SPRINGFIELD, IL – There’s been three cases, just three, of Sen. Doris Turner, D-Springfield, coming back to the Springfield City Council horseshoe after she’s left.
One was for a meeting, one was to pay for a parking ticket and one on Aug. 5, to be present for her appointment to the Illinois Mid-Medical District Commission.
The senator was appointed to the Mid-Illinois Medical District Commission in a sweeping vote of eight to zero from the debate agenda.
Ward 4 Ald. Larry Rockford and Ward 5 Ald. Lakeisha Purchase were not present for the meeting.
Turner has always been a keen supporter of the medical industry and its uses to better people’s lives through facets not normally associated with public health.
Housing is one of them.
“We have to look at healthcare from beginning to end and we have a unique opportunity from beginning to end,” Turner said, making reference to Springfield’s world-class healthcare facilities and healthcare research. “I’m really excited to see what we can do around housing and what we can be doing. … I’m ready, willing and able to work on the best ideas.”
Turner, who in her past sat at the horseshoe for Ward 3 before becoming a member of the Illinois Senate in 2021 representing the 48th Legislative District, has previously worked for the Illinois Department of Public Health for over two decades, and working for the state for over 33 years.
“My work with the Illinois Department of Public Health and locally with the Board of Health I just continuing to do that we have a unique opportunity,” Sen. Turner said. “We need to really beget how to pull those resources together. The medical district has an opportunity to economic development in the community.”
In May of this year, Turner championed a bill that would expand the Bank of Springfield Center along with expanding and renaming the Mid-Illinois Medical District in Springfield.
On May 26, Sen. Doris Turner, D-Springfield, filed an amendment to include the Capital Area Tourism Authority Act with the Mid Illinois Medical District Bill, which passed through the Senate 38-19 on May 31, but did not see daylight in the house. With her new appointment to the commission, the senator is fired up to see in veto session the sponsored bill pass.
“The issue was not the votes,” Turner said. “We had the votes. The issue was the timing and the whole bears thing took up all the oxygen in the room. I feel really good about it getting it done in veto.”
The bill seeks to expand the scope of the medical district (literally, to 11th Street and North Grand) and to provide more economic development to include research, innovation and housing in addition to healthcare facilities currently covered.
The Capital City Downtown Medical commission would oversee construction for these economic developments and have master plans be delivered to Springfield’s city council, which would not have to approve what the commission does.
“One of those pieces was the expansion was of the medical district and having that expansion would put all of Springfield’s medical entities in the medical district which would be a great opportunity,” Turner said. “We’re also talking about the nursing school here … all of those entities that do on the ground medical assistance and that sort of things.”
The idea of tying together all the different medical entities could encourage more students to come to Springfield and stay in the capital, creating a moving ball that keeps rolling via education.
Claire Grant writes about business, growth and development and other news topics for The State Journal-Register. She can be reached at CLGrant@usatodayco.com; and on X (Formerly known as Twitter): @Claire_Granted
This article originally appeared on State Journal-Register: Sen. Doris Turner joins medical district commission
Reporting by Claire Grant, Springfield State Journal-Register / State Journal-Register
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By Claire Grant, Springfield State Journal-Register | USA TODAY Network
