Today was the House deadline for members to advance their bills out of committee to be heard by the full House. With approximately 500 House Bills making it out of committee this spring 89% have been Democrat-sponsored. Only 11% have been ideas put forward by those on our side of the aisle.
Homeschool Mandates Bill Advances
Homeschoolers were at the Capitol bright and early on Wednesday for the committee hearing on House Bill 2827 that would infringe on their rights.
The bill mandates that non-public elementary and secondary schools register annually with the Illinois State Board of Education and requires homeschools to fill out a Homeschool Declaration Form or risk truancy, which could lead to fines and even imprisonment. It further requires homeschool administrators to submit personal information about themselves and their students to state and local authorities.
So far, more than 40,000 concerned parents and others have filed witness slips against the bill!
Despite the overwhelming public opposition, the majority party pushed the bill through committee Wednesday morning on a vote of 8-4-1 so it advances to the House floor. I’ll keep you updated on when it is expected to be called.
Other Big Issues this Week…
Fighting Human Trafficking – House Republican lawmakers presented their legislative proposals at a Capitol press conference to bring light to human trafficking and the impact it has throughout Illinois
Ending Costly Sanctuary State Policies, Stop Illegal Immigration – House Republicans held a Capitol news conference this week to denounce Illinois’ costly and dangerous “Sanctuary State” policy. According to the Center for Immigration Studies, Illinois is home to the fifth most foreign nationals in the country, with at least 530,000 illegal immigrants residing across the state.
Speaker Madigan’s Sentencing Scheduled
Ex-Speaker Madigan’s sentencing has been scheduled for June 13 after he was found guilty on 10 counts of corruption earlier this year.
Miss Quincy in the House
This week it was my privilege to welcome Matti McCartney, Miss Quincy 2025, to the House floor. Matti is an inspiring young woman and a wonderful representative of our region!