Michael Halpin
{{Short description|American politician}}
{{Infobox officeholder
| name = Michael Halpin
| image =
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| birth_date = {{birth based on age as of date|39|2018|10|15}}{{cite news|title=Illinois House District 72 state representative candidate: Mike Halpin|date=October 15, 2018|newspaper=The Dispatch-Argus|access-date=December 17, 2018|url=https://qconline.com/news/elections/illinois-house-district-state-representative-candidate-mike-halpin/article_0d524be9-2215-5dbe-91e2-a8698cc63eb7.html}}
| birth_place = Voorheesville, New York
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| nationality =
| state_senate = Illinois
| district = 36th
| term_start = {{start date|2023|01|11}}
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| predecessor = Neil Anderson
| state_house2 = Illinois
| district2 = 72nd
| term_start2 = {{start date|2017|01|10}}
| term_end2 = January 11, 2023
| predecessor2 = Patrick J. Verschoore
| successor2 = Gregg Johnson
| party = Democratic
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| spouse = Mary Ann
| partner =
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| children = 2
| residence = Rock Island, Illinois
| alma_mater = {{nowrap|Roger Williams University {{small|(B.A.)}}
University of Illinois {{small|(J.D.)}}}}
| occupation = Legislator
| profession = Attorney, Politician
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| religion =
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Michael Halpin is a Democratic member of the Illinois State Senate{{Cite web |title=Illinois General Assembly - Senate Members |url=https://ilga.gov/senate/default.asp?sortby=DistrictNumber&sortbyformer=&sortbyGA=103 |access-date=2023-06-29 |website=ilga.gov}} representing the 36th district.{{Cite web |title=36th District |url=http://senatorhalpin.com/36th-district |access-date=2023-06-29 |website=senatorhalpin.com}} The 36th district contains portions of Rock Island County, Henry County, Mercer County, Knox County, McDonough County, and Warren County. Cities and villages of the 36th district include; Moline, Rock Island, Galesburg, East Moline, Macomb, Monmouth, Silvis, Milan, Colona, Coal Valley, Knoxville, Bushnell, Carbon Cliff, Hampton, Orion, Roseville, Alexis, East Galesburg, Sherrard, Alpha, New Windsor, North Henderson, Rio, and Good Hope. He first took office in January 2017, when he was elected as State Representative of the [https://ballotpedia.org/Illinois_House_of_Representatives_District_72 72nd district] in Illinois.
Early life and career
Congressman Lane Evans hired Halpin in early 2002 as his district scheduler and personal aide. Halpin traveled with Lane throughout the district, working with local elected officials and constituents to arrange town hall meetings and other events. Halpin also served as Lane’s liaison with the National Personnel Records Center, helping local veterans receive the military honors they had earned during their service.
It was during his time in Lane’s office that Mike met his wife, MaryAnn, at an East Moline Democrat Club meeting. The two married in 2005.{{Cite web |title=Bio |url=http://www.senatorhalpin.com/bio |access-date=2023-06-29 |website=www.senatorhalpin.com}} Shortly after their wedding, they both enrolled in the University of Illinois, MaryAnn earning her Master’s degree and Mike following in Lane’s footsteps and earning a law degree, graduating cum laude. Upon graduation, he clerked for former Chief Justice of the Illinois Supreme Court, Rita B. Garman, in Danville, Illinois.
Halpin is an attorney by trade, practicing law at the Rock Island firm of McCarthy, Callas, & Feeney, P.C. In 2013, after only three years at the firm, he became a partner. His primary areas of practice are Labor Law and Municipal Law, as well as representing working people in their estate planning, traffic, and real estate matters. Halpin also serves on the Board of Directors for Bridging the Gap: Stand Down for Homeless Veterans, and provides free consultations, and some pro bono representation, for veterans in need.
Illinois General Assembly
As of June 29, 2023, Senator Halpin 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=3213&GA=103 |access-date=2023-06-29 |website=ilga.gov}}
- Appropriations- Education
- (Chairman of) Higher Education
- Judiciary
- State Government
- Veterans Affairs
Halpin was a legislative member of the Midwest Interstate Passenger Rail Commission while a member of the House.{{cite web|editor-last=Wolff|editor-first=Jonathan P.|title=40135 Midwest Interstate Passenger Rail Commission|work=Expiration and Vacancy Report for the Governor of Illinois|publisher=Illinois Legislative Research Unit|date=October 31, 2018|access-date=December 17, 2018|page=256|url=http://www.ilga.gov/commission/lru/Gov.pdf|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190501140617/http://www.ilga.gov/commission/lru/Gov.pdf|archive-date=May 1, 2019}} The commission is composed of representatives from four states to promote development and implementation of improvements to intercity passenger rail service in the Midwest and to develop long-range plans for high speed rail passenger service in the Midwest and other regions of the country.{{cite web|last=Gruber|first=Amanda|title=Publication 425: State Board and Commission Descriptions|publisher=Illinois Legislative Research Unit|date=August 1, 2018|access-date=December 14, 2018|page=510|url=http://www.ilga.gov/commission/lru/Descriptions.pdf|archive-url=}}
In 2018, Democrat J. B. Pritzker appointed Halpin, an attorney, a member of the gubernatorial transition's Job Creation and Economic Opportunity Committee.{{cite news|last=Miller|first=Rich|title=Pritzker transition announces Job Creation and Economic Opportunity Committee|date=December 3, 2018|newspaper=Capitol Fax|access-date=December 9, 2018|url=https://capitolfax.com/2018/12/03/pritzker-transition-announces-job-creation-and-economic-opportunity-committee/}}{{cite web|url=http://www.qconline.com/news/local/halpin-announces-run-for-district-seat/article_263a7782-228b-5328-863f-c61efebf8717.html|author=Timmons, Eric|title=Halpin announces run for District 72 seat|date=October 19, 2015|publisher=QC Online|access-date=November 9, 2016}}
References
{{Reflist}}
External links
- [http://ilga.gov/house/Rep.asp?GA=100&MemberID=2490 Profile] at Illinois General Assembly
{{Illinois Senate}}
{{Illinois House of Representatives |state=collapsed}}
{{DEFAULTSORT:Halpin, Michael}}
Category:Year of birth missing (living people)
Category:Roger Williams University alumni
Category:University of Illinois College of Law alumni
Category:Democratic Party members of the Illinois House of Representatives
Category:People from Voorheesville, New York
Category:People from East Moline, Illinois
Category:21st-century members of the Illinois General Assembly