supervised release.

READ THE BILL

Growing the ‘Task Force on Strengthening the Child Welfare Workforce’: HB2723

Adds two people who work for child welfare providers to the task force.

read the bill

I was proud to support key legislation that will support families across the 13th District and Illinois.

I voted YES on the Reproductive Health Act

Which protects the right to an abortion and makes Illinois a leader in protecting reproductive health in the Midwest.

I supported the capital bill

Which will invest billions of dollars in our roads, parks, schools, and more (all while supporting good-paying jobs for years to come).

I helped STOP the dangerous “pipeline protest” bill

which will invest billions of dollars in our roads, parks, schools, and more (all while supporting good-paying jobs for years to come).

I'm proud to endorse State Senator Robert Peters. We share a commitment to ensure that everyone is able to live in safe and healthy communities, and together, we'll continue the work of reversing the damage that the war on drugs has caused in black and brown communities through reforming the criminal justice system and reinvesting directly in impacted communities.

As a native South Sider, Robert knows the struggles many working families face everyday. His commitment to lifting up and strengthening our communities is why I am proud to endorse him.

We need more young, bold and progressive leaders in Springfield and this is why I am proud to endorse Sen. Robert Peters. He has been a champion for progressive values and making sure our government works for the people, not special interests.

HE/HIM

Senator Robert Peters

"The 13th District is my home. It’s baked into my DNA. I am a proud product of Ray Elementary and Mount Carmel High School. It’s where I organized to raise the minimum wage and reform our broken bail system."

OUR FIRST YEAR

Accomplishments

IN ADDITION

I was proud to support key legislation that will support families across the 13th District and Illinois.

I voted YES on the Reproductive Health Act

I supported the capital bill

I helped STOP the dangerous “pipeline protest” bill

The Vision

More