Elections Matter
The Democrats have a super majority and were able to pass some of the most harmful bills in our state’s history. The bills below passed the Illinois House and Senate and most if not all will be signed into law by Gov. J. B. Pritzker.
Legalized Recreational Marijuana
HB 1438, the Cannabis Regulation and Tax Act, will go into effect on January 1, 2020, and will allow anyone 21 years or older to legally use recreational marijuana. Click here to see how your state representative voted. Click here to see how your state senator voted.
Partial-Birth Abortion
SB 25, the Reproductive Health Act (Partial-Birth Abortion bill), will do the following:
- Repeal the Illinois abortion law of 1975, including criminal penalties on doctors who commit abortion.
- Repeal the partial-birth abortion ban, thereby allowing babies to be killed up to the time of birth.
- Removes any regulations on clinics that commit abortion.
- Repeal the Parental Notification Act of 1995.
- Allows DCFS to use public funds to pay for abortions, which would be in addition to Medicaid.
Click here to see how your state representative voted. Click here to see how your state senator voted.
LGBTQ History Mandate for K-12 Public School Children
HB246 mandates that students will learn the roles and contributions of lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender people in American and Illinois History. It also mandates that textbooks in the textbook block program include the roles and contributions of all people protected under the Illinois Human Rights Act and must be non-discriminatory as to any of the characteristics under the Act.
Click here to see how your state senator voted. Click here to see how your state representative voted.
Expansion of Gambling
SB 69, greatly expands gambling in Illinois. Gov. Pritzker had this to say about the bill, “This session we legalized sports betting and expanded gaming, leading the Midwest in a new industry and setting us up to generate hundreds of millions of dollars in revenue for our state.”
SB 69 will allow for:
- A casino in Chicago
- Legalized sports betting in Illinois
- Slot machines at both city airports
- Smaller casinos in the south suburbs of Waukegan, Rockford, Danville, and Williamson County
- Authorized slot machines for horse racetracks
- Sports betting at casinos and tracks
Click here to see how your state senator voted. Click here to see how your state representative voted.
While it was a discouraging end to the 2019 Illinois spring session, I take heart in CWA’s Founder and Chairman of the Board, Beverly LaHaye’s, words to the grassroots, “God didn’t call me to win, He called me to fight. And I have to be faithful to what I am called to do.” So, I want to thank each one of you who faithfully prayed and took action when asked.
We stand on God’s mighty promises of hope, and we can strengthen ourselves in the Lord through the examples of mighty men of old who came before us:
In you our ancestors put their trust;
they trusted, and you delivered them.
To you they cried out and were saved;
in you they trusted and were not put to shame. Psalm 22:4-5
Jesus said, “I have told you these things, so that in me you may have peace. In this world you will have trouble. But take heart! I have overcome the world.” (John 16:33).
The only hope for America is Jesus. For America to reverse course, we as a nation must acknowledge Him as sovereign Lord of our nations. There is much work to do to instill Biblical values in an increasingly secular state and nation. We must continue to do our part as Concerned Women for America of Illinois through prayer, education, and action!
Please pray that:
- Christians will become active in public discourse and the political process.
- Children’s minds will be protected from the LGBTQ agenda.
- Young adults will not fall prey to marijuana, hard drugs, and the lure of riches via gambling.
- Pastors and believers will actively fight for the welfare of our youth.
Debbie Leininger
State Director
CWA of Illinois