» Hear from Haas: July 2026

Hello everyone!

Welcome to my July 2026 Hear from Haas E-Newsletter.

My team and I have been hard at work throughout the district this summer! It has been great to spend more time back home meeting with constituents and hearing directly about the issues that matter most to our community.

We have been hosting traveling office hours, organizing our school supply drive, and continuing our annual Summer Reading Program. We also recently partnered with Kankakee County Animal Control for our Pet Adoption Event, and I appreciate everyone who came out to this fun event! Be sure to check out the events and updates below to see what my office has coming up over the next few weeks.

As always, please reach out to my office at any time! You can contact us via email at [email protected] or by phone at 815-523-7779. We are here to serve you!

Rep. Haas Responds to Multiple House Democrat Ethics Scandals

Unfortunately, the Illinois General Assembly is once again making headlines for all the wrong reasons. In the past few weeks, we’ve learned about multiple ethics scandals involving Democratic House members.

First, Former State Representative Harry Benton was found by the Legislative Inspector General to have engaged in “clear patterns of conduct” that were “outrageous, unethical, and unbecoming of a member of the Illinois House” following a sexual harassment investigation. A subsequent Chicago Tribune report also raised serious questions about how House Speaker Chris Welch failed to respond to these concerning allegations, noting that his office was aware of complaints for over three years before acting.

In a separate incident, State Representative Carol Ammons was indicted on multiple federal charges, including wire fraud, pandemic and unemployment fraud, making false statements, and obstruction.

All of these ethics scandals are wholly unbecoming of public servants, and I will continue to condemn these actions in the highest terms. They are also a reminder that the Illinois government needs stronger ethics laws. House Republicans have introduced dozens of ethics reform bills, yet they continue to be sidelined by House Democrats. Illinois families deserve a government they can trust, and I will continue advocating for meaningful ethics reforms in Springfield.

Shred Event – Monee

Join my office for an upcoming shred event on Saturday, August 8th, from 9:00 AM to 11:00 AM! The event will be held at the Monee Parks and Recreation Building, located at 5130 W. Court Street in Monee.

Participants should follow all directions when entering the parking lot. This is a drive-up event, but participants may exit their vehicles to watch the shredding. Only residential paper documents without paper clips will be accepted. Limit 2 banker boxes per vehicle.

Summer Reading Program

My office is proud to offer our sixth annual summer reading program this year! Students from Kindergarten to 5th grade can participate by reading ten or more books before August 14th, 2026. Books over 150 pages count as two books. All students who complete their summer reading will receive an invitation to an ice cream party and a certificate ceremony in late summer!

This program is a great way to encourage kids to remain active readers during the summer months, which is critical to ensuring a smooth transition back to school in the fall. I invite all interested students to participate and join our celebration for their achievements in late summer!

Once a student completes their reading, they can fill out their form and have their parents verify the information. Online forms can be completed by clicking here or visiting RepHaas.com. Paper forms are available at my district office, located at 187 S Schuyler Avenue, Suite 110, in Kankakee.

June Local Business Spotlight: Proclamation Flowers

For my June Local Business Spotlight, I am pleased to recognize Proclamation Flowers in Wilmington. For the past decade, Katie and Chris Francis have built a business that provides beautiful, locally grown flowers while creating unique experiences for visitors.

Proclamation Flowers was founded in 2016 after Katie and Chris Francis moved to Wilmington, where Chris was raised. Looking for a way to spend more time outdoors, they converted a sheep pasture on the Francis family farm into a flower field and began selling flowers at local farmers’ markets. During the COVID-19 pandemic, they expanded their business to include on-farm you-pick events and wedding florals.

Today, the flower field has grown to five times its original size, and they have provided flowers for more than 200 weddings. In addition to growing flowers, Proclamation Flowers offers visitors a variety of experiences, including yoga in the flower field and photography sessions throughout the season.

I want to commend Katie and Chris for their commitment to preserving their family’s farming tradition. Their hard work and investment in the community have made Proclamation Flowers a valued part of Wilmington and the surrounding area, and I am honored to recognize them this month.

