The General Assembly is scheduled to adjourn on Friday, May 24th, but have contingency days set aside until the 31st, just in case. This week there will be lots of  rigorous floor debating, long speeches, and many specific questions.

HR 700, the resolution that calls for a cap of THC levels in marijuana at 10%, has been assigned to the House Executive Committee, but has not been put on the docket for a hearing. The chief sponsor, Representative Marty Moylan (D-Des Plaines), has assured us there’s nothing political going on and that there’s no cause for concern. We’ll see.

UPDATE ON PARENTS MATTER COALITION PETITION CAMPAIGN

Many of you circulated or signed the petition that would have asked Illinois voters to vote Yes or No on November 5th to the following question:

Shall the written consent from a minor’s parent or guardian be required before any entity, person, clinic or school can provide a minor (under the age of 18 years) any non-emergency medical procedure, medication, pharmaceutical, or any gender modification procedure, gender identification counseling or gender therapy?

Unfortunately, the coalition fell short of the required number of signatures. But in the event they did gather enough signatures, lawmakers in the majority party made sure they wouldn’t be able to get it on the ballot. They quickly passed SB 2412 that put their own three advisory referenda on the ballot. The amendment, which became the bill, was added on May 1st and by May 3rd, with lightning speed, it had passed both chambers and was signed into law by the Governor.

All of the following bills have passed out of the chamber in which they began, then went on to pass out of a committee in the other chamber. The last step is to get voted up or down by either the Senate or House.

Please email your appropriate lawmaker.

BILLS TO SUPPORT

HB 5184 requires any school bullying policy must be age and developmentally appropriate.

Please click HERE to email your state senator to support HB 5184.

HB 4623 prevents anyone who has been convicted of using AI to depict child pornography from getting a school bus driver permit. This bill has sweeping bi-partisan support.

Please click HERE to email your state senator to support HB 4623.

SB 2824 waives public school tuition for any child that has been removed from his parents or guardian by DCFS and placed in a different school district.

Please click HERE to email your state representative to support SB 2824.

BILLS TO OPPOSE

HB 5239 will actually facilitate interstate sex trafficking because it prohibits Illinois agencies from cooperating with another state’s agencies that are seeking to impose criminal or civil penalties on a person that brings a woman or girl here for an abortion. Because the Parental Notice of Abortion Law was repealed, an adult male could bring a young under-age female here for an abortion if this bill passes and no one will be the wiser.

Please click HERE to email your state senator to oppose HB 5239.

HB 4895 mandates the teaching of climate change in public school classrooms. The Illinois Report Card indicates how poor academic proficiency is in Illinois public school classrooms. Only 32% of high school students meet proficiency for reading/ELA and only 27% meet math proficiency standards. Perhaps it would be wise to focus on academics rather than highly controversial topics.

Please click HERE to email your state senator to oppose HB 4895.

HB 5507 allows Illinoisans to go to a court to get a “finding of fact” in order to have documentation to be able to alter their birth certificate from a different state or country.

Please click HERE to email your state senator to oppose HB 5507.

SB 2872 allows for schools to provide “relaxation” activities each week and partner with public or private organizations. These techniques may “include, but are not limited to, mindful-based movements, yoga, stretching, meditation, breathing exercises, guided relaxation techniques, quiet time, walking, in-person conversation, and other stress-relieving activities,” and may take place in a social-emotional learning class. Many of these activities are religious in nature, traditions of Buddhism, Jainism, and Hindu Darshana.

Recently, a court ruled in favor of a student who sued the Chicago Public School District for forcing her to participate in what was dubbed “quiet time.” Class action status was also granted for other students to sue CPS.

Please click HERE to email your state representative to oppose SB 2872.

SB 2644 allows for the Secretary of State to establish a statewide registry, to be known as the Advance Directive Registry, through which residents can deposit a completed Uniform POLST form that will be shared with hospitals. IFI strongly believes that end of life directives should be kept by the family or the power of attorney designee, not put in a statewide registry.

Please click HERE to email your state representative to oppose SB 2644.

THANK YOU!