In his words
What Jeff Keicher said
Dated, attributed, and linked. His floor statements are quoted from the official Illinois House transcript and from the news outlets that covered the debate. Nothing here is paraphrased into an accusation.
“I feel I have a conflict of interest if I even consider voting ‘yes.’”
Explaining his vote against SB 1486, Keicher — a State Farm agent — told the House he would vote no 'because I feel I have a conflict of interest if I even consider voting ‘yes.’' Rather than voting 'present,' the course the House reserves for a declared conflict, he cast a no vote against the rate-review bill and asked for a verification. The next member to speak rose to say that when a financial relationship creates a conflict, 'voting ‘present’ is not avoiding responsibility.'
Illinois House Transcript, 81st Legislative Day, Mar 19 2026 (p. 38)
“We're taking a step today that … is going to take an anticonsumer tilt.”
Arguing on the House floor against SB 1486 — the bill to let the state review excessive insurance rates — Keicher, a State Farm agent, said the measure 'is going to take an anticonsumer tilt because it will introduce a sense of uncertainty in the marketplace.' He voted no.
Illinois House Transcript, 81st Legislative Day, Mar 19 2026 (pp. 37–38)
Blamed premiums on “storm chasers” and “lawsuits filed for dubious reasons” — not insurers
Arguing against SB 1486, Keicher attributed rising homeowners premiums to weather, to 'storm chasers [who] infiltrate our communities following the disasters' and are 'driving additional insurance claims and additional costs,' and to 'lawsuits filed for dubious reasons that continue to drive costs.' He did not fault insurers for the increases, and voted no.
Illinois House Transcript, 81st Legislative Day, Mar 19 2026 (pp. 37–38)
"Every single one of your constituents who has a homeowner's policy will pay extra."
Arguing against the homeowners rate-review bill on the House floor, Keicher said it would 'turn the industry on its head' and that 'every single one of your constituents who has a homeowner's policy will pay extra because of the uncertainty that it creates,' according to Capitol News Illinois.
Each quotation links to its source — the Illinois General Assembly's verbatim floor transcript, or the outlet that reported it.