Macon Reporter

Veteran state Rep. Brad Halbrook (R-Shelbyville) is being saluted for what comes natural to him.

“Our local small businesses are the life’s blood of our communities,” Halbrook said after recently being named a Champion of Free Enterprise Award winner. “Supporting them supports our families, our schools and all of the local services we depend upon every day.”

Sponsored by the Illinois Chamber of Commerce, the award recognizes legislators “who have made special contributions to the defense of free enterprise and the furtherance of economic opportunities for Illinoisans.”

Award organizers rated the records of all members of the 101st General Assembly based on their voting histories on key business legislation as determined by staff and the Illinois Chamber’s Government Affairs Committee. The awards are presented every two years to members with ratings topping 85% or better over the previous two General Assemblies that have also demonstrated a commitment to legislation that champions the entrepreneurial spirit.

“Rep. Halbrook is a consistent conservative who always sticks to his principals,” Illinois Chamber President and CEO Todd Maisch said. “He is pro-business in his district and in the statehouse and we are happy to give him this award honoring his commitment to free enterprise and the business in Illinois.”

Now in his third year in Springfield representing the 102nd District, Halbrook sits on the House Appropriations-General Service Committee, State Government Administration Committee, and the Cities & Villages Committee. He is slated to take on Democrat Mitchell Esslinger in November’s General Election.

Throughout much of his tenure, Halbrook has turned heads by filing legislation that would make Chicago a separate state. Back in February, he acknowledged the one-year anniversary of his initial filing.

“My thoughts are, marking the one-year anniversary, this movement continues to gain momentum and nationwide attention,” he told the Macon Reporter. “It’s a movement that’s still very much alive and people are still really engaged.”