Christian Mitchell

Chairmanships and vice-chairmanships:

• House Committee on Economic Opportunity (chairperson)[8]
• House Committee on Cybersecurity, Data Analytics, and IT (Vice-chairperson)[8]

Committee assignments:

• Appropriations – Higher Education Committee[8]
• Judiciary – Criminal Committee[8]
• State Government Administration Committee[8]

Subcommittee assignments:

• Appropriations – Cost Analysis Subcommittee[8]
• Cybersecurity, Data Analytics, and IT – Distributed Ledgers and Cryptocurrency Subcommittee[8]
• Judiciary – Criminal Administration and Enforcement Subcommittee[8]
• Judiciary – Firearms and Firearm Safety Subcommittee[8]
• Judiciary – Sex Offenses and Sex Offender Registration Subcommittee[8]

• Black Caucus

As a State Representative, Mitchell consistently supported legislation to direct more state funds to K-12 schools. In the 99th General Assembly, he proposed the Fund Education First Act as a long-term solution to restore education funding in Illinois.[11] The Fund Education First Act is projected to increase investment in Chicago Public Schools by $200 million without increasing local property taxes.[12] In the long term, the proposed legislation will generate an additional $1 billion in funding to schools statewide.[12] On Wednesday, October 30, 2013, Mitchell told Dartesia Pitts on CAN TV's Political Forum that he views "education as the key to opportunity, as a ladder out of poverty, as the thing that got me to the place where I am".[13]

In his capacity as Chairman of the Committee on Economic Opportunity, Mitchell toured the state's universities during the 2015-2017 budget impasse, bringing attention to the economic importance of higher education to communities all across the state. Mitchell highlighted the ability of colleges and universities to serve as anchor institutions – attracting new residents, providing employees for local businesses, and supporting local shops and restaurants. "The impacts are real and they are direct on the lives of real people," he said.[14]

Mitchell consistently advocated increased state funding for schools, and particularly districts with large numbers of low-income students. He was a strong supporter of education funding reforms passed by the General Assembly in 2017, which increased state funding for education by $350 million – including $60 million for Chicago Public Schools.[15] However, Governor Bruce Rauner vetoed the bill, and demanded $75 million in tax credits for private schools in exchange for his signature.[16] Mitchell continued to advocate for increased school funding, but voted against the amended bill proposed by Gov. Rauner, denouncing the tax credits as vouchers by another name. Mitchell said: "[The bill] incentivizes the wealthiest citizens - instead of paying their fair share of taxes to fund public education - to take a tax break that will pull resources out of our public schools, and away from the funds that invest in infrastructure, human services, and property tax relief…public education is too important a concept to be traded away for the money that low income school children around the state deserve."[17]

Mitchell supported legislation to establish an elected Chicago Board of Education.[18] Currently the School Board is appointed by the Mayor of Chicago.[19]

In 2018, Mitchell sponsored SB 2892, a bill to raise the minimum salary for teachers in Illinois - set at $9,000 since 1980.[20] Mitchell's bill would have raised the minimum salary for teachers to $32,076 the following year, and $40,000 by 2022. The Illinois General Assembly passed Mitchell's bill in May 2018, with bipartisan support.[21] On August 26, 2018, Governor Bruce Rauner vetoed the bill.[21]

In 2014, Mitchell called for the establishment of a Gun Trafficking Control Task Force to stop illegal guns from reaching criminals.[22] He introduced legislation that increases regulations on gun dealership to quell the spread of illegal guns, such as 24/7 video surveillance, mandatory background checks on employees working at gun dealerships, detailed record keeping, and zoning restrictions.[23] Representative Mitchell also proposed legislation calling for a 2% tax on the sale of ammunition to fund trauma centers in Illinois.[24]

In 2018, Mitchell voted for HB 1467, a measure to ban bump stocks in Illinois.[25] The measure was introduced after the 2017 Las Vegas Shooting, which was carried out by a lone gunman who used bump stocks to convert semi-automatic rifles into automatic rifles.[26]

Mitchell is vehemently opposed to Right to Work policies. In a speech from the Illinois House floor on May 14, 2015, he opposed an initiative to create local employment empowerment zones, stating "without unions, we wouldn't have an African American middle class. Because the African-American middle class in places like Chatham and Bronzeville was built on the backs of firefighters and teachers and unions".[27] He supported the Fair Arbitration Bill (SB 1229), which would have allowed the State to reach a renewed collective bargaining agreement with its unionized employees through arbitration rather than a lockout or strike.

