Josh Harms

Josh grew up on his family's farm near Watseka, Illinois. After graduating from Watseka Community High School, he attended Illinois State University where he received a Bachelor of Arts in music education.{{cite web|url=http://my.ilga.gov/Member/Index/2059?tab=1&chamber=H|author=|title=Representative Josh Harms (R)

|publisher=Illinois General Assembly|date=|accessdate=2013-12-10}} While working as a teacher at the Iroquois Special Education Association, he earned a Master of Arts from Governors State University.

In June 2011, Harms announced his intention to run for the state representative in the new 106th district.{{cite web|url=http://www.news-gazette.com/news/local/2011-06-30/watseka-teacher-declares-106th-house-seat.html|author=Kacich, Tom|title=Watseka teacher declares for 106th House seat|publisher=The News Gazette|date=2011-06-30|accessdate=2013-12-10}} During the primary election he was endorsed by Illinois State Representative Roger Eddy and retired Illinois State Representative William Black{{cite web|url=http://www.pjstar.com/x1785606367/106th-Illinois-House-Josh-Harms-R|author=|title=106th Illinois House, Josh Harms (R)|publisher=The Peoria Journal-Star|date=2012-02-28|accessdate=2013-12-10}} On election day, Harms won 33% of ballots cast{{cite web|url=http://www.elections.il.gov/electioninformation/VoteTotalsList.aspx?ElectionType=GP&ElectionID=32&SearchType=OfficeSearch&OfficeID=5570&QueryType=Office&|author=|title=Ballots Cast: General Primary - 3/20/2012 106th Representative|publisher=Illinois State Board of Elections|date=2012-03-25|accessdate=2013-12-10}} in a five way primary that included the Chairman of the Parkland College Board of Trustees, Tom Bennett{{cite web|url=http://www.parkland.edu/about/boardoftrustees/bennett.aspx

|author=|title=Thomas M. Bennett|publisher=Parkland College|date=|accessdate=2013-12-10}} and former Mayor of Pontiac Scott McCoy to secure the nomination. Harms was unopposed in the general election as no Democratic candidate filed to run in the historically Republican area.{{cite web|url=http://www.elections.il.gov/ElectionInformation/CandList.aspx?SearchType=OfficeID&ElectionID=33&OfficeID=6007&OrderBy=ORDERBYOfficeBallotGroup,OfficeSequence,PartySequence,BracketID,vwCandidates.ID|author=|title=General Election - 11/6/2012 - 106th Representative District|publisher=Illinois State Board of Elections|date=|accessdate=2013-12-10}} After winning the election unopposed, Harms resigned from his teaching position to become a full-time legislator.

When Representative Harms was sworn into office in January 2013, he joined a bipartisan group of 21 other lawmakers who chose not to take a legislative pension.{{cite web|url=http://progressillinois.com/quick-hits/content/2013/02/15/decision-some-lawmakers-not-take-their-own-pensions-seen-ineffective-a|author=Rezin, Ashlee|title=Illinois state legislators refuse pension|publisher=Progress Illinois|date=2013-02-15|accessdate=2013-12-10}}

During the spring session of the 98th General Assembly, four of the ten bills he sponsored were signed into law by Governor Pat Quinn.{{cite web|url=http://www.news-gazette.com/news/local/2013-06-02/tom-kacich-legislator-cant-wait-get-home-happy-be-springfield.html|author=Kacich, Tom|title=Tom Kacich: Legislator can't wait to get home, but happy to be in Springfield|publisher=The News Gazette|date=2013-06-02|accessdate=2013-12-10}}

His first bill, sponsored with his associated Senator Jason Barickman, amended the Illinois Finance Authority Act to require the next two appointees to the Illinois Finance Authority have agribusiness experience and that the Authority must have at least two members with such experience.{{cite web|url=http://www.ilga.gov/legislation/BillStatus.asp?DocTypeID=HB&DocNum=2748&GAID=12&SessionID=85&LegID=74562|author=|title=Bill Status of SB2748|publisher=Illinois General Assembly|date=2013-08-14|accessdate=2013-12-10}}

The second, which was signed into law four days after the first, mandates that if a mobile home park owner knows from law enforcement that a mobile home has been used for the manufacture of methamphetamine then the information must be disclosed to the potential home buyer. The third involving the Illinois Marriage and Dissolution of Marriage Act, to give parents with joint-custody the right of first refusal in the case where one parent needs to leave a child with a substitute child care provider for a significant period to lessen kids being used against the first parent. The final bill allowed for veterans to have the requirement for an associate degree to enter law enforcement waived if they served for 24 months of honorable active duty to better enable veterans to enter the job market.{{cite web|url=http://www.news-gazette.com/news/local/2013-05-20/bill-would-allow-military-service-fulfill-police-job-requirement.html|author=Howie, Mike|title= Bill would allow military service to fulfill police job requirement|publisher=The News Gazette|date=2013-05-20|accessdate=2013-12-10}}

