Tim Bivins (born March 7, 1952) was a
Republican
Republican can refer to:
Political ideology
* An advocate of a republic, a type of government that is not a monarchy or dictatorship, and is usually associated with the rule of law.
** Republicanism, the ideology in support of republics or agains ...
member of the
Illinois Senate
The Illinois Senate is the Upper house, upper chamber of the Illinois General Assembly, the legislative branch of the government of the U.S. state, State of Illinois in the United States. The body was created by the first state constitution adop ...
representing the 45th district from 2008 to 2018.
Prior to his 2008 appointment to the Illinois Senate, Bivins served for two decades as the
Lee County Sheriff.
Early life, education and career
Bivins previously served as sheriff of Lee County, Illinois, which includes
Dixon. He was elected sheriff in 1986 succeeding fellow Republican Raymond Edward Nehring as Sheriff. He served until 2006, retiring as Lee County's longest serving sheriff. He served on security details for President
Ronald Reagan
Ronald Wilson Reagan ( ; February 6, 1911June 5, 2004) was an American politician, actor, and union leader who served as the 40th president of the United States from 1981 to 1989. He also served as the 33rd governor of California from 1967 ...
, Vice President
George H. Bush, Vice President
Dan Quayle
James Danforth Quayle (; born February 4, 1947) is an American politician who served as the 44th vice president of the United States from 1989 to 1993 under President George H. W. Bush. A member of the Republican Party (United States), Republic ...
, House Speaker
J. Dennis Hastert
John Dennis Hastert (; born January 2, 1942) is an American former politician and convicted felon who represented from 1987 to 2007 and served as the List of speakers of the United States House of Representatives, 51st speaker of the United Sta ...
, Governor
Jim Edgar
James Edgar (born July 22, 1946) is an American politician who was the 38th governor of Illinois from 1991 to 1999. Previously he served as a member of the Illinois House of Representatives from 1976 to 1979 and as Illinois Secretary of State ...
, Governor
Jim Thompson, Governor
George Ryan
George Homer Ryan (born February 24, 1934) is an American former politician and member of the Republican Party who served as the 39th governor of Illinois from 1999 to 2003.
Elected in 1998, Ryan received national attention for his 1999 mor ...
, and United States Senator
Peter Fitzgerald. During his tenure as Sheriff, Tim served as President of the Illinois Sheriffs’ Association. Speaker Hastert named him to the Department of Justice Medal of Valor Review Board, an advisory group to President George Bush. Tim also served on the Illinois Juvenile Justice Commission, having been appointed by then-Governor Jim Edgar.
Illinois Senate
On October 6, 2007, Republican incumbent
Todd Sieben
Todd Sieben (born July 11, 1945) was a Republican member of the Illinois Senate who represented northwestern Illinois from 1993 until his resignation in March 2008.
Sieben was born in Geneseo, Illinois on July 11, 1945. He attended Western Illi ...
announced that he would not run for reelection in the 2008 general election. After Bivins filed to run in the Republican primary, Sieben resigned from the
Illinois Senate
The Illinois Senate is the Upper house, upper chamber of the Illinois General Assembly, the legislative branch of the government of the U.S. state, State of Illinois in the United States. The body was created by the first state constitution adop ...
effective March 6, 2008. The next day, local Republican leaders appointed Bivins to the vacancy created in the 45th Legislative District. Upon his swearing in, Minority Leader
Frank Watson assigned Bivins to the following committees: Agriculture and Conservation, Licensed Activities, Commerce and Economic Development, State Government and Veterans Affairs. Bivins was named the Minority Spokesperson for the Committee on State Government and Veterans Affairs.
Four of five bills sponsored by Senator Bivins in his first legislative session – covering ethics, local schools, county jails and law enforcement – were passed by lawmakers. The 45th District Senator also finished the fiscal year with money to spare in his legislative account – which he returned to the state’s coffers. During the fall of 2008, he sponsored a number of public hearings in northwestern Illinois about the closing of state parks and historic sites by former Governor
Rod Blagojevich
Rod Blagojevich ( , born December 10, 1956), often referred to by his nicknames "Blago" or "B-Rod", is an American former politician, political commentator, and convicted felon who served as the 40th governor of Illinois from 2003 to 2009, when ...
.
Bivins served as an Illinois Co-Chair for the
2016 presidential campaign
This national electoral calendar for 2016 lists the national/federal elections held in 2016 in all sovereign states and their dependent territories. By-elections are excluded, though national referendums are included.
January
*7 January: Kir ...
of Senator
Ted Cruz
Rafael Edward "Ted" Cruz (; born December 22, 1970) is an American politician and attorney serving as the junior United States Senator from Texas since 2013. A member of the Republican Party, Cruz served as Solicitor General of Texas from ...
.
On June 12, 2017, Bivins announced he would not seek another term. Brian Stewart was elected on November 6, 2018, to Bivins' seat representing the 45th district of the state of Illinois. Stewart took office on December 5, 2018.
Personal life
Bivins and his wife, Terri, have two children.
References
External links
Biography, bills and committeesat the Illinois General Assembly
**By session
98th97th96th95th*
{{DEFAULTSORT:Bivins, Tim
1951 births
Living people
Illinois sheriffs
People from Dixon, Illinois
Republican Party Illinois state senators
21st-century American politicians