After 22 years of service in the Illinois General Assembly, state Sen. Jeff Schoenberg (D-Evanston) announced in a news conference Tuesday that he will not seek reelection.

“While I take very seriously my responsibility to my constituents on the North Shore and to the taxpayers of this state, I also know that my position in the state Senate is only one point of entry into public service,” Schoenberg said at the news conference in Springfield. “What motivates me professionally is improving the lives of children and families – especially in our most vulnerable communities.”

Schoenberg, who currently serves as the Assembly’s assistant majority leader, said he will assume an expanded full-time role advising J.B. and M.K. Pritzker and their family philanthropy on initiatives involving early childhood development.

“In order to fully take advantage of this unusual moment, I simply need to dedicate myself with a singular professional approach to lead this work in a way that will require more focus, flexibility and consistency than the responsibilities my two full-time careers currently allow,” Schoenberg said at the news conference.

In 1990, Schoenberg began his political career at age 30 in the Illinois House of Representatives, serving six terms before being elected to the Illinois Senate in 2003.

During his tenure, he worked to reform policies of the Illinois Toll Highway Authority and state purchasing laws, according to a news release issued by his office Tuesday. The state senator also advocated Illinois becoming a pioneer in stem cell research, the news release said.

Schoenberg also serves as co-chair of the legislature’s Commission on Government Forecasting and Accountability and is a member of the Senate Executive, Financial Institutions, Public Health and Appropriations I and II committees.

– Kimberly Railey