From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
Rickey R. Hendon (born December 8, 1953) is the
Illinois
Senator for the 5th district, which he has served since 1992.
Hendon's nickname is "Hollywood",[1]
reflecting his style and bravado as well as his career as a film
producer.
Hendon is circulating petitions to run for Lieutenant Governor of
Illinois or the
House of Representatives in 2010. He will only run for the
House if Danny
Davis, the incumbent retires from his seat.[2]
Public
service
Before running for the state senate, Hendon was alderman of the
27th ward in Chicago, Illinois. Prior to that, he was Secretary and
Treasurer for the Cook County Forest Preserve.
Senate
career
Hendon has been an Illinois State Senator since 1992. He
currently serves as an Assistant Majority Leader, Co-Chairman of
the Senate Executive Appointments Committee, Vice-Chairman of the
Environment and Energy Committee and a member of the Labor and
Commerce Committee and the Illinois Legislative Black Caucus.
Recently, Hendon sponsored legislation that would create a pilot
program in the Chicago Public School that allows the Chicago Board
of Education to establish a program to discourage criminal behavior
by providing prison tours.
Because of his interest in health care, Hendon sponsored a bill
designed to assist low-income families on Medicaid, by restricting
the co-payment for brand name drugs to $3 and eliminating co-pay
for generic drugs.
Another recent bill Hendon sponsored was aimed at expanding
opportunities for minority owned businesses to compete and
ultimately bring additional film projects and television studios to
Illinois.
An October 9, 2008 story in The Washington Post told of
substantial tension between Hendon and then colleague Barack Obama,
culminating in a physical confrontation in June 2008. Nonetheless,
Hendon supported Obama in the 2008 presidential election.
In 2009, Senator Hendon was a principal proponent of a bill for
$31 billion in capital-spending for education passed in May by the
state Legislature. Part of the bill would have ensured that 40
million in funds would go to Chicago State University for a West
Side campus. The interim president said he had no knowledge of
plans for West Side branch. However, a 2007 feasibility study
indicated strong community and prospective student support for a
satellite campus. [3]
Education
In 1993, Hendon urged other Senators to support a proposal
(Senate Bill 779, 88th ILGA) in the Illinois Senate to eliminate
material in schools that "expressly counsels for suicide." Opponents, including Judy Baar
Topinka, said it could have been applied to literature that are
considered an appropriate part of a schools curriculum, such as
Romeo and
Juliet and It's a Wonderful Life.[4][5][6] Hendon
attended Farragut high school.
Personal
life
Hendon was born in Cleveland, Ohio. He
and his wife, Dawn, have five children. They attend Mt. Sinai
Baptist Church. Hendon is leader of the Senate softball team. In
1992 he wrote and starred in the film "Butterscotch and
Chocolate."
References
- ^
2 challenge Rickey Hendon in
Illinois Senate 5th District - Laws, Garfield Park, Emil Jones -
chicagotribune.com
- ^
http://www.rollcall.com/issues/55_32/politics/38989-1.html?type=printer_friendly
- ^
http://www.chicagotribune.com/news/watchdog/college/chi-chicago-state-31-aug31,0,7740389.story
- ^
Illinois Senate, 88 GA.
Senate Bill 779, 88th ILGA. April 23, 1993.
- ^
Would you, could you twist a
fact? By Eric Zorn
Friday, October 20, 2006 Chicago Tribune
- ^
A National Knife Fight by
Joshua Green, Oct 2006 Esquire]
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