Background
Sara Feigenholtz's political interests and activity,notably in the areas of adoption,women's issues and health care,reflect her personal experience and family background. Her adoptive mother,Florence Buky,an immigrant from Białystok,Poland,worked her way through medical school to become an obstetrician. Many of Dr. Buky's patients were unable to care for their children and this was how she came to adopt Sara and her brother. [3] Feigenholz attributes the origin of her political commitment to health care as a basic right to the childhood experience of patients calling to see Dr. Buky at the family home in Lake View,Chicago,and her mother never turning anyone away,even those unable to pay. [3]
Feigenholtz earned her bachelor's degree in political science and speech and performing arts from Northeastern Illinois University [1] and went on to earn a fellowship degree from the University of Illinois School Of Public Health. In 2011,she completed the Senior Executives in State and Local Government Program at Harvard Kennedy School.
She worked as Chief of Staff to State Representative John Cullerton before becoming a fund-raiser for progressive causes. [3]
Illinois House of Representatives
Feigenholtz was elected to her first term as state representative of Illinois’12th District in 1994,defeating long-standing incumbent Ellis B. Levin. [4] She chose to focus her attention on health care and human services reform. She was a lead sponsor of the Family Health Care Bill. She also campaigned for the introduction of the All Kids program. [3]
In 2010,she sponsored the Original Birth Certificate Access Bill,allowing for the release of the original birth certificate to an adopted person upon written request,provided he or she is over the age of 21.
As part of the Affordable Care Act implementation,Feigenholtz sponsored the 2013 expansion of Medicaid in Illinois. This legislation extended coverage to thousands of Illinoisans who were shut out of the health care system before.
In 2017,Feigenholtz sponsored House Bill 40 in the 100th General Assembly,kept abortion legal in Illinois despite Roe v. Wade being overturned by the Supreme Court of the United States. It also extends insurance coverage of abortion to state employees and women insured through Medicaid. [5]
Sara Feigenholtz served as Assistant Majority Leader from 2013 through 2019. She currently chairs the Adoption &Child Welfare Committee,and most recently served on the Appropriations-Human Services,Tourism,Hospitality and Craft,Mental Health,Environment,and Energy Committees. [6]
In 2018,Democrat J. B. Pritzker appointed Feigenholtz a member of the gubernatorial transition's Healthy Children and Families Committee. [7]
Illinois Senate
Feigenholtz assumed the office of State Senator for Illinois' 6th District on January 21,2020.
Feigenholtz was a guest of U.S. Representative Mike Quigley at Joe Biden's 2023 State of the Union Address. [8]
Committees
In the 102nd General Assembly,Feigenholtz was the Chair of the Appropriations - Human Services Committee;the Tourism and Hospitality Committee;and the Redistricting - Chicago North Committee. She also served on the Senate Appropriations - Business Regulations and Labor Committee;Behavioral and Mental Health Committee;Health Committee;Insurance Committee;Licensed Activities Committee;Pensions Committee;Subcommittee on Children &Family;and the Subcommittee on Medicaid. [9]
In the 103rd General Assembly,she is the Chair of the Financial Institutions Committee. She also serves on the Appropriations Committee;Appropriations - Health and Human Services Committee;Behavioral and Mental Health Committee;Licensed Activities Committee;and Revenue Committee. [9]
Controversy
Feigenholtz has been involved in controversies related to social media posts concerning religious groups. In July 2022,Feigenholtz posted an image on Facebook showing a figure resembling a Catholic cleric pointing a gun at a pregnant Statue of Liberty,following the Supreme Court's decision in Dobbs v. Jackson Women's Health Organization. The Archdiocese of Chicago criticized the post as "bigoted imagery" and called for a "more fulsome explanation and apology." Feigenholtz removed the post and apologized,stating she "meant no ill will toward anyone who found it offensive." [11] [12]
In late October 2024,Feigenholtz posted on X (formerly Twitter) in response to a comment about Islam,writing that those who praise the religion should "move to an Islamic country and stick their heads in the dirt multiple times a day for enlightenment." [13] In November 2024,the Council on American-Islamic Relations (CAIR) and other groups called for her resignation. [14] High school teacher Fuzia Jarad additionally alleged that Feigenholtz made anti-Muslim comments during a personal conversation,which Feigenholtz denied as "false and without merit." [15] CAIR requested that Senate President Don Harmon remove Feigenholtz from committee leadership positions. [16] [17]
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