Do you have a favorite local business in the 79th District that you want to recognize? Nominate them to receive my office’s monthly local business spotlight award! You can get started by filling out this form with the business’s name and why you believe they are a standout local business.

OSLAD Grant Applications Open!

Open Space Land Acquisition and Development grants help local governments acquire land and develop public parks and outdoor recreation areas. Applications for the grants are open now through August 31!

Learn more here.

Around the District & Under the Dome

Monee Senior Fair

My office attended the annual Monee Senior Fair! This is always a great opportunity for my office to meet with constituents and explain more about the services we offer. Thank you to everyone who stopped by!

Job Fair

Thank you to everyone who came out to our sixth annual Job Fair! It was our biggest fair yet with over 40 employers and 280 job seekers. It’s always such a pleasure to host this event that benefits both constituents and local employers.

Kankakee County Economic Alliance Meeting

My team attended the recent Kankakee County Economic Alliance meeting to hear updates on projects and initiatives taking place across the region. Thank you to everyone who participated and shared their insights.

MCA Intergenerational Butterfly Garden Dedication & Butterfly Release

MCA held a wonderful Intergenerational Butterfly Garden Dedication & Butterfly Release at Bird Park, which my staff attended while I was at the JCAR meeting in Chicago. This is a beautiful and meaningful addition to our community that brings us closer to a dementia-friendly Kankakee County!

Bradley Senior Fair

Thank you to State’s Attorney Jim Rowe for hosting another great senior fair in Bradley! I had the opportunity to speak with constituents about the services my office offers and hear more about their concerns in the district.

Prescribed Burn Meeting

I recently attended a prescribed burn association interest meeting hosted by Bourbonnais Township Park District, the US Fish and Wildlife Service, Pheasants Forever, Quail Forever, and Field and Feather Habitat Solution. We discussed the benefits that prescribed burning brings to habitat management and prairie restoration. Thank you for the invitation to this important discussion!

Mobile DMV

Thank you to everyone who stopped by our Mobile DMV event! These events are a great way to bring important services closer to our community. I appreciate the Illinois Secretary of State’s office for partnering with us.

Yuriria’s Kitchen Ribbon Cutting

I was honored to attend the ribbon-cutting for Yuriria’s Kitchen. Congratulations on your grand opening and this exciting new chapter!

Monee Health Resource Fair

My office was happy to attend the Monee Health Resource Fair! This fair is a great community resource. Thanks to all who helped put it together!

Visit to Georgie’s Closet

Thank you for allowing me the opportunity to spend my evening with the Georgie’s Closet family! You all are doing such wonderful work! ❤️

Quik Trip Kankakee Groundbreaking

After years of planning, the Quik Trip in Kankakee is moving forward! While I wasn’t able to attend the groundbreaking on this project, my staff was happy to represent our office at this event. Looking forward to seeing the finished project and the positive impact it will have on our community!

Nicor Gas Community Connection Resource Fair

Thanks to Nicor Gas for welcoming my office as partners at their Community Connection Resource Fair in Kankakee! Alongside our other partners, we served over 230 families by providing them with information on programs and services. We also distributed over 5,000 pounds of food to those facing food insecurity in our community!

Museum Pass

Looking to visit one of Chicago’s world-class museums for free? Utilize my office’s Museum Resource Card Request Form to request your card for up to four (4) people.

Submissions must be completed at least three days in advance of the date being requested. Click here to access the form.

Mark Your Calendar!

📌 July 30 – Park Forest Office Hours

Park Forest Public Library | 400 Lakewood Blvd. | 10 AM – 1 PM

📌 August 8 – Shred Event

Monee Parks & Recreation Office | 5130 W. Court Street | 9 AM – 11 AM

📌 August 12 – Monee Office Hours

Monee Parks & Recreation Office | 5130 W. Court Street | 9 AM – 12 PM

📌 August 26 – Monee Office Hours