The following statement can be attributed to Khadine Bennett, Director of Advocacy and Intergovermental Affairs, ACLU of Illinois:
 
“Both chambers have now approved House Bill 2553, the Protecting Household Privacy Act, which now goes to the Governor for enactment. The bill provides modest guidelines on how law enforcement can access intimate data collected by household electronic devices like virtual assistants, Ring doorbells and smart appliances. As these devices grown in popularity, it is critical to protect the range of data collected by these devices.
  
This measure is consistent with efforts in Illinois over the past several years to strike a critical balance between emerging technologies each of us use for our personal convenience and the personal data about residents in our state captured by these devices.
 
We are grateful to Senator Cristina Castro and Representative Ann Williams for their leadership and vision, not only on this measure but on their commitment to protect privacy for all Illinois residents.
 
We urge the Governor to sign this bill as soon as possible.”

The following statement can be attributed to Nora Collins-Mandeville, Director of Systems Reform Policy, ACLU of Illinois:
 
“The passage of House Bill 219 is a huge win for students across the State of Illinois. The measure was advanced after media reports indicated that schools regularly used restraint and seclusion practices. More alarming, these harmful practices were used most often against youth of color and youth with disabilities.
 
It is worth noting the cruelty of some of these practices. Many of the prone restraints authorized by schools were tantamount to the use of deadly force. And we know the devastating psychological impact on students from being secluded. These practices simply cannot be permitted in our schools, and this bill makes that clear. Thanks to passage of this measure, Illinois joins the majority of states across the country in banning these cruel, unnecessary measures.
 
We thank Senator Gillespie and Representative Carroll for their leadership and commitment to seeing this wrong righted.
 
We look forward to seeing this measure signed into law by the Governor, and to the future benefit that will flow to students all across our state.”

The statement below can be attributed to Chelsea Diaz, Advocacy Associate, ACLU of Illinois:
 
“Passage of the Keeping Youth Safe and Healthy Act by the Illinois House moves students across Illinois one step closer to getting the information and education they need to support informed decision making and lead healthy lives. This measure ensures comprehensive personal health and safety and sexual health education is inclusive.  Students who have long been stigmatized and or made invisible in these courses, such as LGBTQ students and pregnant and parenting students, will now feel affirmed and seen in their classrooms.
 
At the same time, the bill specifically retains the existing opt out for parents so a student’s participation is left up to the parent, and not to a teacher or school administrator.
 
This is a great step forward for Illinois students and we express our gratitude to State Representative Camille Lily who has been a leader on this issue for many years. Students’ lives will be better because of her work. We also thank the AIDS Foundation of Chicago and all the advocates of the Keeping Youth Safe and Healthy Coalition who worked this session to improve comprehensive sexual health education, efforts that ultimately were combined into this measure. 
 
We look forward to Governor Pritzker signing the bill when it gets to his desk.”