Lindsey LaPointe

Lindsey LaPointe is a Democratic member of the Illinois House of Representatives for the 19th district. The district, located in the Chicago area, includes parts of Elmwood Park, Harwood Heights, Norridge, and River Grove and includes parts of the Chicago neighborhoods of Dunning, Forest Glen, Jefferson Park, Norwood Park, O'Hare, and Portage Park.

Early life, education, and career LaPointe earned a Bachelor of Arts in sociology from Grinnell College and a Master's in Social Work from the University of Illinois at Chicago. She was the program manager of Adult Redeploy Illinois at the Illinois Criminal Justice Information Authority, an agency that works with county officials on court-based alternatives to incarceration. She has cited her frustration with the impact of the Illinois Budget Impasse on the agency as one of her motivations to enter politics. She also worked as project manager of justice reform at Business and Professional People for the Public Interest (BPI).

Her early engagement in electoral politics included organizing for congressman Jesús "Chuy" García. She currently serves on the Dean's Advisory Council on Diversity, Equity and Social Inclusion at the Jane Addams College of Social Work. Timothy Heneghan, the 41st ward committeeman who had unsuccessfully sought appointment to the senate vacancy that Martwick filled, accused the process of being a "back room deal."

LaPointe ran for a full two-year term in the 2020 Illinois elections. In the Democratic primary election for the seat, she faced Chicago police officer Joe Duplechin and former WGN radio personality Patti Vasquez. She has been endorsed by the Chicago Tribune, U.S. Senator Dick Durbin, U.S. Representative Mike Quigley, and a number of labor unions. In March 2020, LaPointe circulated campaign mailings alleging that her two opponents were anti-women's rights by pointing to past electoral support of particular donors. Duplechin and Vasquez criticized the mailer, and NBC Chicago found that LaPointe had received similar donations from some of the very same donors. LaPointe won the primary election on March 17, 2020, with 41.3% of the vote, and faced Jeff Muehlfelder in the general election on November 3, 2020.

Tenure In February 2020, LaPointe introduced legislation that would allow first responders to claim worker's compensation benefits to cover post-traumatic stress disorder. That same month, she sponsored legislation that would require the Department of Veterans' Affairs to create a veterans assistance hotline. She has also co-sponsored legislation including the Clean Energy Jobs Act, a bill that would allow eligible students to vote during school hours on election day, and a bill that would create a state-wide Domestic Violence Task Force.

Committees As of July 3, 2022, Representative LaPointe is a member of the following Illinois House Committees:

Appropriations - Public Safety (HAPP) Elementary & Secondary Education: School Curriculum & Policies Committee (HELM) Housing Committee (SHOU) Human Services Committee (HHSV) Police & Fire Committee (SHPF) (chairwoman of) Public Benefits Subcommittee (HHSV-PUBX)

Electoral history

Personal life LaPointe lives in Portage Park, Chicago.