The American Civil Liberties Union of Illinois is thrilled by the passage of HB 2675, a comprehensive sexual health education bill, by the Illinois Senate last Wednesday. The American Civil Liberties Union of Illinois (ACLU-IL) played a major role in moving this legislation forward. Illinois State Senator Linda Holmes, a co-sponsor of the bill, congratulated fellow lawmakers for sending the bill to Governor Pat Quinn for his signature. She told WUIS Radio, “In fantasy land, we teach our kids abstinence –- and they listen. But we know they don’t necessarily follow that advice. They are going to be confronted with the issue of sex before they’re 21 years old, or 25, or whenever they decide to get married.”  The bill creates a standard for existing sexual health education courses in grades six through 12; provides medically accurate, age-appropriate, professionally presented information on reducing sexually transmitted diseases, as well as unintended pregnancies; ensures that local school districts can choose curricula that meet their community’s standards; and allows for parents to remove their children from sexual health education courses for any reason without penalty to their child.

The ACLU of Illinois urges Governor Quinn to sign HB 2675 into law.

The Chicago Phoenix covered a recent town hall meeting about the marriage bill. The meeting consisted of a panel of speakers from the Illinois United for Marriage campaign that included ACLU of Illinois staff attorney Karen Sheley. The ACLU of Illinois has hosted phone banks as part of the coalition's efforts to garner support for the marriage bill.

Meanwhile, coalition efforts — such as phone banking, sending email messages, meeting with individual legislators and other actions targeting lawmakers who appear to be on the fence — will continue even beyond when the vote occurs, the advocates said, and shared new details on what they have accomplished so far.
Over the last five months, 500 Illinois Unites volunteers have made over 220,000 dials via a network of at least 200 phone bank stations   to legislators in 38 districts represented by targeted lawmakers who may be undecided on the issue, according to Clark, who runs the phone bank operation for the coalition.

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An article in Crain's draws attention to a state health facilities board proposal to expand background checks on applicants, and examine expunged criminal convictions.

If approved, the rule would be one of the most stringent in the nation, experts say. But the Health Care Council of Illinois, a group that advocates for nursing home operators, calls it “overboard.” The American Civil Liberties Union of Illinois said consideration of expunged criminal records would violate state law.

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