Rep.
Cynthia Soto
(D-Chicago)
4th District
District
Office
1341 W. Grand Ave.
Chicago, IL 60642
(773) 252-0402
(312) 829-3707 (fax)
Capitol
Office
288-S Stratton
Building
Springfield, IL 62706
(217) 782-0150
(217) 557-7210 (fax)
E-mail: staterepsoto@sbcglobal.net
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"It is an honor and a privilege to serve as your State Representative in Springfield. Since taking office, I have had the opportunity to meet many of my constituents to talk about the needs of our community. As your voice at the State Capitol, I take my responsibility to see that our community is well represented very seriously." -Cynthia Soto |
In the News Publications Bill
Sponsorships Committees District
Profile & Map*Bill
sponsorship and committee information courtesy of the Legislative Information
System
Biography Representative Cynthia Soto, who is now serving her fourth term, utilizes her professional experience and
community involvement to represent the people of the 4th District. In
her first term as state legislator she sponsored several important pieces
of legislation reflecting her commitment to working families, quality
health care, better schools, and safer neighborhoods. A vocal advocate of working men and women in Illinois, Soto was the chief
sponsor of the Living Wage Act. The Living Wage Act proposes that employees
working for companies that receive state contracts receive fair wages
of at least $8.20/hr. Representative Soto made history in her first year
as a legislator by guiding this bill through Illinois House of Representatives
-- the first Living Wage legislative victory in the nation. Although the
measure stalled in the Senate, Soto will continue to make the Living Wage
Act her first legislative priority in upcoming sessions. Soto also sponsored a critical measure designed to assist working families
in Illinois. A landmark health care initiative, Family Care, would provide
health insurance to the working parents of children eligible for the KidCare
program. The measure would benefit up to 200,000 working parents who do
not currently qualify for Medicaid, and cannot afford private insurance. Soto is also recognized for her hard work in improving health care for
women. She sponsored a new law that extends Medicaid coverage to low-income
women for the treatment of breast or cervical cancer. As Chairwoman of the Teenage Pregnancy Prevention Taskforce, Soto convened
several hearings to study the alarming rate of teenage pregnancies among
Latinos. Unsatisfied with the limited amount of time given to the Task
Force to make recommendations, Soto extended the report date to extend
the investigation. Through her work as a supervisor in the Cook County State's Attorney's
Child Support Enforcement Division, Soto understands the importance of
timely child support payments made in full. Soto led the fight in Springfield
to pass legislation ensuring parents do not hide from their responsibility
to pay child support. In an effort to alleviate teacher shortages, Soto sponsored a bill that
would award 1,000 scholarships to new teachers. Soto believes these scholarships
would provide students with educational opportunities and equip schools
with more qualified teachers. Soto continues to grant General Assembly
scholarships to assist students in her district with the financial responsibility
of a college education. Applications for the General Assembly Scholarship
Program are available in her constituent service office. Back in her district, Rep. Soto and State Sen. Delgado have
sponsored citizenship and immigration workshops to offer bilingual educational,
social, and professional assistance to residents new in the community.
Together, they have hosted senior citizen health fairs and distributed
valuable health and social service information and referrals. Recognizing
the need for economic and business development in their district, Soto
and former Sen. del Valle, in conjunction with the Puerto Rican Chamber of Commerce,
hosted a Construction Opportunities Conference in which members of the
community were invited to learn about job opportunities with the Soldier
Field Renovation. In addition to serving as a legislator, Soto remains active in her community
on Chicago's Near North side. She is a board member of the Near North
Civic Committee, an organization that provides after-school programs for
youth, Boys and Girls Scouts, and mentoring services. In addition, she
is a member of the local chapter of the Community Alternative Police Strategy
(CAPS) program and the Illinois Family Support Enforcement Association. Soto attended James Otis Elementary School in West Town and St. Procopius
High School and began her professional career working as a clerk in the
Cook County State's Attorney's Office. Cynthia and her husband, David,
have lived on Chicago's Near North Side for over thirty years. They have
three daughters. The 4th District includes the communities of Logan Square, Humboldt Park,
Wicker Park, Bucktown, West Town, East Village, Hermosa, and Ukrainian Village.
