If you filed a witness slip last week – THANK YOU! Unfortunately, we ask that you do it again.
None of the bills in last week’s alert were heard in committee, though they were posted to be heard, and therefore last week’s witness slips won’t follow with the different bill(s) into this week’s hearings. They are still recorded, but not for the upcoming hearing(s).
Confusing? I know. The Party in power is making it difficult to have our voices heard. Regardless, we’re determined to make sure that they are!
- Click on the witness slip link for each bill.
- Fill out your personal information.
- Under Firm/Business/Agency, Title, Representation, type “self” or “NA” if you are not representing an organization and do not have a title.
- Under Position, Add Legislation, select Original Bill.
- Under Add Position, select Oppose. Then click Add Position. (Your position will then appear in the box to the right with a red circle and an x inside of it.)
- Select Record of Appearance Only.
- Check that you agree to the ILGA Terms of Agreement.
- Check that you aren’t a robot.
- Click Submit Witness Slip.
HB 3355 – Carol Ammons (D-Urbana): allows the election authority to mail vote by mail ballots to registered voters even if the voter didn’t request one, rather than the current method where the voter has to fill out an application and request to be mailed one. This is a bold move as it is certain to further tarnish elections. Essentially, it means that ballots will be mailed to outdated addresses leading to more fraudulent collections and returns. Those who have moved out of Illinois will receive a ballot to their old address. Those who have died will receive a ballot. What could possibly go wrong?!
Click HERE to email your state representative and urge them to maintain election integrity and oppose HB 3355.
Click HERE to file a witness slip in OPPOSITION to HB 3355. The hearing is set for Tuesday, February 24th in the House Ethics & Elections Committee – Room D-1, Stratton Building.
HB 4606 – Laura Faver Dias (D-Grayslake): creates the Universal Newborn Home Visiting Services. These visits must be offered to all parents of newborns. It’s not enough that they are indoctrinating children in government run schools with godless ideology, now they want to be directly involved with your newborn baby while they collect data and entice new parents to get hooked on yet another government program. New Moms Need Community, Not Assessment.
Click HERE to email your state representative and urge them to oppose this government intrusive bill, HB 4606.
Click HERE to file a witness slip in OPPOSITION to HB 4606. The hearing is set for Wednesday, February 25th at 8:00 AM in the House Human Services Committee, Room C-1, Stratton Building.
HB 4301 – Daniel Didech (D-Buffalo Grove): expands “school student record” to include written/electronic communications (and attachments) sent to or from a student’s parent/guardian/family member that are maintained by the school and relate to education, health, safety, discipline, or “well-being.” This is a gross invasion of family privacy, not to mention it broadens what can be considered an “official record.” And do parents even have access to these records?
Click HERE to email your state representative and urge them to protect family privacy by opposing HB 4301.
Click HERE to file a witness slip in OPPOSITION to HB 4301. The hearing is set for Wednesday, February 25th at 2:00 PM in the House Elementary & Secondary Education Committee – Room 115 Capitol Building.
HB 4554 – Laura Faver Dias (D-Grayslake): prohibits public funds going to any organization (including religious) that provides counseling for a person who suffers from unwanted same-sex attraction or gender confusion. Calling it “conversion therapy,” of which there is no precise statutory definition, it discriminates against churches and other religious organizations, free speech, religious liberty, and due process.
Click HERE to email your state representative to oppose this discriminatory bill, HB 4554.
Click HERE to file a witness slip in OPPOSITION to HB 4554. The hearing is set for Wednesday, February 25th at 2:00 PM in the House State Government Administration Committee – Room C-1, Stratton Building.
HB 4304 – Katie Stuart (D-Collinsville): creates a Higher Education “Student Bill of Rights” listing a long set of rights including “inclusive and safe learning environment,” “equal access,” “free expression,” “right to organize,” “peaceful protest,” based on race, ethnicity, sexual orientation, gender identity, … and other protected classes. As we read this, it would very likely allow the presence of biological men in women’s private spaces and sports.
Click HERE to file a witness slip in OPPOSITION to HB 4304. The hearing is set for Wednesday, February 25th at 4 PM in the House Higher Education Committee – Room 122, Capitol Building.
NEW BILLS NOT INCLUDED IN LAST WEEK’S ALERT
HB 4596 – Dave Vella (D-Loves Park): creates a new unit inside the Illinois Department of Public Health to monitor and “counter” what it considers health misinformation. It requires certain organizations to disclose funding sources and provide citations for health-related claims, and violations could be treated as unlawful practices under the Consumer Fraud Act. In plain English, it gives the state the ability to police speech about public health issues. The definitions are broad and vague, and it opens the door to government deciding what is acceptable speech on controversial medical or moral issues. IFI OPPOSES THIS BILL.
Click HERE to email your state representative to oppose HB 4596.
Click HERE to file a witness slip in OPPOSITION to HB 4596. HB 4596 is scheduled to be heard in the House Public Health Committee on Thursday, February 26th at 8:00 AM in Room 122, Capitol Building.
HB 2400 – Michael Kelly (D-Chicago): strengthens penalties of aggravated criminal sexual assault of a child by adding 5 years to the sentence and raises the minimum sentence for predatory criminal sexual assault of a child to 11 years. IFI SUPPORTS THIS BILL.
Click HERE to email your state representative to support HB 2400.
Click HERE to file a witness slip in SUPPORT of HB 2200. HB 2400 is scheduled to be heard on Tuesday, February 24th, in the House Judiciary – Criminal Committee at 4:00 PM in Room D-1 Stratton Building.
HB 4337 – Curtis Tarver (D-Chicago): requires Chicago schools to use traceable communications as the exclusive means by which faculty and volunteers communicate with students electronically. This is intended to increase transparency and accountability and reduce undisclosed messaging. IFI SUPPORTS THIS BILL.
Click HERE to email your state representative to support HB 4337.
Click HERE to file a witness slip in SUPPORT of HB 4337. The hearing is set for Wednesday, February 25th at 2:00 PM in the House Elementary & Secondary Education Committee – Room 115 Capitol Building.
HB 4262 – Chris Tarver (D-Chicago): intended to strengthen child protection safeguards by creating a civil cause of action for recording or live-streaming a child in a restroom, tanning bed or salon, locker room, changing room, hotel residence, or a residence in which the child does not reside. Requires inspections for hidden cameras. Provides damages and attorney fees. IFI SUPPORTS THIS BILL.
Click HERE to email your state representative to support HB 4262.
Click HERE to file a witness slip in SUPPORT of HB 4262. HB 4262 is scheduled for a hearing on Wednesday, February 25th in the House Judiciary – Civil Committee at 8:00 AM in Room 114, Capitol Building.
THANK YOU!
