Welcome!
I’m State Representative Jack D. Franks, and I want to welcome you to my Web site. I represent the 63rd District of the state of Illinois, which includes the North and Western part of McHenry County.
Since I took office more than a decade ago, the support of you, my constituents, has been invaluable. Together, we have accomplished much. From shining a bright light on corruption and government wrongdoing to voicing insightful ideas for smarter spending, your input has helped make a difference in how your government is run. But, there is still much to be done.
I am fighting to return control of state government to you, the people. We still need serious budget and ethics reforms in Illinois, and we must find a way for government to more efficiently function. In my next term, I will continue fighting for the things you and I both believe in: zero-based budgeting, government transparency, government accountability and more.
It is a privilege to represent the people of McHenry County in the General Assembly, and with your support I hope to keep fighting for your best interests. In this site, you will find information on policy issues, upcoming events and recent news. You can also follow me on Facebook and send us an email. Please let me know your ideas on how we can get Illinois back on track. Democracy works best when citizens participate in the process. I promise I hear you.
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LATEST NEWS
Teen hero rewarded with hefty hospital bills
August 27, 2010 - WGN News
CHICAGO - 17-year-old Trevor Hall says he has no regrets about jumping into a Kenosha lake to save a drowning boy, but he would like the county to pay the medical bills he ran up. Hall was swimming in Silver Lake Wisconsin on Monday when he noticed that a 14-year-old boy entangled in a patch of seaweed and was struggling to stay above the water. Sign up for WGN News Alerts The local hero was rewarded with more than $2,000 in medical bills... READ MORE
Teen hero won't have to pay $1,200 ER bill
August 27, 2010 - Chicago Breaking News
A Zion teen who helped save a boy from drowning in a Wisconsin lake will not have to pay for his visit to the emergency room after he swallowed large amounts of water during the rescue. Trevor Hall, 17, rescued the 14-year-old, whose legs became tangled in weeds outside the supervised swimming area at Silver Lake Park in Kenosha County, on Monday... READ MORE
FOX Chicago Sunday: State Rep. Jack Franks
August 23, 2010 - WLS Radio's Don and Roma show
When state lawmakers impeached former governor Rod Blagojevich over a year ago, the public had only heard a few of the federal wiretaps. Now that a federal jury deadlocked on most of the charges in the Blagojevich corruption trial, was his impeachment a rush to judgment? State Rep. Jack Franks is here on FOX Chicago Sunday to talk about the impeachment case he led against Rod Blagojevich... READ MORE
State Rep Jack Franks joins Don Wade and Roma
August 23, 2010 - WLS Radio's Don and Roma show
On August 23rd, State Rep Jack Franks joined Don Wade and Roma to discuss the Blagojevich retrial. Is it worth it to use taxpayers' money to pay for Blagojevich's retrial? How long will he have to do for him to be satisfied? Does horse trading happen all the time? How corrupt is Illinois? Are term limits the solution... READ MORE
Jurors were close to convicting Blagojevich
August 18, 2010 - Northwest Herald
CHICAGO (AP) — They were close. After three weeks of respectful but increasingly tense deliberations, 11 jurors were ready to convict Rod Blagojevich of what prosecutors called a "political corruption crime spree" that would have sent yet another former Illinois governor to prison. Not close enough... READ MORE
The Blagojevich verdict:
Stay tuned
August 18, 2010 - Daily Herald
It must be said at the outset that one important statement underlies all reflections on the Rod Blagojevich trial. The former Illinois governor is a felon. It is true that the single charge that Blagojevich's jury could reach agreement on was one of the least significant of the 24 he faced, but it is not insignificant... READ MORE
Prosecutors plan to retry Illinois' Blagojevich
August 18, 2010 - USA Today
After the former Illinois governor was found guilty Tuesday of just one of 24 felony corruption counts — lying to the FBI — federal prosecutor Reid Schar said it is "absolutely our intent" to retry the 23 charges on which the judge declared a mistrial. "We could be here tomorrow," Schar said. U.S. District Judge James Zagel set an Aug. 26 hearing to decide timing of the retrial... READ MORE
Officials agree verdict a sad day for Illinois
August 17, 2010 - Aledo Times Record
Gov. Pat Quinn famously defended Blagojevich during the 2006 election season, calling him honest. “You can be misled, and that can happen in life to anyone,” Quinn said at a Statehouse news conference. “I think it’s very disappointing to hear in the testimony of the trial the things that the former governor said – I was unaware of and I certainly was shocked by – and I think that’s why I led the effort for recall in 2007 and into 2008.” Voters this fall will be able to adopt a constitutional amendment allowing for the recall of Illinois governors...READ MORE
Social service agencies plead for state gov’t help
August 6, 2010 - Northwest Herald
McHENRY – Area human services providers told state legislators Thursday that they need to know how much money to expect from the state so the agencies can better plan on how to provide their services. The Human Services Advocates of McHenry County is a collection of human services agency board members who meet to discuss issues and how to educate the public and elected officials of the agencies’ needs... READ MORE
Illinois Should Better Manage the Lottery, Not Waste the Bucks
August 2, 2010 - The Huffington Post
Our state recently put the wheels in motion to hire a private management firm to run the Illinois lottery for the next decade. No other state has ever tried to privatize any portion of their lottery. There is a simple explanation for this; taxpayers lose out under a privatization plan. The rationale behind privatization is to make Illinois' lottery operate like a cutting-edge business... READ MORE
What does the future hold for school funding, unions?
August 2, 2010 - Northwest Herald
The state of Illinois owes school districts about $1.3 billion. The number of schools on the state financial watch list jumped to 29 in fiscal year 2010 from 22 in fiscal year 2009. Meanwhile, Alden-Hebron District 19 spent $10,669 to educate a student in 2008-09; down the road in Harvard District 50, officials spent $7,172 a student. The funding system isn’t working. Everyone can at least agree on that... READ MORE
Rep. Franks Talks About Employer Credit Check Bill
July 30, 2010 - FOX Chicago News
A proposed law in Illinois could give those with bad credit a much needed second chance. State Rep. Jack Franks discussed what's in his bill and what it means to anybody looking for a job.
Bill Would Ban Employer Credit Checks
July 30, 2010 - FOX Chicago News
Chicago - There may be new hope for those with bad credit who are looking for a job. Many people can't get employed -- not because they don't have decent credentials -- but because they don't have decent credit. Now, a proposed law in Illinois could give them a much needed second chance.
Franks on the FOX Business Network
July 29, 2010 - FOX NEWS 9 pm
Jack will be FOX Chicago's 9 pm News tonight to talk about his Employee Credit Privacy Act.
Franks on the FOX Business Network
July 26, 2010 - FOX NEWS Business Network
Watch for State Rep. Jack Franks on the FOX Business Network Monday, July 26, around 9:40 am (central time). Rep. Franks talks with Stuart Varney about the economic state of Illinois and the possible privatization of the Illinois lottery.