We Have our Own Blog! And, We Discovered a Really Good Reason to Have an Ipod!


So, it appears that the whole "blog" craze is here to stay. That might have been evident a couple of years ago but we have been a little busy trying to protect your civil liberties. This week, the ACLU of Illinois is launching our own blog site - ACLU Insider. You can reach to the blog through our website or by going to http://www.aclu-il.org/blog/. Go today and read the first few entries; there is lots of interesting information and opportunities for interaction. Additionally, we are proud to announce that ACLU of Illinois events and programs now are available via a podcast. Go to http://www.aclu-il.org/podcasts/ to hear programs from our 2007 ACLU of Illinois Membership Summit and a discussion by ACLU of Illinois Legal Director Harvey Grossman about the ACLU’s case against AT&T for turning over phone records to the government. You will also find a link to add the ACLU of Illinois podcast to your Itunes for easy updating. Bookmark these spots and come back regularly to get updates on ACLU of Illinois issues.



Law Protecting Vulnerable Women’s Health Moves Forward!


As the Spring 2007 Session of the Illinois General Assembly moves into high gear, you can expect to hear a lot about the civil liberties debate in Springfield. One such issue is parental notice of abortion. As you know, the State of Illinois recently went to court seeking to enforce a harsh measure, the 1995 Parental Notice of Abortion Act. That effort stalled in federal court in Chicago. Meantime, State Representative John Fritchey introduced House Bill 317, the Adolescent Health Care Safety Act, that creates a wider range of options for young women unable to communicate with their parents about an unwanted pregnancy -- including older relatives and members of the clergy - and that allows young women to choose to go through extensive counseling with qualified professionals, to examine all of their options and to ensure that their decision making is careful, thorough and informed. The ACLU of Illinois supports this legislation.



Last Thursday, the House Human Services Committee approved the legislation by a vote of 6 to 2, and sent House Bill 317 on to the floor. You can send a free fax message to your legislator supporting this legislation by going to http://www.aclu-il.org/legislative/alerts/2007/02/help_protect_young_women_facin.shtml. Make your voice heard!



Proposing Marriage in Illinois


State Representative Greg Harris of Chicago has introduced House Bill 1615, a measure granting equal access to all the legal protections and responsibilities of marriage to same sex couples. We'll keep you posted on the progress of this legislation, but you can read more about the ACLU of Illinois response to its filing by going to http://www.aclu-il.org/news/press/2007/02/aclu_of_illinois_welcomes_init.shtml.



REAL ID = REAL NIGHTMARE


In 2005, Congress adopted the REAL ID Act without meaningful committee hearings and substantial debate as part of legislation to fund the Iraq War and Asian Tsunami relief efforts. The measure requires Illinois, and every other state, to restructure the entire driver's license process so that the State can be part of a shared database encompassing every state and the territories in the U.S. Although the United States Department of Homeland Security has not issued regulations (originally scheduled to be released in the Summer of 2006) to guide implementation of REAL ID, states are expected to overhaul the driver’s license system by May 2008 - or risk having the citizens of the state lose the ability to use their driver's license to board an airplane or enter a federal building or federal court. House Joint Resolution 27, introduced by State Representative Karen Yarbrough, calls on Congress to repeal REAL ID because the legislation is too expensive, intrudes on personal privacy, creates a bureaucratic nightmare and creates a "one-stop-shopping" for identity thieves. You can read more about REAL ID and review an article from this week’s Decatur Herald and Review by going to http://www.aclu-il.org/blog/archives/2007/02/real_id_resolution_introduced.shtml.



Eat a Great Meal - Help the ACLU of Illinois


On Tuesday, March 13th, restaurants across Illinois will participate in the 4th Annual Share a Meal with Community Shares Event. The year's event features participating restaurants in the Chicago area, Champaign-Urbana, Peoria and Springfield. You can help the Roger Baldwin Foundation of the ACLU of Illinois raise funds by enjoying a delightful meal with family and friends at one of the participating establishments. For a complete list of locations, visit http://www.share-a-meal.org/.