Today HB 2354, the Freedom of Choice Act (FOCA), passed out of the House Human Services Committee. This legislation would remove all restrictions on abortion in Illinois. Although we currently do not have restrictions, the Parental Notification of Abortion Act is in the Federal Courts and is likely to be upheld and put in place by the courts. Last year, Rep. John Fritchey introduced HB 317 to gut the parental notification act, and failed. This year, Rep. Barbara Currie has introduced FOCA in the House of Representatives.

It is imperative to contact your legislators on this legislation. Currently, there are 35 state representatives who have signed on as co-sponsors of this legislation. To view them, you can click on this link: http://ilga.gov/legislation/billstatus.asp?DocNum=2354&GAID=10&GA=96&DocTypeID=HB&LegID=44321&SessionID=76

This legislation has the following effects:

read more »

New Home School Legislative Updates Included

Homosexual Agenda

HB 178 Same-Sex Marriage--Rep. Greg Harris (D). Although this bill is posted in the Youth and Family Committee for Thursday, March 12, at 9 AM. Is not expected to be called in the committee.

HB 2234 Civil Unions--Rep. Greg Harris (D). Was voted out of the Children and Families Committee last Thursday, March 5, 2009. Attorney Austin Nimocks, from the Alliance Defense Fund, came in from Arizona to testify on this legislation and did a tremendous job. The reason the homosexual community wants to this legislation is to have a "cause of action" in the courts to overturn the current marriage laws of Illinois. Just as California added "sexual orientation" to their civil rights laws, Illinois has added "sexual orientation" to our Human Rights Act. If this legislation passes, a lawsuit will be filed saying that the homosexuals are being discriminated against, for they will be offered "equal but separate" status through this bill (meaning that they will have all the rights and responsibilities of marriage without it being called marriage). Please contact your legislators regarding this bill!

read more »

Homosexual Agenda

HB 178 Same-Sex Marriage--Rep. Greg Harris (D). Is posted in the Youth and Family Committee for Thursday, March 5, at 9 AM. Is not expected to be called in the committee.

HB 2234 Civil Unions--Rep. Greg Harris (D). Since the votes are clearly not there to pass same-sex marriage (that is what the homosexual activists really want), this will be the bill that is moved to the floor of the House. This bill is posted in teh Youth and Family Committee for Thursday, March 5, at 9 AM. Attorney Austin Nimocks, from the Alliance Defense Fund, will be coming in from Arizona to testify on this legislation. The reason for moving this legislation is to have a "cause of action" in the courts to overturn the current marriage laws of Illinois. Just as California added "sexual orientation" to their civil rights laws, Illinois has added "sexual orientation" to our Human Rights Act. If this legislation passes, a lawsuit will be filed saying that the homosexuals are being discriminated against, for they will be offered "equal but separate" status through this bill (meaning that they will have all the rights and responsibilities of marriage without it being called marriage).

read more »

Homosexual Agenda

HB 178 Same-Sex Marriage and Religious Freedom Act--Sponsored by Rep. Greg Harris (D). This bill changes the current marriage statute and makes marriage between "two person" rather than between a man and a woman. Although it is assigned to a committee (Children and Families) where it can likely get onto the floor, it is unlikely that it will be voted on unless legislators begin supporting the bill. Instead, the sponsor has now introduced the next bill, which is a civil unions bill instead.

read more »

Legislative Update Change is in the Air Illinois Governor Impeached Schedule for  2009 Please Consider Giving Bits and Pieces

Legislative Update

The 96th General Assembly began slowly, with the impeachment of Governor Rod Blagojevich, but seems determined to make up for lost time in the introduction of legislation. As of Friday, February 13, there are 2,737 bills introduced in the House and Senate, with an expectation of at least 2,500-3,000 more.

The following are pieces of legislation that we are following closely (there are 225 bills currently on my watch list):

read more »

Tomorrow afternoon at 3 PM, the House Youth and Family Committee will meet to organize. Although indications are that the bill will not be called tomorrow, this committee is scheduled to hear HB 178, the "Same-Sex Marriage and Religious Freedom" Bill.

The sponsor, Rep. Greg Harris (D), is also the chair of the committee. At this point, it looks as though he will be able to do whatever he wants with this legislation. We will need your help in contacting pastors, church members, friends, and neighbors, asking them to call their state legislators urging them to vote NO on HB 178.

It sends a very poor signal to the citizens of Illinois to have an openly homosexual representative as the chairman of the Youth and Family Committee. To find your state representative and senator you can click on the following link for the Illinois State Board of elections: http://www.elections.state.il.us/DistrictLocator/SelectSearchType.aspx

Enter your information, then call your state representatives and senators, asking them to vote NO on Same-Sex Marriage in Illinois.

With the impeachment trial of Governor Blagojevich and the swearing in of new Governor Pat Quinn, we pray that the governmental gridlock is over and that the state can begin to move on in dealing with its problems. Besides the mistrust of government officials in Illinois, there are major budget problems, with the state falling far behind in its Medicaid payments and having a budget that is unbalanced in almost every other area.

There are already ideas about the need for an increase in various taxes, including thoughts about increasing the income tax. During this time of gridlock, legislators have been rather lothe to take up controversial issues, since there was already an atmosphere of controversey. The legislature is now much more likely to take up issues such as the proposed same-sex marriage bill, HB 178, that has been introduced into the Illinois House again.

This is a difficult time, not just for the governor and his family, but for all legislators and public officeholders, who will have to deal with six years of the controversial way in which Governor Blagojevich has handled the state finances. Please be in prayer for our past governor, and especially for our new governor, Pat Quin. Pray that God will give him wisdom as he makes staffing decisions. Pray for current staff members (some of whom have been very helpful and are very competent) in the governor's office, for they must also be on pins and needles while wondering if they have jobs waiting for them tomorrow morning.

read more »

Governor Impeachment Trial Scheduled

The Illinois House of Representatives voted to impeach Governor Rod R. Blagojevich on Friday, January 9, 2009. Because the 95th General Assembly ended on January 13, and the 96th General Assembly began on January 14, the House took another vote on impeachment on January 14, 2009, and voted 117-1 to impeach.

When the Governor came into the Senate Chambers on January 14, 2009, to call the 96th General Assembly into session, there were no greetings or applause for him. The Governor was very respectful before the body which has now scheduled to call him in for his impeachment trial on Monday, January 26.

read more »