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The Truth Behind Illinois House Bill 6205
Bob Gilligan, executive director of the Catholic Conference of Illinois, and Mary-Louise Kurey, director of the Respect Life Office of the Archdiocese of Chicago, voice their opposition to Illinois House Bill 6205. To view the video, click here.
February Education Newsletter
Click here for a pdf of the February 2010 Education Newsletter. Please distribute to your families and parishioners and plan to attend Catholics at the Capitol on March 3rd! A new feature this year: click on the links in the newsletter and your web browser should do the rest!
HELP STOP HOUSE BILL 6205: Illinois FOCA! The abortion bill we worked so hard to defeat last year has been reintroduced as House Bill 6205. We must mobilize our networks to contact State Representatives and urge the defeat of House Bill 6205.
Like last year, this legislation seeks to: (1) pay for abortions and many other types of reproductive healthcare (including contraceptives) with public funds; (2) make any regulation of abortion beyond the purview of state and local government; and (3) demand that the proponent’s version of comprehensive sex education be taught in every school.
The supporters of House Bill 6205 claim this year’s version of the legislation excludes the Health Care Right of Conscience and Parental Notification of Abortion Acts. We have carefully read HB 6205. Their claims are incorrect. In Section 15, the legislation states that notwithstanding any other current law neither the state nor any political subdivision may “interfere” with access to abortion.
Judging by past legislative initiatives and lawsuits, the proponents obviously believe these important laws constitute state “interference” with access to abortion. This legislation is designed to set up legal challenges to both statutes and strip away health care professionals’ right of conscience and parents’ right to know of their daughters’ well being.
Linked below are talking points and a fact sheet on House Bill 6205. Use them to familiarize yourself with the bill and then call your state representative with a message similar to:
"House Bill 6205 seeks to publicly fund abortion, undermine the Health Care Right of Conscience and Parental Notification of Abortion Acts and impose comprehensive sex education on every public school in this state. It is extreme, unnecessary legislation. Please vote NO."
To find your state representative, go to www.ilga.gov and click on Legislator Lookup in the lower, right-hand portion of the page. You can then search your state representative by district #, home address, or zip code. You can also call our offices at 312-368-1066 or 217-528-9200.
Click here for Talking Points.
Click here for Fact Sheet.
SUPPORT HOUSE BILL 6096 AND SENATE BILL 3530 TO RESTORE TEXTBOOK LOAN FUNDING
To augment our on-going efforts, we have asked Representative Chapa LaVia (D-Aurora) and Senator Ira Silverstein (D-Chicago) to introduce legislation in the House and Senate to restore funding to the Textbook Loan Program at Fiscal Year 2007 levels: the bills are House Bill 6096 and Senate Bill 3530. Our goal is to sign up as many co-sponsors as possible. Last week, we added 14 co-sponsors in the House and 8 in the Senate.
Now we need your help: please call your State Representative and ask him or her to sign on as a co-sponsor to House Bill 6096 and call your State Senator and ask him or her to sign on as a co-sponsor to Senate Bill 3530.
The Textbook Loan Program has been in operation since 1975. Its purpose is to provide secular textbooks, learning materials and instructional computer software to public and nonpublic school students grades K-12. Although most of the program’s funding goes to public schools, Catholic schools have long depended on this program and have used the benefit to continually update math, science, and reading textbooks, as well as to purchase new instructional software for technology labs. Students cannot learn or succeed without effective and up-to-date learning materials, and this program has helped ensure those materials are present in ALL schools.
To find the contact information for your State Representative and State Senator, go to www.ilga.gov and click on Legislator Lookup in the lower, right-hand portion of the page. You can then look up your State Representative and State Senator by district #, your home or school address, or zip code. You can also call our offices for assistance at 312-368-1066 or 217-528-9200.
Thank you for your attention and assistance on this important matter. ACTION ALERT: WRITE THE GOVERNOR TO URGE TEXTBOOK LOAN FUNDING!
Our first action alert of the year has arrived! The Governor is currently working on his budget recommendation for next fiscal year. Our challenge is to convince him to include funding for the Textbook Loan Program in his budget proposal. Accordingly, I am asking that you, your school's staff, your parents and your parishioners all take time to write the Governor with this important request.
A sample letter is linked below, but if at all possible, I urge you to personalize your letter. Talking specifically about what Textbook Loan has provided your school in the past will be especially helpful. The Governor will be preparing his budget for the remainder of the month and perhaps into March, so there is plenty of time to get the word out, gather support and flood his office with letters.
Please do whatever you can to encourage broad participation. A high level of sustained grassroots engagement is essential to achieving our goals. Click here for sample letter.
January 2010 Education Newsletter
Click here for a pdf of the January 2010 Education Newsletter. Please distribute to your families and parishioners and plan to attend Catholics at the Capitol on March 3rd! A new feature this year: click on the links in the newsletter and your web browser should do the rest!
