Dagmara "Dee" Avelar | |
|---|---|
| Member of the IllinoisHouseofRepresentatives from the 85th district | |
| Assumed office January 13, 2021 | |
| Preceded by | John Connor |
| Personal details | |
| Born | Quito,Ecuador |
| Political party | Democratic |
| Residence(s) | Bolingbrook,Illinois,U.S. |
| Alma mater | University of Illinois (MUP) Northeastern Illinois University (BA) |
| Occupation | Illinois State Representative |
| Website | https://ilga.gov/House/Members/Details/3391 |
Dagmara "Dee" Avelar is the Illinois State Representative for the 85th district and is an Assistant Majority Leader [1] . She has held the position since January 13,2021. The 85th district,located in the Chicago area,covers all or parts of Bolingbrook,Crest Hill,Fairmont,Lemont,Lockport,Naperville,Romeoville,and Woodridge. [2]
Avelar was elected to succeed outgoing State Representative John Connor,who had been elected to the Illinois Senate.
Avelar was born in Quito,Ecuador and moved to Bolingbrook,Illinois with her parents when she was 12. [3] [4] She graduated from Bolingbrook High School in 2005. [4] She earned a Bachelor of Arts in Justice Studies with a minor in Political Science from Northeastern Illinois University in 2010 and earned her Master's Degree in Urban Planning and Policy Candidate at the University of Illinois at Chicago. [3] [5] She has been an active community organizer since 2008. She previously worked at Instituto Del Progreso Latino "as an accredited representative with a focus on citizenship and DACA." [3] As of 2020,she works at the Illinois Coalition for Immigrant and Refugee Rights as Director of Programs. [5]
Avelar currently serves on eight House committees and four House subcommittees:the Appropriations-Pensions &Personnel committee;the Economic Opportunity &Equity committee;the Health Care Availability &Access committee;the Labor &Commerce committee;the Personnel &Pensions committee;the Prescription Drug Affordability &Accessibility committee;the Revenue &Finance Committee;Transportation:Regulation,Roads,&Bridges committee;as well as the Job &Workforce Development subcommittee;the Pharmacy Benefit Manager subcommittee;Sales Tax subcommittee;and the Tax Policy:Finance subcommittee. [6]
Several bills filed by Rep. Avelar have gone on to become law. These include an amendment to the Environmental Protection Act that requires groundwater monitoring at some construction sites, [7] legislation that requires hospitals to proactively offer charity care options to uninsured patients, [8] and a statute that requires insurance companies that issue group accident and health policies to offer these policies to local chambers of commerce. [9]
| Party | Candidate | Votes | % | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Democratic | Dagmara "Dee" Avelar | 10,658 | 100.0 | |
| Total votes | 10,658 | 100.0 | ||
| Party | Candidate | Votes | % | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Democratic | Dagmara "Dee" Avelar | 26,560 | 59.00 | |
| Republican | Ron Doweidt | 16,129 | 35.83 | |
| Green | Anna Schiefelbein | 2,326 | 5.17 | |
| Total votes | 45,015 | 100.0 | ||
| Party | Candidate | Votes | % | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Democratic | Dagmara "Dee" Avelar | 17,644 | 57.62 | |
| Republican | Chris Metcalfe | 12,975 | 42.38 | |
| Total votes | 30,619 | 100.0 | ||
| Party | Candidate | Votes | % | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Democratic | Dagmara "Dee" Avelar | 25,360 | 58.30 | |
| Republican | Chris Metcalfe | 18,142 | 41.70 | |
| Total votes | 43,502 | 100.0 | ||
Avelar resides in Bolingbrook,Illinois. [4] She became a naturalized US citizen in April 2016. [3]