Rep. Ann Williams recently joined the Improving Our Laws podcast with Dan Johnson and Tom
Suffredin to discuss her experiences as a legislative leader, the fight for climate action, and the
role of lobbyists in the legislative process.
“Environmentally focused legislators have such a great team of advocates we can rely on,” Rep.
Williams said of environmental advocates in Illinois. These grassroots activists, Williams said,
played a key role in the development and eventually passage of the Climate and Equitable Jobs
Act, which was signed into law in 2021. “CEJA showed us that we can have both- we can have
jobs, we can have economic development, and we can be responsible with the environment,”
Williams added.
Rep. Williams also discussed the importance of emphasizing equity in climate policy, noting that
poor communities and communities of color have been disproportionately affected by climate
change. Taking an equity-focused approach to climate policy, Williams said, both addresses
these historical wrongs and creates jobs and wealth in these communities today.
As Chair of the Energy and Environment Committee, Rep. Williams has been a consistent
leader in the Illinois House as the State works to combat and mitigate the effects of climate
change. Thanks to her leadership and the cooperation of the many other
environmentally-focused legislators in the House, Williams said, “we’re well on our way to a
renewable energy future in Illinois.”
For the full podcast, please visit https://www.spreaker.com/user/16971373/ann-williams_1