Mitchell was also the chief co-sponsor of HB 2607, the Illinois Clean Jobs Bill - a bill that will reduce carbon pollution and create 32,000 new jobs in Illinois.[28]

Representative Mitchell supported numerous initiatives to relieve taxes on middle-class families in Illinois. He advocated amending the constitution to create a graduated state income tax, in which lower earners pay a lower rate and higher earners pay a higher rate.[29] He also supported expanding the State Earned Income Tax Credit to reduce the tax burden on lower and middle income families.[30]

In February 2015, Mitchell introduced a bill to guarantee that all workers in Illinois have the right to paid sick time.[31] He also co-sponsored legislation which became law to expand access to SNAP benefits for families that include an elderly, disabled, or blind person.[32]

In May 2018, Mitchell supported a bipartisan state budget. The state budget, passed by the legislature and signed into law by Governor Bruce Rauner, avoided property tax increases - a major selling point for Mitchell.

In the legislature, Mitchell has championed measures to preserve the environment and move Illinois towards a clean energy economy.

Mitchell was a chief co-sponsor of the Illinois Clean Jobs Bill, which will create an estimated 32,000 new jobs; lower electricity costs; and reduce the state's carbon footprint.[33] Mitchell was a vocal supporter of a stronger Renewable Portfolio Standard, which steered a larger share of state investments to sustainable energy sources.[33]

In 2018, Mitchell was the Chief House Sponsor of SB 3156, a bill to increase transparency around Illinois Environmental Protection Agency investigations.[34]

In 2018, Mitchell's record on the environment earned a 100% rating from the Illinois Environmental Council.[35] This marked the fifth time Mitchell received a 100% rating from the IEC.[36]

Mitchell believes that state sponsored child care empowers single parents to provide for their families.[12] In 2015, in response to Governor Rauner's drastic reduction of Illinois' child care program, Mitchell became the chief sponsor of legislation to expand state-subsidized child care to 200% of the Federal Poverty Level.[37] This legislation expands access to the program for thousands of working families, particularly single parents and is a bill that Mitchell has carried since he was sworn into the General Assembly.[38]

On November 17, 2015, Mitchell expressed his support for expanded child-care in an interview with Paul Lisnek, saying "I've got child care providers in my district who are shutting down. We've got businesses who are adjusting the way they do shifts because you've got so many single moms that are being crushed by the fact that they don't have child care anymore. So for us, voting for SB 570, which I was a chief co-sponsor, was insurance to say the governor can never do something like this again".[37]

In March 2017, Mitchell introduced HB 3595, a bill that would create tax credits to help working parents cover child care expenses.[39] "I think [the bill] could really be useful in moving the middle-class, lower-middle class forward in terms of having more money for child care and better quality child care in the state," Mitchell said of the bill.[40]

Representative Mitchell co-sponsored the Police and Community Relations Improvement Act, which expands access to body cameras, requires additional training for police officers and incorporates a measure drafted by Rep. Mitchell requiring police departments to conduct an independent investigation of police involved deaths.[41]

Mitchell is an ardent supporter of criminal justice reform, recognizing the disproportionate effect current drug laws have on minority communities. He co-sponsored HB 218, legislation to decriminalize marijuana by eliminating criminal penalties associated with the possession of 15 grams or less of marijuana.[42] The Illinois Department of Corrections projected this bill would reduce Illinois' prison population by 115 inmates and save $29,335,700 over 10 years. Governor Rauner vetoed the bill in August 2015.