Time to celebrate! League-supported bills become law
8/21/23
Thanks in part to the advocacy of League supporters, important legislation supported by LWV of Illinois was passed by both chambers of the Illinois General Assembly this term, and now these bills have been signed into law by Governor J.B. Pritzker.
Thank you to everyone who called their legislators and the governor and spoke up on behalf of these bills!
Voting Rights
SB2123 Election Omnibus Bill (Signed into law August 4)
Young citizens will be able to pre-register to vote when they turn 16, with their registration held in abeyance until they reach voting age.
Creates a task force to study ranked choice voting (we had hoped that the election system would be approved for municipalities with the appropriate equipment).
Reproductive Health
SB1909 Deceptive Practices Of Limited Services Pregnancy Centers Act (Signed into law July 27)
Limited Services Pregnancy Centers are prohibited from engaging in deceptive acts or practices which mislead patients seeking abortions.
Environment
SB58 Polystyrene Reduction (Signed into law August 4)
State agencies and departments may not procure disposable food service containers that are composed in whole or in part from polystyrene foam (we had hoped the ban would extend to all retail establishments).
Education
HB2789 Right to Read (Signed into law June 12)
Imposes fines for banning books.
SB90 Racism-Free Schools (Signed into law August 4)
Requires school districts to adopt and communicate a policy on harassment based on race, color, or national origin, in addition to the existing requirement for sexual harassment policies.
Criminal Justice
SB1886 Fair Probation Drug Testing (Signed into law July 28)
Eliminates drug testing fees.
HB1268 Fully Free Act (Signed into law July 28)
Individuals who have been released from prison can serve as executors of a relative’s will. This eliminates a barrier to fully re-entering society after incarceration.
HB1496 Implementing the Ban on Prison Gerrymandering (Signed into law June 9)
Ensures that Corrections records contain home addresses for people who are incarcerated so that they can vote in their home district.
ERA
HJR20 Affirm Equal Rights Amendment (Resolution adopted)
This resolution affirms that the Illinois Legislature believes requirements have been met for passing the Equal Rights Amendment.
Budget
SB250 Budget for Fiscal Year 2024 (Signed into law June 7)
Evidence-based funding for Education was increased by $350 Million (we had hoped for more).
Invest in Kids was NOT in the budget, so it is possible that program, which uses public tax dollars to fund private schools, will be allowed to sunset in 2024.