Senator Dale Righter was appointed to the Illinois Senate in 2003. He previously served five years in the Illinois House of Representatives and was elected to a four-year term for the 55th District in November 2002.
Righter is currently the Deputy Republican Leader and Republican spokesperson for the Senate Health & Human Services Committee and as a member of the Financial Institutions and Transportation Committees.
He is also a member of the Legislative Audit Commission, the Senior Pharmaceutical Review Committee and the Council on Aging.
During his time in the Illinois General Assembly, Senator Righter has spearheaded legislative initiatives on a wide variety of issues, including economic development, school funding, health care and governmental accountability. Additionally, he sponsored legislation expanding newborn screening in Illinois to better utilize current medical advances for the health of infants and their families; measures to expand the Freedom of Information Act so taxpayers better know how their tax dollars are spent; and laws promoting the use of ethanol and other renewable fuels.
Righter was born and raised in Mattoon, Illinois. He attended Mattoon High School and Eastern Illinois University where he received a degree in accounting in 1988. Righter then attended Saint Louis University School of law, where he received his Juris Doctor in 1991. He is currently Of Counsel with a small law firm in Charleston and works as a part-time college instructor.
Locally, Righter is a member of the Broadway Christian Church, Peer Court Program of Mattoon, Peer Court Program of Mattoon, Elks Club Charleston Lodge, Mattoon YMCA, CHOICE of Mattoon, Ducks Unlimited, and Exchange Club of Mattoon. He also serves as Republican precinct committeeman in Mattoon and a member of the Republican Century Gold Club.
Senator Righter lives in Charleston and has two children.
