The Illinois Senate will be back in Springfield on Tuesday, April 1st. But the Illinois House will not be back until April 7th. All this week, state representatives will be in their district offices so it is a good time to gather a few like-minded friends and schedule a visit with them. They need to hear from us!
Here is the most recent Springfield Update that you could use for your reference or even bring it with to leave with your rep. Only the bills that IFI opposes are listed. The bills to focus on are those either assigned to a committee or those marked “Passed out of Committee.”
Click HERE to find the Springfield and district office
phone numbers for your state senator and representative.
SB 9 – Linda Holmes (D): the physician assisted suicide bill, has had its deadline extended, but it’s not been posted in the Senate Executive Committee for a hearing. They can always extend the deadline again, so we’ll keep watching it.
Take Action: Click HERE to send your state senator an email. Also, call and urge him/her to OPPOSE SB 9.
HB 2827 – Terra Costa Howard (D): the Homeschool bill that would impose fines and even jail time for not registering a homeschool student in the district passed out of committee and could be called for a vote at any time. However, fiscal notes have been requested by Republicans which slows down the bill. With a fiscal note, the appropriate state agency has to provide all fiscal implications and say how they arrived at that number. The bill can’t be called for a vote until all notes have been returned.
Take Action: Click HERE to send your state representative an email. Also, call and urge him/her to OPPOSE HB 2827.
HB 3518 – Will Guzzardi (D) or SB 2391 – Celina Villanueva (D): which would legalize prostitution, have apparently not gotten the votes needed to go through the process in either chamber. It’s an unwritten requirement by House Speaker Chris Welch that he will not allow a bill to get assigned to a committee unless the sponsor can show he/she has the votes to get it passed in the House. But we know that as soon as we relax, they could easily move either bill quickly. They have done it before.
Take Action: Click HERE to send your state representative and senator an email. Also, call and urge them to OPPOSE LEGAL PROSTITUTION if either bill starts moving.
We firmly believe your prayers and action have slowed these above bills.
There are still 2 months left in this part of the session.
Please keep praying and speaking out!
SB 181 – Chapin Rose (R): requires voter ID or photo ID to register to vote; changes time frame to be able to register to vote from the day of the election to 7 days prior; provides tracking of all printed ballots; removes permanent vote by mail and other provisions. The deadline has been extended and it has been assigned to a committee, although it’s a subcommittee. IFI SUPPORTS SB 181.
Take Action: Click HERE to send your state senator an email TO SUPPORT SB 181. Also, call and urge him/her to SUPPORT the bill.
SB 280 – Sally Turner (R): increases penalties for selling fentanyl to a Class X felony. It has had its deadline extended and has been assigned to a committee, albeit a subcommittee. IFI SUPPORTS SB 280.
Take Action: Click HERE to send your state senator an email TO SUPPORT SB 280. Also, call and urge him/her to SUPPORT the bill.
SB 1772 – Kimberly Lightford (D): allows counties and municipalities to be issued a temporary event license to sell (and consume) marijuana and cannabis paraphernalia. It has had its deadline extended and has been assigned to a subcommittee.
Take Action: Click HERE to send your state senator an email to OPPOSE SB 1772. Also, call and urge him/her to OPPOSE the bill in the event it passes out of committee.
SB 42 – Rachel Ventura (D): Prohibits law enforcement from stopping and inspecting a car based on the odor of cannabis; removes the requirement of storing cannabis in an odor-proof container. SB 42 has passed out of committee and could be called for a full vote at any time.
Take Action: Click HERE to send an email to your state senator to OPPOSE SB 42. Then also call him/her to OPPOSE the bill.
HB 2589 – Kelly Cassidy (D): provides that a pharmacist shall (rather than may) sell up to 100 sterile hypodermic syringes or needles to a person who is at least 18 years of age. HB 2589 has passed out of committee and could be called for a full vote at any time.
Take Action: Click HERE to send an email to your state rep to OPPOSE HB 2589. Then call him/her to OPPOSE the bill.
HB 2927 – LaShawn Ford (D): suspends history taught in schools for the 2025-2026 school year while 2026-2027 school year textbooks will reframe history with the inclusion of “diverse perspectives, contrary interpretations, and the viewpoints from various groups … traditionally excluded.” Lawmakers have already made it an 8th grade graduation requirement that students be proficient in LGBTQ history. This will likely expand that and more. HB 2927 has passed out of committee and could be called for a full vote at any time.
Take Action: Click HERE to send an email to your state rep to OPPOSE HB 2927. Then call and urge him/her to OPPOSE the bill.
HB 2960 – Laura Faver Dias (D): requires public school health education courses to include instruction in mental health that would include LGBTQ propaganda and would keep pupil’s mental health information confidential from everyone, which would include parents. The bill states that students would be given instruction on how to find help from professionals within the school. Are these the same professionals that allow boys in the girls’ locker rooms and bathrooms and ones that refer to transitioning students by the wrong pronoun and name? HB 2960 has passed out of committee and could be called for a full vote at any time.
Take Action: Click HERE to email your state rep to OPPOSE HB 2960. Then call him/her to OPPOSE the bill.
HB 3637 – Dagmara Avelar (D): amends numerous health care laws. Prohibits the Illinois Department of Health from taking disciplinary action against a person who has had their license, registration, and/or permit revoked from another state as a result of violating the state’s laws against certain procedures, such as abortions, and allows that person to practice in Illinois. Additionally, a drug not approved by the Food & Drug Administration, but one that has been recommended by the World Health Organization shall not be deemed an adulterated drug, even if the drug’s labeling reflects prior approval that is no longer in effect. HB 3637 has passed out of committee and could be called for a full vote at any time.
Take Action: Click HERE to email your state rep to OPPOSE HB 3637. Then call and urge him/her to OPPOSE the bill.
HB 3709 – Anna Moeller (D): mandates that public colleges and universities provide access to health care professionals who prescribe contraception and abortion pills; allows university pharmacies to dispense contraception and abortion pills. Removes the requirement that the university pharmacy enter into a referral agreement with a tertiary care facility with obstetrics and gynecological services in the event of complications. HB 3709 has passed out of committee and could be called for a full vote at any time.
Take Action: Click HERE to send your state rep an email. Also, call and urge him/her to OPPOSE the bill. (NOTE: This bill is not yet included in the Springfield Update.)
Click HERE to find the Springfield and district office
phone numbers for your state senator and representative.
