ACLU of Illinois' Board president Jill Metz was featured in a recent edition of the Chicago Daily Law Bulletin for her work in passing the new civil union legislation:
Even though she is not a registered lobbyist, Metz came down to Springfield on numerous occasions last year to help lobby for the bill in her capacity as the ACLU's board president.
She talked to lawmakers, was on hand for legal questions and was involved in the ACLU's polling and patch-through phone campaign. She also called upon her clients and other members of the LGBT community to share their stories with lawmakers.
"She was able to reach out to constituents all across Illinois to make contacts with legislators," said Rep. Greg Harris, D-Chicago, who sponsored the civil unions bill in the Illinois House of Representatives.
Over the past few years that Harris has been pushing the measure, he has worked closely with Metz and the ACLU. He said he specifically relied on Metz for her legal insight.
"Because her practice touched on a lot of issues that were related to the bill, she was able to help us to fine tune the language," Harris said, adding that the subject of his bill was "Uncharted territory" for lllinois.
While Metz played an integral role within the ACLU's efforts to pass the civil unions bill, Harris said she has done so much more in her Career for the LGBT community.
"She is a fierce advocate for equality and justice," he said of Metz, who was inducted in 2006 into the Chicago Gay and Lesbian Hall of Fame.
