Dagmara Avelar

American politician

Dagmara "Dee" Avelar

Member of the Illinois House of Representatives from the 85th district
Incumbent
Assumed office January 13, 2021 (2021-January-13)
Preceded by	John Connor

Personal details
Born	Quito, Ecuador
Nationality	Ecuador
Political party	Democratic
Residence(s)	Bolingbrook, Illinois, U.S.
Alma mater	University of Illinois (MUP) Northeastern Illinois University (BA)
Occupation	Illinois State Representative
Website	https://www.ilga.gov/house/Rep.asp?MemberID=2999

Dagmara "Dee" Avelar is the Illinois State Representative for the 85th district. She has held the position since January 13, 2021. The 85th district, located in the Chicago area, covers all or parts of Bolingbrook, Crest Hill, Fairmont, Lemont, Lockport, Naperville, Romeoville, and Woodridge.^[1]

Avelar was elected to succeed outgoing State Representative John Connor, who had been elected to the Illinois Senate.

Early life, education, and career

Avelar was born in Quito, Ecuador and moved to Bolingbrook, Illinois with her parents when she was 12.^[2]^[3] She graduated from Bolingbrook High School in 2005.^[3] She earned a Bachelor of Arts in Justice Studies with a minor in Political Science from Northeastern Illinois University in 2010 and earned her Master's Degree in Urban Planning and Policy Candidate at the University of Illinois at Chicago.^[2]^[4] She has been an active community organizer since 2008. She previously worked at Instituto Del Progreso Latino "as an accredited representative with a focus on citizenship and DACA."^[2] As of 2020, she works at the Illinois Coalition for Immigrant and Refugee Rights as Director of Programs.^[4]

Illinois House of Representatives

Committees

Avelar currently serves on six House committees and one House subcommittee: the Appropriations-Public Safety committee; the Cybersecurity, Data Analytics, & IT committee; the Health Care Availability & Access committee; the Judiciary - Civil committee; the State Government Administration committee; the Transportation: Regulation, Roads committee; as well as the Family Law & Probate subcommittee.

Legislation

Several bills filed by Rep. Avelar have gone on to become law. These include an amendment to the Environmental Protection Act that requires groundwater monitoring at some construction sites,^[5] legislation that requires hospitals to proactively offer charity care options to uninsured patients,^[6] and a statute that requires insurance companies that issue group accident and health policies to offer these policies to local chambers of commerce.^[7]

Electoral history

Illinois 85th State House District Democratic Primary, 2020^[8]
Party		Candidate	Votes	%
	Democratic	Dagmara "Dee" Avelar	10,658	100.0
Total votes			10,658	100.0

Illinois 85th State House District General Election, 2020^[9]
Party		Candidate	Votes	%
	Democratic	Dagmara "Dee" Avelar	26,560	59.00
	Republican	Ron Doweidt	16,129	35.83
	Green	Anna Schiefelbein	2,326	5.17
Total votes			45,015	100.0

Personal life

Avelar resides in Bolingbrook, Illinois.^[3] She became a naturalized US citizen in April 2016.^[2]

References

^ "STATE LEGISLATIVE DISTRICT REFERENCE MAP: State House District 85 (Illinois)" (PDF). United States Census Bureau. 2013-05-19. Retrieved 2021-03-08.
^ ^a ^b ^c ^d "About". Dagmara "Dee" Avelar for State Representative. Retrieved 2021-03-08.
^ ^a ^b ^c Ward, Joe (October 31, 2019). "Bolingbrook Woman To Run For State Representative". Patch.com. Retrieved March 8, 2021.
^ ^a ^b "Dagmara 'Dee' Avelar, Illinois House 85th District Democratic nominee profile". Chicago Sun-Times. September 7, 2020. Retrieved March 8, 2021.
^ "Bill Status of HB0653". ilga.gov. Illinois General Assembly. Retrieved 3 March 2022.
^ "Bill Status of HB3803". ilga.gov. Illinois General Assembly. Retrieved 3 March 2022.
^ "Bill Status of HB3598". ilga.gov. Illinois General Assembly. Retrieved 3 March 2022.
^ "Election Results 2020 GENERAL PRIMARY". Illinois State Board of Elections. Retrieved 2021-03-08.^{[permanent dead link]}
^ "Election Results 2020 GENERAL ELECTION". Illinois State Board of Elections. Retrieved 2021-03-08.^{[permanent dead link]}