Melinda Bush

{{short description|American politician (born 1956)}} {{Use American English|date=March 2026}} {{Use mdy dates|date=March 2026}} {{Infobox officeholder |name = Melinda Bush |state_senate = Illinois |district = 31st |term_start = January 9, 2013 |term_end = January 11, 2023 |predecessor = Suzi Schmidt |successor = Mary Edly-Allen |birth_date = {{birth date and age|1956|3|18}} |birth_place = Grayslake, Illinois, U.S. |death_date = |death_place = |party = Democratic }} '''Melinda Bush''' (born March 18, 1956) is a member of the Illinois Senate for the 31st district. The 31st district spans northern Lake County and includes all or parts of Zion, Round Lake, Round Lake Beach, Gages Lake, Winthrop Harbor, Old Mill Creek, Wadsworth, Lindenhurst, Antioch, Waukegan, Gurnee, Beach Park, Grayslake and Lake Villa.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://ilhousedems.com/redistricting/2011-maps/Legislative_Districts_Public_Act/LD31.pdf|author=|title=PA 97-0006 Legislative District 31|date=2011-05-18|accessdate=2015-09-07}}</ref>

==Illinois State Senator==

===2012 election=== In the general election, Bush faced Joe Neal. She was endorsed by Lieutenant Governor Sheila Simon, Senator Terry Link, Senator Susan Garrett, State Representative Rita Mayfield, the Illinois AFL–CIO, Illinois Education Association, Illinois Sierra Club, Planned Parenthood Illinois Action, Illinois Fraternal Order of Police, the Daily Herald and future general assembly colleague Sam Yingling.<ref name=Endorsements>{{cite web|url=http://www.melindaforsenate.com/content/endorsements-0|title=Endorsements|publisher=Friends of Melissa Bush|accessdate=2012-12-25|url-status=dead|archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20121026110215/http://www.melindaforsenate.com/content/endorsements-0|archivedate=2012-10-26}}</ref> On election day, Bush won in a close contest.<ref name=2012election>{{cite web |url=http://elections.il.gov/electioninformation/VoteTotalsList.aspx?ElectionType=GE&ElectionID=33&SearchType=OfficeSearch&OfficeID=6109&QueryType=Office&|author=|title=General Election 11/6/2012|publisher=Illinois State Board of Elections|accessdate=2012-12-25}}</ref>

{{Election box begin no change | title = Illinois State Senate 23rd District General Election, 2012}} {{Election box candidate with party link no change |party = Democratic Party (United States) |candidate = '''Melinda Bush''' |votes = '''42,542''' |percentage = '''51.36''' |change = }} {{Election box candidate with party link no change |party = Republican Party (United States) |candidate = Joe Neal |votes = 40,281 |percentage = 48.64 |change = }} {{Election box gain with party link no change| |winner = Democratic Party (United States) |loser = Republican Party (United States) | votes = 82,823 | percentage = 100 |swing = }} {{Election box end}}

===Tenure=== Her associated representatives are District 61 representative Joyce Mason (D-Gurnee) and District 62 representative Sam Yingling (D-Round Lake Beach).

As of July 2022, Senator Bush is a member of the following Illinois House committees:<ref>{{Cite web |title=Illinois General Assembly - Senator Committees |url=https://ilga.gov/senate/SenCommittees.asp?MemberID=2848 |access-date=2022-07-04 |website=ilga.gov}}</ref>

* Appropriations - Business Regulations and Labor Committee (SAPP-SBRL) * Appropriations - Government Infrastructure Committee (SAPP-SAGI) * (Chairwoman of) Credits, Deductions, and Exemptions Committee (SREV-SRCD) * Education Committee (SESE) * (Chairwoman of) Environment and Conservation Committee (SNVR) * Labor Committee (SLAB) * Redistricting - Lake & McHenry County Committee (SRED-SRLM) * Revenue Committee (SREV) * Revenue - Special Issues Committee (SREV-SRSI) * Transportation Committee (STRN)

==== Legislation ==== During her tenure in the current 101st General Assembly, Bush has sponsored a number of bills. In 2019, she sponsored the Needle and Hypodermic Syringe Access Program Act, which would allow certain groups to establish and operate a needle and hypodermic syringe access program. The bill was signed into state public law in August 2019.<ref>{{Cite web|title=My Legislation|url=http://www.senatormelindabush.com/legislation/my-legislation|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150429222230/http://senatormelindabush.com/legislation/my-legislation|url-status=usurped|archive-date=April 29, 2015|website=www.senatormelindabush.com|access-date=2020-04-30}}</ref>

Shortly before the 2020 U.S. coronavirus outbreak, Bush sponsored legislation in the Illinois Senate that would impose a new fee of $0.10 on each carryout bag from food retail establishments.<ref>{{Cite web|title=My Legislation|url=http://www.senatormelindabush.com/legislation/my-legislation|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150429222230/http://senatormelindabush.com/legislation/my-legislation|url-status=usurped|archive-date=April 29, 2015|website=www.senatormelindabush.com|access-date=2020-04-30}}</ref>

In 2020, she introduced a bill that would require prescribers (such as physicians) to offer a prescription to naloxone hydrochloride in certain situations that increase a patient's risk to overdose.<ref>{{Citation |last=Bush |first=Melinda |title=101st General Assembly: State of Illinois 2019 and 2020 SB3659 |date=February 14, 2020 |url=https://www.ilga.gov/legislation/101/SB/PDF/10100SB3659lv.pdf |access-date= |publisher= |author-link= }}.</ref>

She introduced a bill in 2022 that in the interest of "freedom of choice in health care" would recognize Naturophathic Doctors as "physicians", create a "Naturopathic Physician Medical Board", and declare that the naturopathic practice "merit the confidence of the public".<ref>{{Citation |last=Bush |first=Melinda |title=102ND General Assembly: State of Illinois 2021 and 2022 SB3025 |date=January 5, 2022 |url=https://www.ilga.gov/documents/legislation/102/SB/PDF/10200SB3025.pdf |access-date= |publisher= |author-link= }}.</ref>

==References== {{reflist}}

==External links== *[http://my.ilga.gov/Member/Index/2023?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=2023 98th] *[http://www.illinoissenatedemocrats.com/index.php/sen-bush-home Profile] at Illinois Senate Democrats *[http://www.melindaforsenate.com/ Campaign website] * {{CongLinks | congbio= | votesmart=115614 | fec= | congress= }}

{{DEFAULTSORT:Bush, Melinda}} Category:1956 births Category:21st-century American women politicians Category:County board members in Illinois Category:Democratic Party Illinois state senators Category:Living people Category:People from Grayslake, Illinois Category:Women state legislators in Illinois Category:21st-century members of the Illinois General Assembly

Melinda Bush

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