Patrick Joyce (politician)
Patrick J. Joyce is a Democratic member of the Illinois Senate from the 40th district since November 8, 2019. The 40th district, located partly in the Chicago area, includes all or parts of Bourbonnais, Bradley, Chicago Heights, Coal City, Essex, Flossmoor, Frankfort, Glenwood, Hazel Crest, Homewood, Joliet, Kankakee, Manhattan, Matteson, Mokena, Monee, New Lenox, Park Forest, Richton Park, Steger, University Park, and Wilmington. Joyce was appointed to the district on November 8, 2019 after former State Senator Toi Hutchinson resigned to become the new Illinois Cannabis Regulation Oversight Officer. Early life, education, and career. Joyce was raised  in Reddick, Illinois. He graduated from Illinois State University with a B.A. in Agribusiness. He is a fourth generation farmer and for 25 years has owned and operated his family farm. For 19 years he has been a member of the Kankakee County Farm Bureau Board of Directors. Illinois State Senator. For the 101st General Assembly, Joyce is serving on the following committees: Public Health, Opioid Crisis Abatement Spec. Com., Committee of the Whole, Agriculture, Energy and Public Utilities, Labor, and Local Government. Personal life. Joyce is married and has three children. He currently lives in Essex, Illinois. He lost  his daughter, Katelyn, to leukemia in 2011. Since her passing, Joyce has "led a team of friends and family members to raise money at the Leukemia and Lymphoma Society’s Light the Night fundraiser in Katelyn’s memory."