Nicole Trottie

Government/External Affairs

I’m a government and external relations professional, and co-founder of accredited weekly newspapers serving the IL 7th and 8th Legislative Districts.

I have nurtured a vast and enduring bipartisan portfolio over the last 15 years, resulting in favorable outcomes for corporations, trade associations, and public interests groups.

Public Policy

In my role as Managing Principal and Government Affairs at West Suburban Journal, I worked in a bipartisan manner to shape public policy, proposing a new law on public notice that became House Bill 5176.  I achieved passage of the amendment by identifying a sponsor(s) for the bill, Rep. Joe Sosnowski (R), 69th District, Rockford, and Sen. John Mulroe (D), 10th District, meticulously drafting the language, and influencing bipartisan support.  The bill was assigned to the Senate Judiciary Committee, where it passed, then to the House, and was signed into law by the governor.

CHICAGO | Governor Bruce Rauner signed legislation on Friday, strengthening public notice law for Illinois residents and local newspapers throughout Illinois with respect to legally-required notices concerning real estate.  The legislation, House Bill 5176, was sponsored by State Representative Joe Sosnowski (R), 69th District, Rockford. Prior to the passage of this new law, Cook County was treated differently from the rest of the state under provisions governing the publication of property-related legal notices.

Public Affairs Campaigns

My advocacy and government affairs work have prompted legislation and policy reforms in the Illinois criminal justice system, including pre-arrest diversion, policing, pretrial procedures, sentencing, and the elimination of cash bail.My research and advocacy work leading up to the enactment of the SAFE-T Act legislation were published by the Harvard Law Review: A Case Study of Cash Bail Abolition in Illinois.

No Cash Bail in Illinois:  Pretrial Fairness Act in Effect, Abolishing Cash Bail.  Here’s How the Cash Bail System has Changed, and What that Means for the Accused Awaiting Trial. Chicago Reporter

Legislative & Regulatory Strategy

During my 7-year tenure serving on the Executive Board of Directors, Legislative Committee, at the Illinois Press Association (IPA), I led government affairs initiatives, working collaboratively across business disciplines including lobbyists, legal, and various other stakeholders to shape public policy, resulting in favorable outcomes.

Executive Board of Directors, Illinois Press Association (IPA), focuses on legislative action.
The IPA Legislative committee helps the IPA to build relationships with policymakers and advocate on behalf of its members. 

I created and implemented the legislative and campaign strategy for Public Notice to remain in newspapers, securing the single vote in the Finance Committee from Rep. Arthur Turner (D), 77th District, killing a proposed bill to remove public notice from Illinois newspapers.

I worked directly with the then-Speaker of the House of Representatives, Michael Madigan, to secure a 4-year moratorium on public notice.

I helped to establish and oversee the Illinois Newspaper Legal Defense Fund. The Fund addresses legal challenges in areas such as public notice, advertising, business, circulation, distribution, and news-editorial matters. The fund provides quality legal research, consultation, and court action for its members. 

External Affairs, Equity, Technology

In my government and external affairs role at West Suburban Journal, I collaborated with community leaders, faith-based organizations, and legislators, including Sen. Kimberly Lightford, Senate Majority Leader, (D) 4th District, and former Representative Karen Yarbough, (D) 7th District, to pass the Eliminate the Digital Divide legislation, which resulted in technological, educational and economic development initiatives to bridge the digital divide.

More recently, I worked with Chris Welch, IL Speaker of the House, and local organizations to amend the Eliminate the Digital Divide law, creating a donation-based fund to sustain digital equity work in Illinois.