Carol Ammons

Carol Ammons is a Democratic member of the Illinois House of Representatives representing the 103rd District, which covers most of the Champaign-Urbana metropolitan area in Champaign County. She is the first African-American woman elected to represent the 103rd District.

Ammons is described as a career activist dedicated to fighting for equality and justice. She has brought her grassroots activism experience into elected office, serving as an independent-minded Democrat working on behalf of the citizens of Champaign-Urbana.

Political Experience

Ammons was first elected to the Illinois House in 2014 and is currently serving her sixth term. She brings a combined fifteen years of service in elected office at the county, city, and state levels.

Leadership Roles:
- Chairperson of the House Democratic Conference
- Chair of the Energy and Environment Committee
- Joint Chair of the Illinois Legislative Black Caucus
- Founding member of the Illinois Progressive Caucus
- Former chair of Small Business, Tech and Entrepreneurship

Committee Memberships: Higher Education, Counties & Townships, Appropriations-Higher Education, Energy & Environment, Ethics & Elections, and Economic Opportunity & Equity

Notable Achievements

Ammons has focused her legislative work on criminal justice reform, economic equity, environmental protection, and education accessibility. Key accomplishments include:

• Eliminating cash bail in Illinois
• Legalizing marijuana in the state
• Decriminalizing AIDS in Illinois
• Banning the use of chokeholds
• Codifying abortion rights in Illinois
• Protecting critical drinking water sources, including the Mahomet Aquifer, from underground pollution
• Sponsoring the We Charge Genocide resolution , which urges the United Nations to address historical racism against Black Americans
• Leading the DNA Pilot Project , providing free DNA testing to African Americans in Illinois to address genealogical records lost due to enslavement
• Championing efforts to return the Benin Bronzes to the Benin Kingdom

She has successfully passed 60 bills into law during her tenure.