Michael Hastings (politician)


Michael E. Hastings is a Democratic member of the Illinois Senate from the 19th Legislative District. The district includes all or parts of Lockport, New Lenox, Mokena, Orland Park, Tinley Park, Frankfort, Frankfort Square, Homer Glen, Joliet, Richton Park, University Park, Matteson, Homewood, Flossmoor, Park Forest, Olympia Fields, Country Club Hills, Hazel Crest, Markham, and Oak Forest.
Prior to his election as a State Senator, Hastings was an officer in the United States Army, businessman and a vice president of a school board.

Early life and education

Michael E. Hastings was born and raised in Orland Hills, Illinois as one of six children of Mary and Kyle Hastings. Hastings was an Illinois All-State Football offensive lineman in high school. He served as student government president of Victor J. Andrew High School, and then qualified for an appointment to the U.S. Military Academy at West Point.
Hastings earned his Bachelor of Science degree in leadership and management at West Point and played as an offensive lineman on Army's Division-I football team for four seasons, including the annual Army-Navy rivalry game in Washington D.C. Hastings graduated from West Point in 2003 and was commissioned as an officer in the U.S. Army. Hastings was at West Point when al-Qaida terrorists attacked the U.S. on September 11, 2001. He later served in Iraq, advanced to the rank of captain and served as aide-de-camp to the commanding general of the 1st Infantry Division. He earned a Bronze Star for meritorious service in a combat zone.
In 2008, Hastings joined Johnson & Johnson's Biosurgery sales division in Chicago serving hospitals, health care facilities and surgeons.
Hastings' public service career began with his election to the Board of Trustees for High School District 230 and then as vice president of the board. Hastings also served as co-chair of the district's finance and education committees. Hastings earned a master's degree in business administration with honors from the University of Illinois and a Juris Doctor degree from John Marshall Law School in Chicago.

Illinois Senate

Pension reform

Hastings sponsored Senate Bill 2591 to help combat the state's nearly $100 billion pension shortfall. The plan, created with help from the University of Illinois Institute for Government and Public Affairs, calls for workers at state colleges and universities to kick in an additional two percent to their pension funds. The increase would be phased in over a four-year period. Also under the plan, the three percent compound interest on cost-of-living-adjustments, or COLAs, would change to one-half of the inflation rate. Although the proposal involves the State Universities Retirement System, Glenn Poshard, President of Southern Illinois University, said it could "serve as an example for a more comprehensive pension reform plan."
Hastings also sponsored HB 4691 which provides that, upon creation of a new downstate police pension fund by referendum or census, the Illinois Municipal Retirement Fund shall transfer to the new pension fund the employee contributions for service as a police officer of the municipality that is creating the new pension fund, plus interest, and an amount representing employer contributions, equal to the total amount determined under item. Provides that the transfer shall terminate any further rights of such employees under IMRF that arise out of that service. House Bill 4691 was signed into law by Governor Pat Quinn on July 16, 2014.

South Suburban Airport

Hastings co-sponsored Senate Bill 20, which was signed into law by Governor Quinn on July 25, 2014. The act, co-sponsored by Hastings, dedicated funding to the development of a new airport in Peotone. The airport will be built by the Illinois Department of Transportation and operate in a public-private partnership, known as a "P3". "I made a commitment to the residents of the 19th District that I would look for new opportunities to create jobs and foster growth in the Southland," Hastings said. "
An excerpt from Hastings' speech on the Senate Floor: "It is our job as legislators to create policy to foster an economic environment to create jobs, good paying jobs to bring a quality of life that our people expect and deserve. But when you when you travel around the Chicago Southland area and you see the economic blight due to the downturn of our economy, you see our businesses closing and families out of work and struggling to make ends meet. That is why this legislation comes at the right time. The Chicago Southland is uniquely positioned geographic region for an airport. Not only is it one of the largest and fastest growing regions in the State of Illinois. But we have the convergence of major highways, proximity to rail hubs and the land available necessary to construct such an airport. The South Suburban Airport will initially help create close to 11,000 jobs for our skilled laborers in addition to providing the much needed direct and ancillary economic development to business that surround the community."

Committee assignments

Committee Assignments, 100th General Assembly

  • Energy and Public Utilities
  • Appropriations I
  • Appropriations II
  • Insurance
  • Judiciary
  • Veterans Affairs
  • Gaming
  • Subcommittee on Cybersecurity
  • Subcommittee on Tort Reform
  • Subcommittee on Business Entities
Committee Assignments, 99th General Assembly

  • Judiciary
  • Appropriations I
  • Appropriations II
  • Financial Institutions
  • Insurance
  • Subcommittee on Special Issues
  • State Government & Veterans Affairs
Committee Assignments, 98th General Assembly

  • Judiciary
  • Appropriations II
  • Financial Institutions
  • Insurance
  • Legislative Petitions
  • State Government & Veterans Affairs

Legislative & Community Service awards

Senator Hastings has received the following legislative and community service awards:

Military Awards and decorations