We Made a Difference!!

Illinois Legislative Successes

Thank you everyone who responded to a call to action, sent an email, filed a witness slip or met individually with a legislator. The Illinois General Assembly adjourned with some great legislative successes for the issues we care about: 

Abortion Access, Reproductive Health, Gender Affirming Care, and Bodily Autonomy

• Deceptive Practices of Limited Services Pregnancy Centers Act amends the Consumer Protection and Deceptive Practices Act to prohibit limited services pregnancy centers (more commonly known as crisis pregnancy centers) from engaging in deceptive or fraudulent practices. (SB1909)
• Protecting Patient License Plate Data provides that law enforcement shall not sell or share automatic license plate reader data to any state for the purpose of investigating or enforcing a law that denies or interferes with a person’s right to choose or obtain reproductive health care services or any lawful health care services, or for an investigation of a person based on the person’s immigration status.   (HB3326)
• Cultural Competency Continuing Education for Illinois Medical Providers requires cultural competency continuing education for health care providers to provide them with the tools and information they need to effectively and affirmingly serve communities of color, people with disabilities, people of diverse faiths, undocumented individuals, LGBTQ+ people, people living with HIV, intersex people, and other communities that have been marginalized in the health care system.  (HB2450)
• Public Higher Education Act requires each public institution of higher education, including community colleges, to make emergency contraception available through at least one wellness kiosk located on each campus under its jurisdiction. (SB1907)
• “Trailer Bill” for the previously passed Patient and Provider Protection Act makes corrections and clarifies that state-regulated health insurance must cover medications used off-label for abortion. (SB1344)
• Preventative Health Care amendments to current Code requires state-regulated health insurance to cover certain preventive health care services without a copay or deductible spend down, including immunizations, mammograms, and other services listed in the current recommendations of the United States Preventive Services Task Force. In addition, it clarifies that for any preventive service designated for “men” or “women”, a company shall not deny or limit the coverage required or a claim based solely on the individual’s recorded sex or actual or perceived gender identity, or for the reason that the individual is gender nonconforming, intersex, transgender, or has undergone or is in the process of undergoing gender transition. 
• Wholesale Drug License Amendments provides legal protections for providers of and patients seeking reproductive and sexual health care, including abortion and gender-affirming care. It requires state-regulated health plans to cover abortion medications, PEP, and PrEP with no copay or deductible spend down, and creates a program for training health professionals in providing abortion care. 

Gun Violence Prevention

• Firearms Industry Responsibility Act holds gun manufacturers accountable and makes it illegal to knowingly create, maintain or contribute to a condition in Illinois that endangers the safety or health of the public by failing to establish reasonable safeguards. (HB 218)
• Amendment to the Illinois State Police Law of the Civil Administrative Code of Illinois clarifies that the Illinois State Police should annually report the number of FRO (Firearm Restraining Order) petitions that have been filed into the Law Enforcement Agencies Data System (LEADS) and should also be reported on the ISP Website. (HB 2412)
• First Time Weapon Offender Program sunset date of January 2024 is repealed, thus extending the successful diversion program for offenders for first time nonviolent weapon possession offenses. (SB 424, SA1)

Protecting Democracy and Promoting Equity and Inclusivity

• Affirm Equal Rights Amendment (ERA) Resolution affirms the Equal Rights Amendment as our 28th Amendment to the US Constitution and asks that action be taken for the ERA’s official publication. (HJR 0020)
• Racism-Free Schools Act provides that each school district must create, implement, and maintain an age-appropriate policy on race-related harassment and discrimination. (SB 90)
• Bans on Book Banning requires library boards to adopt written policies opposing book banning in order to be eligible for state library grants (HB 2789)
• Repeal of Marriage Prohibitions would repeal archaic and discriminatory language from 1915 that prohibits Illinois from issuing a marriage license to an out-of-state couple if their home state would not legally allow their marriage. While currently unenforced, these provisions could have ramifications should national marriage equality fall, and marriage bans become enforceable again in anti-LGBTQ+ states. (HB 1591)
• Equitable Restrooms – All Gender leaves the decision to adopt a gender-neutral multiple-occupancy restroom up to business and building owners as they determine how best to serve their communities and customers. For those businesses that adopt the restrooms, the bill establishes basic requirements to ensure safety, privacy, and inclusion. (HB 1286)
•  Driver’s License Bill amends the Illinois Identification Card Act and the Illinois Vehicle Code to give immigrants access to regular IL drivers licenses instead of temporary licenses that flag their immigration status. (HB 3882)
•  The Civil Liability for Doxing Act provides victims of doxing with a legal recourse while raising awareness about this harmful behavior. (Doxing is the broadcasting of private or identifying information about an individual, group or organization with the intent the information be used against the target for an unlawful purpose and the person whose information is published suffers harm.)  (HB 2954)
• Amendments to the Affordable Housing Planning and Appeal Act strengthen requirements for affordable housing plans, both the content and timelines for implementation. (SB 1476)

