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Senator Chuck McIlhinney, Jr. is currently serving his second term representing parts of Bucks and Montgomery counties in the Pennsylvania State Senate. He was first elected to the Senate in November 2006 and was reelected in 2010.

Senator McIlhinney currently serves as Chairman of the Senate Law and Justice Committee, which is responsible for reviewing legislation, regulations and policies pertaining to the Pennsylvania Liquor Control Board and the Pennsylvania State Police. He also serves as Vice Chairman of the Senate Game and Fisheries Committee and as a member of the Labor and Industry, Rules and Executive Nominations, State Government and Transportation Committees.

Throughout his career in public service, Senator McIlhinney has worked to create and retain jobs for hardworking district residents. He authored a law in 2011 that helps companies prevent layoffs through the use of shared work programs, and he played an instrumental role in passage of legislation to protect Pennsylvania construction jobs by requiring employers to verify the employment eligibility of new employees. Prior to his service in the General Assembly, Senator McIlhinney worked as the Fiscal Director of the Bucks County Office of Employment and Training, where he helped local welfare recipients obtain good-paying jobs in the community.

Senator McIlhinney previously served as Chairman of the Senate State Government Committee, where he oversaw the implementation of numerous reforms designed to improve state government transparency, accountability and operations. Prior to his election to the Senate, Senator McIlhinney spent eight years in the House of Representatives, where he served as Chairman of the House Subcommittees on Information Technology and Land Use Management.

Senator McIlhinney has served as a strong advocate for open space preservation and land use management. In 2008, he authored a law that preserved Ingham Spring in Solebury Township, and also fought to improve statewide drinking water quality standards. As a member of the House of Representatives, he led efforts to improve energy efficiency and played a vital role in passage of legislation that set statewide energy efficiency standards.

An active participant in the community, Senator McIlhinney has served as a Doylestown Borough Councilman and a member of the Doylestown Kiwanis, Ancient Order of Hibernians in America, Historic Fallsington, Bucks County Farm Bureau, REP America, Bowman’s Hill Wildflower Preserve, Bucks County Audubon Society and the Heritage Conservancy. He gained valuable experience in promoting local economic development projects as a member of the Central Bucks County Chamber of Commerce, Lower Bucks Chamber of Commerce, Pennridge Chamber of Commerce and the Upper Bucks Chamber of Commerce. 

Senator McIlhinney earned a degree in Finance from Bryant University. A life-long resident of Bucks County, he resides in Doylestown Township with his wife, Jennifer, and their two children, Charles McIlhinney, III and Gabriella Grace.