representative manley in the news

Springfield, Ill. – In an ongoing commitment to raise awareness about neurodiversity, State Representative Natalie Manley, D-Joliet, is shining a light on a rare disorder, Jacobsen Syndrome, through the story of 2-year-old Bralynn Powell, of Lincoln, IL. Bralynn may be the only person in Illinois with this syndrome. Though Bralynn is considered profoundly disabled, she is “the embodiment of joy,” said her mother, Taylor Guy. “She cannot tell me if she’s sick, if she’s in pai

JOLIET, Ill. – State Representative Natalie Manley, D-Joliet, along with State Senator Meg Loughran Cappel, D-Shorewood, will host a press conference Wednesday, March 25, at 9 a.m. for the Illinois Legislative Neurodiversity Caucus (ILNC), with co-chairs State Representative Nicole La Ha, R-Lemont, and State Senator Seth Lewis, R-Bartett. It will be held in the blue room, located in the basement of the Illinois State Capital building. The ILNC is a bipartisan, bicameral, fi

JOLIET, Ill. – State Representative Natalie Manley, D-Joliet, is spreading awareness of a “Creating Peace: Networking for Nonviolence” event Saturday, Feb. 28, 2026, presented by the Non Violent Cities Project - Joliet. The event will be held at the Joliet Township Building, 175 W. Jefferson St., Joliet, in the second floor community room from 2-4pm. The focus is to bring individuals and groups together in Joliet and throughout Will County in an effort to bring a more peacef

SPRINGFIELD, Ill. – State Rep. Natalie Manley, D-Joliet, issued the following statement Wednesday after the governor’s annual Budget Address: “Now more than ever we need a responsible and compassionate budget plan that funds critical services to help families make ends meet and everyday life more affordable. “The governor’s outline touches on many topics I’ve heard from my constituents. They expect us to prioritize education, child care, health care, public safety, reliabl

ROMEOVILLE, Ill. – State Representative Natalie Manley, D-Joliet, is partnering with the American Red Cross and local legislators to host an annual blood drive in recognition of International Women's Day. This year, Rep. Manley is asking donors from diverse ethnicities in an effort to address the urgent need for compatible matches for those who have rare blood types, especially people with Sickle Cell Disease. The blood drive is scheduled for Monday, March 9, from 9am to 2pm

JOLIET, Ill. – State Rep. Natalie Manley, D-Joliet, continues to bring the voices of women from her district to Springfield, through her membership in the Illinois House Democrats’ Women’s Caucus, as it reconvened for the new session earlier this week. Locally, Rep. Manley hosts a reoccurring forum for constituents to engage directly with lawmakers and share their insights for future policy development, called the Women’s Legislative Advisory Committee (WLAC). State Represen

JOLIET, Ill. – As part of a series of initiatives, State Representative Natalie Manley, D-Joliet, again met with a collaboration of community members, including Birth to Five Illinois, to discuss early childhood education, and early intervention. Senator Meg Loughran Cappel, D-Shorewood, is also part of the collaboration meetings. Both Rep. Manley and Senator Cappel are co-chairs of the newly formed Illinois Legislative Neurodiversity Caucus. Early intervention (EI) refers

JOLIET, Ill. – State Representative Natalie Manley, D-Joliet, hosted the inaugural meeting of the bicameral, bipartisan Illinois Legislative Neurodiversity Caucus (ILNC) Monday -- the first of its kind in Illinois history. Over 90 legislators from across the state and community leaders participated. Additionally, Joliet Junior College President Clyne Namuo spoke from an auditorium filled with an additional 75 educators and students during the caucus via Zoom. Senator Meg Lo

JOLIET, Ill. – A new climate-smart law will provide Illinoisans immediate and long-term utility bill relief by bringing down energy costs, thanks to legislation supported by state Rep. Natalie Manley, D-Joliet. Gov. JB Printzker signed the bill into law at Joliet Junior College Thursday. “This energy package is about making everyday life more affordable for Illinois families. With energy prices higher than ever, no one should have to choose between heat or groceries,” said Re