In late June, Harms decided to retire and remove himself from the ballot for the 2014 general election citing a desire to return to teaching and spend more time with his family.{{cite web|url=http://capitolfax.com/2014/07/02/rep-jefferson-stepping-down/|author=Miller, Rich|title=*** UPDATED x1 - Rep. Harms pulls out of race *** Rep. Jefferson stepping down|publisher=Capitol Fax|date=2014-07-02|accessdate=2014-07-07}} He has announced that he will serve out the remainder of his term.{{cite web|url=http://www.news-gazette.com/news/local/2014-06-30/harms-will-take-name-ballot.html|author=Brumleve, Will|title=Harms will take name off ballot|publisher=News Gazette|date=2014-06-30|accessdate=2014-07-07}} A committee of party officials from Iroquois, Ford, Vermillion, Livingston and Woodford counties will select his replacement on the ballot by a weighted vote based on the number of Republican primary ballots pulled in each county during the 2014 Republican primary. Individuals speculated to replace Harms on the ballot include former State Senator Shane Cultra, Parkland College trustee and Ford County Republican Party chairman Tom Bennett and Susan Wynn Bence, an Iroquois County Board member who also is an aide to Harms.{{cite web|url=http://press.senaterepublicancaucus.com/ArticleDetails.aspx?aid=164261|author=Kacich, Tom|title=Harms retirement|journal=Champaign News Gazette|publisher=Illinois Senate Republicans Press Database|editor=Illinois State Senate Republican Staff|date=2014-07-02|accessdate=2014-07-07}} He was replaced on the ballot by Parkland College Trustee Tom Bennett. Bennett defeated Democratic candidate and Watseka City Council member William Nutter.{{cite web|url=http://www.news-gazette.com/news/local/2014-08-03/tom-kacich-106th-house-district-race-heating.html|author=Kacih, Tom|title=106th House District race heating up|publisher=The News Gazette|date=2014-08-03|accessdate=2014-08-10}}

{{Election box begin no change | title=106th Representative District General Election, 2012{{cite web |url=http://www.elections.il.gov/electioninformation/VoteTotalsList.aspx?ElectionType=GE&ElectionID=33&SearchType=OfficeSearch&OfficeID=6007&QueryType=Office&

|title= General Election - 11/6/2012 106th Representative

|publisher=Illinois State Board of Elections

|accessdate=2013-12-10

}}

}}

{{Election box candidate with party link no change

| candidate = Josh Harms

| party = Republican Party (United States)

| votes = 38,516

| percentage = 100

}}

{{Election box hold with party link no change

|winner = Republican Party (United States)

| votes = 38,516

| percentage = 100

}}

{{Election box end}}

{{Election box begin no change | title = 106th Representative District Republican Primary Election, 2012}}

{{Election box candidate with party link no change

| candidate = Josh Harms

| party = Republican Party (United States)

| votes = 5,846

| percentage = 33.30

}}

{{Election box candidate with party link no change

| candidate = Tom Bennett

| party = Republican Party (United States)

| votes = 4,923

| percentage = 28.05

}}

{{Election box candidate with party link no change

| candidate = Scott McCoy

| party = Republican Party (United States)

| votes = 4,014

| percentage = 22.87

}}

{{Election box candidate with party link no change

| candidate = Brian Gabor

| party = Republican Party (United States)

| votes = 1,877

| percentage = 10.69

}}

{{Election box candidate with party link no change

| candidate = Richard Thomas

| party = Republican Party (United States)

| votes = 893

| percentage = 5.09

}}

{{Election box total no change

| votes = 17,553

| percentage = 100

}}

{{Election box end}}

{{reflist}}

• [http://my.ilga.gov/Member/Index/2059?tab=1&chamber=H Biography, bills and committees] at the 98th Illinois General Assembly
• By session: [http://www.ilga.gov/house/Rep.asp?GA=98&MemberID=2059 98th]
• [https://web.archive.org/web/20140502033215/http://joshharms.com/ State Rep. Josh Harms] constituency site
• {{Ballotpedia|Josh_Harms}}
• {{CongLinks | votesmart = 134997 }}
• [http://www.followthemoney.org/database/uniquecandidate.phtml?uc=413134 Campaign contributions] at FollowTheMoney.org

{{Illinois House of Representatives |state=collapsed}}

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Category:1974 births

Category:Living people

Category:Republican Party members of the Illinois House of Representatives

Category:People from Watseka, Illinois

Category:21st-century members of the Illinois General Assembly