LOUISVILLE, Ky.— Illinois State Representative Marcus C. Evans, Jr. (D) has been named President-Elect of the National Conference of State Legislatures (NCSL), a bipartisan organization serving the nation's 7,386 state lawmakers and more than 30,000 legislative staff.
Rep. Evans, NCSL's Vice President, succeeds Utah President Pro Tempore Wayne Harper (R), who became NCSL president at this year's Legislative Summit in Louisville. NCSL alternates its leadership annually between the two major political parties. Evans will be named NCSL president at the 2025 Legislative Summit in Boston. Utah President Pro Tempore Wayne Harper (R) is NCSL's current president.
Rep. Evans has served in the Illinois Legislature since 2012, currently serving as both Assistant Majority Leader and Chairman of the Labor and Commerce Committee under House Speaker Emanuel "Chris" Welch. Evans is known to be a strong collaborator and a consensus-building leader. In his 12 years of service, Evans has worked on a variety of impactful legislative measures, as well as all legislation that influences working-class Illinois citizens.
Rep. Evans is an active member of NCSL, serving on its Executive Committee as well as the Task Force on State and Local Taxation, the Task Force on Energy Supply, among many others.
"The support NCSL gives our legislators and legislative staff is truly unparalleled. As NCSL's next President-Elect, I hope to continue guiding our lawmakers toward bipartisanship and collaboration," Rep. Evans stated. "With NCSL's guidance, our states are more aligned, not by party or state affiliation, but by a unified commitment to strengthening our communities and supporting the hardworking people in them."
A lifelong resident of the South Side of Chicago, Rep. Evans earned his Bachelor of Science Degree in Business Administration from Chicago State University. Outside of public service, Rep. Evans works as a licensed real estate appraiser and an Illinois High School Association licensed basketball official.
NCSL is a bipartisan organization that serves the legislators and staffs of the states, commonwealths and territories. It provides research, technical assistance and opportunities for policymakers to exchange ideas on the most pressing state issues and is an effective and respected advocate for the interests of the states in the American federal system.