Heather Steans
| Heather Steans | |
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| Member of the Illinois Senate from the 7th district |
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Assumed office February 10, 2008 |
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| Preceded by | Carol Ronen |
| Personal details | |
| Born |
May 8, 1963 Lake Forest, Illinois |
| Political party | Democratic |
| Spouse(s) | Leo Smith |
| Children | Ryan Smith, Sam Smith, Perfect Abigail Smith |
| Residence | Edgewater, Chicago, Illinois |
| Alma mater |
Princeton University (B.A.) Harvard University (M.P.P.) |
| Profession | Trustee, Steans Family Foundation |
Heather Steans (born May 8, 1963) is a Democratic member of the Illinois Senate, representing the 7th district. She was appointed after winning a special primary election that followed the mid-term resignation of her predecessor, Senator Carol Ronen. Steans and her husband, Leo, live in Chicago's Edgewater neighborhood and have three children.
Steans received her Bachelor of Arts degree with a major in Urban Studies from Princeton University. She earned a master's degree in Public Policy from Harvard University’s John F. Kennedy School of Government.
Steans is the former budget director of the Wisconsin Department of Industry, Labor, and Human Relations. She also worked as a strategic planner for the Chicago Public Schools and as a consultant at Ernst & Young.
In 2009, Steans introduced a gay marriage bill (SB 2468) which introduces civil marriages in Illinois and allows religious institutions the right to decline marrying same sex couples. SB 2468 states, “nothing in the Act should be construed to interfere or regulate any religious practice concerning marriage and no religion is required to solemnize a marriage to which it objects”. In 2013, Steans sponsored the gay marriage bill that was signed into law.Equality Illinois CEO Bernard Cherkasov called Steans “one of the General Assembly's most vocal and passionate supporters of full equality for LGBT people, including being the chief Senate sponsor of the marriage bill.”
Steans was the Chief Sponsor of IL Senate Bill 655 (SB685), which created new rules designed to improve care at nursing homes and prevent patient neglect and abuse. According to a press release by the Office of Governor Pat Quinn, “The new law remakes the system of admission to nursing homes, ensuring that only those in need of 24-hour skilled care are admitted...The law sets higher nursing home quality and staffing requirements, raises penalties for violations, and increases inspections and monitoring.”
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