Waking up to the horrific news and going out to do my errands seemed disconnecting one’s feelings and that these acts are just another day in our country. Yet, around our nation and around the world people of good will made the connection of hate and violent acts are the same if in Paris, Israel or Orlando or anywhere. There are also ugliness that come from those who rejoiced in the murder of the party goers in Orlando. There are many choices to make and I believe they are all connected

Tired of the arguments, tired of the moment of silence. It is time we act by our coming together and saying no more assault guns sold. Saying yes to finding the ways to end the glorification of all types of violence in the U.S.

Illinois NOW Legislative Action Alert – April 1, 2016 
Protect Transgender Students!

 HB 4744, sponsored by Illinois House Rep. Thomas Morrison, would force transgender students to use separate bathroom facilities in schools. Similar anti-LGBT legislation became law in North Carolina last week.

 This bill has been sent to the House Human Services Committee where it could be heard on April 5. We need to stop this bill while it is still in committee.

 Since HB 4474 is in committee, we need you to contact ALL members of the Human Services Committee this week while they are on break. TELL THEM TO VOTE NO ON HB 4474! This bill is discriminatory to transgender students. Remind them that trans people are more likely to be victims of violence and not perpetrators of violence. SAY NO TO DISCRIMINATION! We cannot follow North Carolina.

 The link to HB 4474 is here

 The link to the list of the members of the IL House Human Services Committee is here.

Please click on each member’s name to access their contact information.   

 Thanks for all you do for NOW! 

Bring your NOW signs and show your support for Equal Pay for all women!

Click on link below for more details. See you there!
Equal Pay Day Flyer

Illinois NOW Action Alert – March 11, 2016

Please continue to contact Governor Rauner and the four leaders of the Illinois General Assembly to pass a state budget NOW that protects services for the most vulnerable in our state. Such cuts disproportionately affect women.

 Our message: No cuts to social programs – preserve union labor – 

AND- do not close our state to immigrants.   Thank you!

 1. Governor Bruce Rauner (R) 217/782-0244 or 312/814-2121

 2. Senate President John Cullerton (D)217/782-2728 or 773/883-0770

 3. Senate Republican Minority Leader Christine Radogno (R)
217/782-9407 or 630/243-0800

 4. House Speaker Michael Madigan (D) 217/782-5350 or 773/581-8000

 5. House Republican Minority Leader Jim Durkin (R)
217/782-0494 or 630/325-2028

Urge your IL state representative to VOTE YES on SB 570 to reverse extreme cuts to the Child Care Assistance Program 

Please pre-register in order to reserve lunch

“Intersectionality and Feminism”
Saturday, October 3, 2015 – 11:30

Oak Park Library – Maze Branch 

845 Gunderson Ave  Oak Park, Illinois 60304

We will discuss Roxane Gay’s book “Bad Feminist” so it would be very helpful if you read it (or re-read it) before the conference.

Join other feminists for a fun afternoon & set the action agenda for 2016

Elections * Legislative Report * Lunch *  Silent Auction * Awards                                        

$10 includes lunch

Please click on Events and then on Annual State Conference for more info and registration form

 
From SEIU Healthcare Illinois/Indiana:

Lawmakers in Springfield will vote TODAY on three important bills.
Can we count on you to call your State Rep NOW and urge them to vote YES on three important bills?

1.  Vote YES on SB1229 for fair arbitration. This common-sense bill will give public workers—including DORS Personal Assistants and Home Child Care Providers—the right to arbitration if we can’t reach a fair contract agreement with the Governor. With Gov. Rauner’s extreme proposals to eliminate workers’ health care at the bargaining table, SB 1229 will give us a path to a fair contract that protects our jobs, our benefits and the vital care we provide.

2.  Vote YES on SB 570 to reverse extreme cuts to the Child Care Assistance Program. Since July 1st, thousands of working parents have been denied CCAP, and parents and providers are losing their jobs. We need SB 570 so working parents can afford quality, reliable child care!

3.  Vote YES on HB 2482 to protect home care for seniors and people with disabilities. Gov. Rauner is threating cuts to home care services that will leave 50,000 seniors and people with disabilities without home care—eliminating jobs for tens of thousands of home care workers. HB 2482 will protect home care services at current eligibility levels.

To contact your State Representative now, call 844-922-7334 and follow the instructions to connect to your Representative’s office.

The Illinois House will vote on these three important bills TODAY. Call 844-922-7334 to contact your State Representative now.

Contact your IL state representative and urge them to vote YES on SB 1229.  This bill will be called soon. 

Contact info for your representative can be found at: www.ilga.gov/house/

150,000 families depend upon these services to keep loved ones safe. Call and urge a YES vote on SB 1229. 

TAKE ACTION! Contact your State Senator and Representative by visiting them in their home office or contact them by phone or email. Tell them to VOTE AGAINST ANY BUDGET CUTS THAT ENDANGER THE LIVES OF WOMEN IN ILLINOIS.

Please find the talking points below to use when you speak to your legislator. Contact info for your Reps and Senators may be found at www.ilga.gov  Click on SENATE or HOUSE, then MEMBERS.

 Thank you for taking action for women today.

_________________________________________________________________________

Illinois Budget Cuts Threaten Women’s Lives

100,000 children will lose care from the Child Care Assistance Program. This program is vital for low-income parents to keep their jobs and provide a safe place for the care of their children.

As of July 1, Governor Rauner will freeze enrollment into CCAP except for a small number of families, putting 5000 families on waitlist. Studies in other states with waitlists have shown that up to a third of families either lost their job or were unable to work while waiting for child care assistance. 

Rauner’s proposed cuts to home healthcare services directly affect senior women. Of the 104,000 seniors in the Community Care Program, 70% were women, 61% were people of color, 51% lived alone, 86% had incomes less than $20,000 annually. 

The average nursing home in Illinois costs approximately $4300 a month or more than 4 times the cost of providing similar services in the senior’s home. 

Over 10,000 disabled Illinoisans in the Home Service Program will lose their home care services. This includes anyone under 60, infants, children, those with traumatic brain injuries or those receiving services for HIV/AIDS care.
The Illinois Breast and Cervical Cancer Program will be cut by 71%. (no that’s not a typo) The Treatment Act would be eliminated. The Program detected 727 invasive breast cancers and 1400 cervical cancers and pre- cancerous lesions between 2007 and 2012. The proposed cut to the Program will eliminate screening for 14,000 women.

The IBCCP cut will disproportionately affect African- American women. The breast cancer mortality rate for African-American women is 40% higher than the rate for white women. 

$735 million in Medicaid supplemental payments to hospitals will be completely eliminated. These payments support safety-net hospitals that provide care to Medicaid and uninsured patients. 

We cannot balance the Illinois budget on the backs of thousands of our most vulnerable neighbors, while at the same time enriching the wealthy few. Many of these cuts will actually cost the state of Illinois more money in the long-term.

These talking points provided by www.DangerousCuts.org 

Many thanks to SEIU Healthcare, League of Women Voters, AARP, Access Living and the State Comptroller’s Office for providing the information in this alert.