This week Illinois legislators are back in Springfield. We need you to take action on this important legislation.


Protecting the Pretrial Fairness Act

Legislation to protect the Pretrial Fairness Act passed during Veto Session

The Pretrial Fairness Act will end the use of money bond in 2023, ensuring that a person can only be jailed while awaiting trial because they are considered a danger to others or likely to flee -- not simply because they cannot afford bail. It is important that we clarify and strengthen components of this measure before it is implemented. 

Resources: BlogPodcast Episode | Video | Event Recording


Reducing Barriers to Recovery

HB 3447 implements a proven public health approach, eliminating the failed policies of the “War on Drugs.” The bill reclassifies the charge for simple possession of all drugs from a felony to a misdemeanor and provides access to drug treatment for those who are arrested.

Resources: BlogPodcast Episode | Video | Report | Factsheet


Legislative Resources

Podcast: How to make your voice heard in Springfield

Our work in Springfield

 

 

Date

Wednesday, November 30, 2022 - 7:30am

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In 2022, because of the commitment of supporters and activists like you, the courage of our clients, the work of our dedicated staff, and the on the ground efforts of our partners the ACLU of Illinois continued to protect and expand civil rights and liberties.

Together we:

If you are able, please make a gift today, to protect civil liberties and civil rights in Illinois and nationwide. Your continued partnership empowers us to act quickly against attacks on our rights and to advance justice. We must work together to bring us closer to a country where “We the People” truly means all of us.

SUPPORT THIS WORK TODAY!

 

Find out more about the ACLU of Illinois’ work this year:

Be informed about our work in 2023:

 

Date

Thursday, December 15, 2022 - 2:00pm

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Current events are hot discussion topics at many holiday tables
If you want to jump start a conversation about civil liberties, please keep reading for talking points about the ACLU’s most urgent work.


Abortion Talking Points

Abortion remains legal and accessible in Illinois. Since the Supreme Court’s ruling in Dobbs, however, politicians across the country are seeking to criminalize access to abortion.   

  • Abortion is fundamental health care that should not be regulated or banned by politicians.
  • Forcing someone to carry a pregnancy against their will has life-altering consequences, including health risks, making it harder to escape poverty, and making it more difficult to leave an abusive partner.
  • Every ballot measure since Dobbs has shown that the majority of American voters want to protect access to abortion.

Resources:


Censorship Talking Points

Efforts to ban books in public and school libraries across the country has more than doubled in the past year. We have seen efforts in communities across Illinois to ban books or restrict students’ access to materials and information.

  • Each of us has a First Amendment right to read and learn free from censorship and discrimination.
  • The government, including public schools and libraries, cannot ban books or censor discussions about race, gender, and/or sexuality.
  • We can make choices on the information we access for ourselves. We do not have the right to make those choices for others or our communities.

Resources:


Ending Money Bond Talking Points

The Pretrial Fairness Act, which will go into effect in January 2023, ends the use of money bond in Illinois and transforms the state’s pretrial legal system. Ending money bond means that a person’s ability to pay an arbitrary amount of money will no longer determine whether they can be jailed pretrial.

  • Instead of wealth determining if you are jailed pretrial, judges will consider whether an accused person should be denied release because they pose a threat or are likely to flee.
  • The inability to pay bond forces many to spend a long time in jail before trial – risking the loss of their housing, employment, and custody of their children.
  • Evidence shows that people return to court for hearings and sentencing even when they are released pretrial.

Resources:


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Date

Thursday, December 1, 2022 - 9:15am

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