* Sen. Dan McConchie…

Following a nearly nine-year public service commitment to the constituents of the 26th Senate District of Illinois, State Senator Dan McConchie (R-Hawthorn Woods) announced his resignation from the Illinois State Senate, effective February 2, 2025.

Serving in office since 2016, Sen. McConchie consistently fought for the priorities of the northwest suburban district including limiting the size of government, reducing the property tax burden, and bringing common sense to state government and its functions.

“While I always possessed a desire to serve my country and my community, I never aspired to be an elected official, and certainly not a politician,” said Sen. McConchie. “It was my friends and neighbors who asked me to step up and run for office so I could bring common sense values to Springfield. It was these citizens who convinced me to run for office to help make Illinois a better place to live, work, and raise a family.”

As a freshman legislator, Sen. McConchie took his obligation seriously and quickly got to work. As a member of the K-12 education funding formula working group, he helped lead negotiations resulting in bipartisan legislation that established a more equitable funding solution to the state’s elementary and secondary education system and created the successful Invest in Kids program—giving underprivileged children the opportunity at a great education regardless of zip code.

In just a short time, Sen. McConchie was viewed as a strategic thinker and leader by his colleagues. In 2020, he was elected by his peers to serve as the Senate Republican Leader, where he broadened his commitment to the people of Illinois, and offered them an alternative to the majority party’s policies. Under his leadership, he fought against executive and legislative abuses of power including government overreach during the COVID-19 pandemic, controversial executive appointments, and gerrymandered legislative maps.

Most recently, Sen. McConchie has focused on championing legislation that seeks to remove barriers for those with disabilities. His commitment to expanding accessibility for the disabled inspired McConchie to found a non-profit organization to promote accessibility for the disabled in states and localities across the country.

“As my time in the Senate comes to an end, I’m grateful for what I was able to accomplish for the people of Illinois. It was an honor of a lifetime and one that I will cherish forever,” McConchie said. “As I look to the future, I know that there is more that I can do. My desire to create positive impact in the lives of others has not gone away, it’s just expanded to the most vulnerable no matter where they live across the country.

“I want to thank my wife, Milena, and my kids for allowing me to serve the people of Illinois in this capacity these past several years. In many ways, they have carried the burden of service even more than me. I will forever be grateful to them.”

…Adding… Biden won Sen. Dan McConchie’s (R-Hawthorn Woods) district by almost 10 points in 2020. Pritzker won it by almost 11 points in 2022. Sen. McConchie won by just 385 votes against Democrat Maria Peterson the same year.

* McConchie announced a new non-profit this morning…

With the goal of ensuring everyone has the “freedom to live,” Dan McConchie, a policy expert and former Illinois state senator, has launched a new advocacy organization seeking to improve accessibility for the disabled nationwide. The Accessibility Policy Institute, a non-profit organization, is dedicated to improving accessibility for the disabled at every level—local, state, and federal. It supports policies that remove barriers, so every disabled person has the opportunity to LIVE, WORK, and PLAY.

“Even now, more than 30 years after the passage of the federal Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA), disabled Americans frequently experience barriers in everyday life,” said Dan McConchie, CEO. “And while our society recognizes the fundamental equality of every human being, many individuals cannot fully enjoy their lives as long as there are barriers that inhibit participation in aspects of community life.”

The core initiatives at the Accessibility Policy Institute will reflect a “freedom to live” motto in which policy efforts will focus on increasing accessibility, and thereby freedom, for every American regardless of ability. By removing barriers to employment, transportation, housing, and more, both individuals and society will mutually benefit.

The Accessibility Policy Institute also recognizes that not all improvements to accessibility can or should happen through public policy, which is why the organization will also spearhead “Beyond the ADA.” This project will promote voluntary solutions by working with private companies and organizations to innovate their products and services to maximize disabled accessibility beyond what the law requires.

“Working to popularize and normalize an expanded accessibility attitude both in the corporate world as well as amongst the public at large will be key to enacting meaningful change,” said McConchie. “Through our advocacy efforts, we believe that we can play a large role in helping to expand accessibility for the disabled, and in the end, help create greater communities throughout the country.”