CCIR-IL Statewide Network Newsletter
Please click here for the January 2010 CCIR-IL Statewide Network Newsletter.
Transportation for Catholics at the Capitol: March 3, 2010 - UPDATED
Please click here for updated transportation information to attend Catholics at the Capitol in Springfield on March 3, 2010. Includes information for the Archdiocese of Chicago and the Dioceses of Belleville, Joliet and Rockford.
Catholics at the Capitol - March 3, 2010
Save the date! Plans are underway for the second Catholics at the Capitol on March 3, 2010 in Springfield. Please join Cardinal George, the Bishops of Illinois, clergy, and laity to promote our gospel values to our state policymakers. Contact your pastor to sign up as a parish representative. More information to follow soon. Click here for a Flyer in English. Click here for a Flyer in Spanish. Click here for a Parish Representative form. Click here for a School Representative form.
Click here to read letter sent to U. S. Senators.
USCCB Press Release: Health Reform Bill Needs More Work Despite New Language on Abortion, Say Catholic Bishops - December 19, 2009
Click for Press Release: http://www.usccb.org/comm/archives/2009/09-264.shtml
USCCB Urges U. S. Senate to Support the Nelson/Hatch/Casey Amendment
Click here for "Abortion & Conscience Problems in the Senate Health Care Reform bill".
Click here for "What Does the Nelson/Hatch/Casey Amendment Really Do?
Click here to read a letter to Senators.
U. S. Bishops Voice Disappointment in Abortion-Funding Provisions in Senate Health Bill, Urge Better Care for Immigrants and Affordability
The United States Conference of Catholic Bishops urged the Senate to make essential changes to its health reform bill in order to keep in place federal law on abortion funding and conscience protection on abortion, protect access to health care for immigrants and include strong provisions for adequate affordability. To read full press release visit http://www.usccb.org/.
Pro-Life Stupak Amendment to House Health Care Bill Approved
Last Saturday night, the U. S. House of Representatives voted to include the Stupak amendment into their Health Care bill by a vote of 240-194. The Stupak amendment ensures federal funds will not be used to pay for or subsidize abortion. A YES vote for the Stupak amendment is a pro-life vote.
Click here for the roll call of Illinois' Representatives.
Catholic Conference of Illinois Expresses Disappointment Over Failure to Implement Parental Notification Law - Again - 11-6-09
The Catholic Conference of Illinois has released a statement expressing its disappointment over the recent court action in Cook County to again delay the implementation of the Illinois Parental Notice of Abortion Act. For the press release, click here.
CCI Releases "Promoting Civil Unions to Undermine Marriage" Brochure - October 15, 2009
The Catholic Conference of Illinois has released their latest publication Promoting Civil Unions to Undermine Marriage. We have published this document in an effort to educate Illinois policymakers as to the real motivation behind civil unions legislation. Using the political and legal experiences of other states, the words of the proponents of civil unions and the activities that have already taken place in Illinois, this document proves the real motivation of civil unions legislation is to advance the cause of same-sex marriage.
The document also succinctly describes the Catholic Church's teaching on marriage and explains why it would be dangerous for the state to undermine traditional marriage.
Please click here for a PDF version of the document.
Statement in Response to Illinois Supreme Court Decision Regarding Statute of Limitations
Please click here to read the full statement.
CCI Offers Testimony in Support of Education Programs to the Illinois State Board of Education
The Catholic Conference of Illinois (CCI) testified to the Illinois State Board of Education's (ISBE) September Board meeting in support of the Illinois Textbook Loan Program, the Educational Improvement and School Safety Block Grant, and the Parent Transportation Reimbursement Program. CCI has also begun providing this testimony at ISBE's regional Finance and Audit Committee Hearings and continues to keep legislators informed of our efforts. CCI is committed to doing everything possible to restore the harmful cuts these programs--and the schools and students they serve--suffered.
ANOTHER IMPORTANT VICTORY FOR HEALTH CARE RIGHT OF CONSCIENCE
Last Friday, the Springfield Circuit Court enjoined the enforcement of former Governor Blagojevich's administrative rule requiring pharmacy owners to stock and dispense upon request Plan B and other forms of emergency contraception. The case will still be heard, and no success is guaranteed, but as Judge John W. Belz ruled, "Plaintiffs have certain and ascertainable rights under state and federal law. Plaintiffs are suffering irreparable harm in the form of an ongoing chill of their free exercise rights and rights of conscience under federal and state law, as well as unlawful coercion based on their religious and moral beliefs."
The judge went on to find that the plaintiffs "have a likelihood of success on the merits of their claims."
As a result of the injunction, the pharmacists will be permitted to refuse to dispense Plan B and other forms of emergency contraception, if doing so would violate their religious or moral beliefs.
