SPRINGFIELD – The Illinois House of Representatives today gave final approval to HB4966, the SECURE ACT. The measure, that now heads to the Governor’s desk for his enactment, extends critical non-discrimination protections for young people under the care of DCFS and ensures youth placed outside Illinois state lines by DCFS are not deprived of lawful health care. The following can be attributed to Nora Collins-Mandeville, Director of the Youth and Family Policy Project at the ACLU of Illinois:
As other states have rushed to the bottom to strip fundamental rights and liberties from people, Illinois has taken the opposite approach – expanding critical protections for all people in our state. The SECURE Act ensures that those basic protections – from being treated with dignity and respect no matter who you are to assuring access to life-saving health care banned in other states – apply to children under the care of DCFS even if they are placed in other states. No child should be denied basic rights because they are in foster care. This bill makes certain that is the law of the land in Illinois.
We express our deep appreciation to Senator Celina Villanueva, Representative Kelly Cassidy and the group of legislators who voted to approve the bill and – most importantly – supported those children in the care of DCFS who will be protected because of their efforts. We encourage the Governor to sign the SECURE Act as soon as possible.
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