Lame Duck session scheduled
12/22/22
Members of the 102nd Illinois General Assembly will meet during Lame Duck session from January 4–10. LWVIL will be paying particular attention to activity on gun violence prevention and reproductive healthcare.
Gun Violence Prevention
Ban Assault Weapons and High Capacity Magazines
The Protect Illinois Communities Act (HB5855) was introduced in the Illinois House on the last day of Veto Session. It is currently being heard in committee and is expected to be brought up during the Lame Duck session.
HB5855 would ban assault weapons and high capacity magazines. The bill would also strengthen the provisions of Illinois’ Firearm Restraining Order (FRO), which is designed to help temporarily remove guns from owners who are considered an immediate danger to themselves or others. In addition, the bill removes provisions allowing persons under 21 years of age to obtain a Firearm Owner's Identification Card (FOID) unless they are in the military.
Speak up!
Tell your legislators you want assault weapons banned in Illinois.
Gun deaths are an American public health crisis.
More Americans are killed every day by handguns than by assault weapons. Guns are the leading cause of death for children and teens in the United States, according to the most recent data available.
There is an urgent need to address this crisis from all angles, working with communities to eradicate the root causes of gun violence, while simultaneously working on legislation to help get guns off the street.
Many gun violence prevention experts advocate for community investment, violence intervention, and youth mentor programs as a path forward. Learn more about the work of organizations like Institute for Nonviolence Chicago, Chicago CRED, and Communities Partnering 4 Peace.
Reproductive Health
Protections for patients and health care providers
Although Illinois does have some of the most robust reproductive health care protections in the country, additional legislation is needed to address a wide range of issues stemming from the influx of care seekers coming to Illinois from states with highly restrictive abortion legislation.
Specifically, Illinois lawmakers are looking for ways to expand and strengthen licensing provisions. Expanding licensing to allow physicians assistants and other healthcare professionals to provide abortion care will help increase service capacity. Legislators are also expected to propose legislation to strengthen licensing protections against claims from other states and strengthen extradition and privacy protections for care seekers.
Speak up!
Tell your state legislators that you want reproductive healthcare protections in place for Illinois providers and patients.
Learn more from organizations leading the the work in reproductive health: ACLU Illinois, Planned Parenthood Illinois, Illinois Now, Midwest Access Coalition, Chicago Abortion Fund.
Education Funding
Sunset the Invest in Kids Act
Five years ago, the Illinois General Assembly (ILGA) agreed to work toward more equitable funding of public schools and passed the Evidence-Based Funding (EBF) Act. In order to get support for EBF, the legislature included a K-12 voucher program for Illinois known as the Invest in Kids Act. This voucher program, which was to end this year, allows up to $75 million in public tax revenue to be diverted to private schools each year. During Lame Duck session ILGA is expected to consider extending the voucher program.
Learn more about the Invest in Kids Act.
Speak up!
Tell your state legislators that you want to sunset the Invest in Kids Act.