Budget 

Lawmakers approved a $50.4 billion spending plan for the fiscal year that starts July 1. It contains several new initiatives including investments in pre-K through 12th grade education, child welfare, combating poverty and homelessness, and increasing state spending on higher education. 

There was NO language to extend the Invest in Kids voucher program or remove its sunset clause in any budget bills.  However, this remains controversial and additional efforts to extend will likely continue.

Work in Progress

• Medical and Family Leave Insurance Act was not passed in this session. However, it moved farther than it has in past legislative sessions. Efforts will continue during the veto override session or in the next legislative session.

Call for Engagement

If you are not already involved, please consider adding your voice to our advocacy effort by sending an email, making a phone call, filling out a witness slip or meeting with a legislator. For only a few minutes of your time, you can have an impact. If you are interested in joining our “Witness Slip Warriors” or for more information, please contact Susan Marshall, I-Act Chair, at susanm414@gmail.com 

This posting is compiled from information gathered by the National Council of Jewish Women, League of Women Voters Naperville, Illinois National Organization of Women and the Illinois American Association of University Women.

According to The Bill of Rights Institute, the phrase to describe religious freedom, “separation of church and state” is not found in either the Constitution or the Bill of Rights. It comes from an 1802 letter by President Thomas Jefferson. As president, he allowed the War, Treasury, and Capitol buildings to be used for religious services, yet he described the First Amendment as creating “a wall of separation between church and state.” In the twentieth century, this phrase became a type of “test” for whether or not legislation violated the First Amendment. 

In 2017, the Illinois General Assembly passed the Invest in Kids Act. Under this program, Illinois residents and businesses can receive a tax credit (public funds) for donations made to Scholarship Granting Organizations (SGOs) that supply scholarship dollars to eligible students to attend private schools. The law was designed to give low-income families more educational options (opt out of public schools) and to encourage private donations to support non-public education. The program was initially intended to last for five years and to sunset after the 2022-2023 school year, with a maximum of $75 million in tax credits available each year.

The Illinois Invest in Kids Act has been controversial, as the tax credits based on donations are funneling government dollars into private institutions. Those government funds are diverted away from public schools and may help wealthier families who can afford private education. The law lacks accountability measures and feels like an egregious violation of the separation of church and state, as many of the private schools that receive dollars from the program are religiously affiliated. Illinois needs to address the criticisms about the proper use of public funds in education. 

Advocates of the Illinois voucher program argue that it provides families with more educational options and promotes competition among schools, which can lead to improved outcomes for these select students. They also contend that it supports the constitutional right to freedom of choice in education, allowing families to select schools that align with their values and beliefs.  

Opponents of the program, including AAUW, argue that it diverts funding from already underfunded public schools, worsening existing inequalities. They also point out that the program often benefits families who can already afford private schools, while leaving low-income families and students in rural areas without access to quality education.

A further complication to this discussion is the recent Supreme Court decision, Carson v. Makin, as the decision requires states to fund religious activity as part of an educational aid program. The ruling undermines the longstanding practice of prohibiting public funds from financing religious instruction and indoctrination. This may set a dangerous precedent for Illinois by requiring it to fund religious activity as part of an educational aid program. Ultimately, the decision undermines the principle of avoiding compulsory taxpayer support for religion.

AAUW argues that Illinois should follow their originally stated timeline and sunset the Invest in Kids Act. Thomas Jefferson had it right when he argued for the separation. While the program may provide some families with more choices, if continued it will worsen existing inequalities and violate constitutional principles. 

Education and free thought should be accessible to all. We should be supporting our public schools and upholding the values set forth by the Founding Fathers.