Kimberly Lightford

{{Infobox officeholder

|name = Kimberly Lightford

|image = (2020-06-04) Kimberly A. Lightford (cropped).jpg

|office = Majority Leader of Illinois Senate

|term_start = January 9, 2019

|term_end =

|predecessor = James Clayborne Jr.

|successor =

|state_senate1 = Illinois

|district1 = 4th

|term_start1 = November 20, 1998

|term_end1 =

|predecessor1 = Earlean Collins

|successor1 =

|birth_date = {{birth date and age|1968|5|10}}

|birth_place = Chicago, Illinois, U.S.

|death_date =

|death_place =

|party = Democratic

|education = Western Illinois University (BA)
University of Illinois, Springfield (MPA)

}}

Kimberly Ann Lightford (born May 10, 1968) is a Democratic member of the Illinois Senate, representing the 4th district since 1998. She is Senate Majority Leader and also serves on Labor, Education, Executive, Financial Institutions and Redistricting committees. She is also chair of the Senate Black Caucus and co-chair of the Illinois Commission of Intergovernmental Cooperation.

Biography

Lightford attended Proviso East High School before going on to Western Illinois University, where she was initiated as a member of Delta Sigma Theta sorority. After college, she attended graduate school at the University of Illinois Springfield where she earned a master's degree in Public Administration (MPA) and completed an internship with the Illinois Department of Corrections. After graduation, she accepted a position with the Department of Corrections in Chicago. She successfully ran for Maywood Village Trustee after encouragement from her state representative. When State Senator Earlean Collins announced plans to retire, Lightford was elected in March 1998 and began serving in November, two months before the traditional inauguration, when Collins retired.

In July 2016, the Illinois Senate passed a stop-gap temporary budget bill. Within a few minutes, Lightford addressed the Senate. In her remarks, she said that legislators needed to get paid for their work. Although the only body in Illinois responsible for the state budget is the state legislature, Lightford said, "And I think it’s wrong for our income to be held for months, and months, and months, which is another game that’s being played."{{Cite web |url=http://www.illinoismirror.com/sen-kimberly-lightfords-questionable-campaign-spending/|title=Sen. Kimberly Lightford's Questionable Campaign Spending |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20161013183212/http://www.illinoismirror.com/sen-kimberly-lightfords-questionable-campaign-spending/ |archive-date=October 13, 2016 |language=en-us |access-date=June 5, 2022}}

In 2018, Governor-elect J. B. Pritzker appointed Lightford to the Educational Success transition committee, which is responsible for state education policy.{{cite news|last=Miller|first=Rich|title=Pritzker transition announces Educational Success Committee|date=November 27, 2018|newspaper=Capitol Fax|access-date=November 27, 2018|url=https://capitolfax.com/2018/11/27/pritzker-transition-announces-educational-success-committee/}}

After Illinois Senate President John Cullerton announced his retirement, Lightford became a candidate to replace him. If she had been selected, she would have been the first woman to hold the position. She was ultimately beaten out for the position by Don Harmon.{{cite news |title=Harmon wins top Senate post |url=https://www.oakpark.com/News/Articles/1-20-2020/Harmon-wins-top-Senate-post/ |newspaper=Oak Park Journal |access-date=April 3, 2020 |date=January 20, 2020}} After losing to Harmon in closed-door Democratic Party negotiations, Lightford herself placed Harmon's name into nomination at the formal vote for Senate President.{{cite web |last1=Sfondeles |first1=Tina |title=Illinois Senate president race: Accusations of personal betrayal and payback fly furiously |url=https://chicago.suntimes.com/2020/1/19/21072955/don-harmon-kimberly-lightford-democrats-vote-senate-president |website=Chicago Sun-Times |access-date=April 3, 2020 |language=en |date=January 19, 2020}}

Lightford was the victim of a carjacking on December 22, 2021, during which her husband was shot at.{{cite news |last1=Gorner |first1=Jeremy |title=State Sen. Kimberly Lightford carjacked in suburban Broadview |url=https://www.chicagotribune.com/politics/ct-state-senator-kimberly-lightford-carjacked-20211222-zoicqkpq2jc4jcze5e6uue3lla-story.html |access-date=December 23, 2021 |work=The Chicago Tribune |date=December 22, 2021}} Her husband returned gunfire at the carjackers.[https://www.chicagotribune.com/politics/ct-kimberly-lightford-carjacking-husband-gun-20211223-w4rinvrssbhtlhu4eqs6npjdji-story.html State Sen. Kimberly Lightford’s husband exchanged gunfire with at least one suspect during carjacking earlier this week, police say], Chicago Tribune, December 23, 2021 She said, "I thought for sure they were gonna shoot me down... It was a lot of shots being fired. I think they were shooting at my husband and me and luckily enough my husband is concealed and carry and he was able to protect us."[https://abc7chicago.com/il-state-senator-kimberly-lightford-carjacked-broadview-carjacking/11376398/ State Sen. Kimberly Lightford recounts harrowing carjacking details: 'I begged them not to shoot us'], ABC 7 Chicago, December 23, 2021

As of July 2022, Senator Lightford is a member of the following Illinois Senate committees:{{Cite web |title=Illinois General Assembly - Senator Committees |url=https://ilga.gov/senate/SenCommittees.asp?MemberID=2795 |access-date=2022-07-04 |website=ilga.gov}}

Appropriations - Personnel and Procurement Committee (SAPP-SAPP)
Appropriations - Education Committee (SAPP-SAED)
(Chairwoman of) Assignments Committee (SCOA)
Education Committee (SESE)
Executive Committee (SEXC)
Executive - Cannabis Subcommittee (SEXC-SEOC)
(Chairwoman of) Executive - Government Operations Subcommittee (SEXC-SEGO)
Executive - Special Issues Subcommittee (SEXC-SESI)
Higher Education Committees (SCHE)
Labor Committee (SLAB)
(Chairwoman of) Redistricting - Chicago West and Western Cook County Subcommittee (SRED-SRWW)

Political positions

Lightford supports the right of law abiding citizens to carry a concealed handgun.

References

External links

[http://my.ilga.gov/Member/Index/1869?tab=1&chamber=S Biography, bills and committees] at the 98th Illinois General Assembly
By session: [http://www.ilga.gov/senate/Senator.asp?GA=98&MemberID=1869 98th], [http://www.ilga.gov/senate/Senator.asp?GA=97&MemberID=1644 97th], [http://www.ilga.gov/senate/Senator.asp?GA=96&MemberID=1430 96th], [http://www.ilga.gov/senate/Senator.asp?GA=95&MemberID=1220 95th], [http://www.ilga.gov/senate/Senator.asp?GA=94&MemberID=995 94th], [http://www.ilga.gov/senate/Senator.asp?GA=93&MemberID=736 93rd]
[http://www.senatorlightford.com/ Illinois State Senator Kimberly Lightford] legislative website
[https://web.archive.org/web/20110109161405/http://www.senatedem.ilga.gov/index.php/sen-lightford-home Senator Kimberly Lightford] at Illinois Senate Democrats
{{CongLinks | congbio= | votesmart=18241 | fec= | congress= }}

{{s-ttl|title=Majority Leader of the Illinois Senate|years=2019–present}}

Category:1968 births

Category:20th-century African-American politicians

Category:21st-century African-American politicians

Category:21st-century American women politicians

Category:African-American state legislators in Illinois

Category:21st-century African-American women politicians

Category:20th-century African-American women politicians

Category:20th-century American women politicians

Category:Democratic Party Illinois state senators

Category:Living people

Category:People from Maywood, Illinois