Thankfully, Illinois courts have acted over several years to chip away at former Governor Blagojevich's actions in this regard. In Menges v. Blagojevich, a number of individual pharmacists succeeded in having the state amend the regulation to recognize the conscience rights of individual pharmacists. In Vandersand v. Walmart and Quayle v. Walgreens, two other courts ruled that Illinois pharmacists are protected by the State's Health Care Right of Conscience Act.
The current case, Morr-Fitz, Inc. v. Blagojevich, seeks to ensure that pro-life pharmacy owners – not just individual pharmacists – receive the legal protection to which they are entitled under state laws as well as the U.S. Constitution.
Final Legislative Report for Education 2009
Click here to read the report. U.S. Bishops Launch Website on Health CareThe United States Conference of Catholic Bishops (USCCB) launched a Web page promoting its support of "truly universal health policy with respect for human life and dignity." The page, http://usccb.org/healthcare/, includes letters from bishops to Congress, videos, facts and statistics, frequently asked questions, and links for contacting members of congress.
Letters to Congress include an August 11 letter by Cardinal Justin Rigali, the bishops’ Pro-Life chairman, criticizing abortion provisions in the House version of health care legislation and a July 17 letter from Bishop William Murphy, the bishops’ Domestic Social Justice chairman, outlining the bishops concerns and priorities for health care reform as a whole.
The site will feature Web videos of USCCB policy staff discussing the bishops’ position on health care. Kathy Saile, director of Domestic Social Development, outlines the general position and concerns. Richard Doerflinger, associate director of Pro-Life Activities, describes how abortion relates to the health care reform debate.
The page also contains facts and statistics about Catholic health care in the United States, which includes 624 Catholic hospitals, 164 home health agencies, and 41 hospice organizations.
Dangerous Budget Cuts to Important Education Programs
In the Fiscal Year 2010 education budget, forced by the legislature's inability to fund specific line items, the Illinois State Board of Education (ISBE) reduced the funding of the Transportation Reimbursement Program and the Textbook Loan Program to zero, while cutting 75% of the ADA Block Grant and 33% of the Early Childhood Block Grant. These cuts are tragic and dangerous, disproportionately affecting programs that serve both public and nonpublic schools. ISBE's decision to completely de-fund the Illinois Textbook Loan Program is particularly upsetting. The efficiency of this program's operations, and the unquestionable good it serves by helping to ensure that both public and nonpublic school students are learning from the most up-to-date educational materials should have ensured its continuation at some level. We urge all supporters of Catholic education to write to the Governor, State Superintendent and their local legislators to demand a re-evaluation of this budget and that all avenues be pursued to restore at least some measure of funding to these incredibly important programs. A sample letter, including the Governor and State Superintendent's address can be found by clicking here. For Press Release, click here. PARENTAL NOTICE VICTORY! - July 14, 2009Fourteen years after the passage of the Illinois Parental Notice of Abortion Act, three years after the Catholic Conference of Illinois (CCI) led a coalition to defeat House Bill 317 (written to gut the Act), and only months after CCI opposed and defeated the Illinois Freedom of Choice Act, House Bill 2354, the 7th Circuit Court of Appeals has finally lifted the federal injunction on the Illinois Parental Notice of Abortion Act. Illinois will now join every other midwestern state in requiring that the parents or legal guardians of minors seeking abortions are informed before the procedure can be performed. Parental notice laws enjoy broad public support and ensure that parents are aware their children's well being and not forced into life-changing decisions without the proper information or under duress. Today's decision represents a great and important victory for the proponents of sanctity of every human life. Hopefully, the legal wrangling will be brought to a conclusion and this law can begin protecting Illinois families and their children. Click here for Press Release. CCI Releases "Guidelines on Political Activities for Parishes and Catholic Church Organizations." As tax-exempt organizations, parishes and Catholic Church organizations are prohibited from participating in partisan political activities. However, there are some activities in which you can participate. The Catholic Conference of Illinois has published a brochure, " Guidelines on Political Activities for Parishes and Catholic Church Organizations," which sets out some general guidelines to follow if you wish to participate in these activities. For a PDF version of the brochure, please click here. For further information on Political Activity Guidelines, please visit the website of the United States Conference of Catholic Bishops at: http//www.usccb.org/ogc/guidelines.shtml
If you would like a hard copy of this publication, you may call either of our offices at 312-368-1066 or 217-528-9200. In addition to these documents, the United States Conference of Catholic Bishops has released a new statement called Forming Consciences for Faithful Citizenship: A Call to Political Responsibility.
Click here to read the statement in Word format. Click here to read the statement in PDF format. Click here to read CCI's letter to pastors. Click here for Tips for Talking to Your Legislator. |
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