Civil Unions bill remains stagnant in the IL House

By staff - May 11, 2007

SPRINGFIELD—House Bill 1826, which would allow homosexuals the same basic rights as married heterosexual couples, lacks enough support to be voted on in the House, said the Illinois Family Institute’s Executive Director David E. Smith. Smith told The Illinois Baptist, it has not gone to a vote because, “They don’t have enough support. Lawmakers on both sides of the aisle understand what it would do if it were passed…The majority of lawmakers realize this is no different than gay marriage.”

The bill, which needs 60 votes to pass, has 40 sponsors. Smith urges Christians to call their representatives and let them know they oppose the bill.

The bill’s final action deadline has been extended until May 10.

Other proposed legislation

The progress of bills introduced by the House and Senate during this session which could negatively affect churches and families is updated below.

  • HB 138, which promotes funding for human embryonic stem cell and cloning research, has been referred to the rules committee. Its companion bill, HB 139, which would appropriate $25,000,000 from the Tobacco Settlement Recovery Fund to the Illinois Regenerative Medicine Institute for the purpose of awarding grants for stem cell research, has been assigned to the Appropriations-Human Services Committee.
  • HB 115, which would require sixth grade girls to receive the vaccine for the Human Papilloma Virus, (HPV) has had its final action deadline extended to May 10.
  • HB 317, which would have allowed minors to obtain consent for an abortion from a non-family member such as a doctor or member of the clergy, was defeated 55-62. According to Smith, “The legislation was a blatant attempt to stop the Parental Notification Act of 1995 from going into effect. Pro-abortion opponents are sure to make another attempt at passing this, or similar legislation.”
  • HB 480 provides more gaming tables for gambling on riverboats and slot machines for race tracks. It also makes it possible for casinos to be built in Chicago, Waukegan and the area around O’Hare. The final action deadline has been delayed until May 10.
  • HB 1732, which would have allowed gender changes on birth certificates for non-surgical procedures without court oversight, was defeated by a vote of 32-78.
  • SB 650, which would legalize medical marijuana, has had its third reading deadline in the Senate extended to May 31.
  • SB 715, which would create school health centers in 20 locations for the distribution of contraceptives and abortion referrals, has been referred to the rules committee.

Pro-family bills’ progress

  • HB 1727, which requires libraries to block pornography on their public computers, has passed in the House and will move on to the Senate.
  • HB 642, which promotes banking human stem cells from umbilical cords for research, has been assigned to the Public Health Committee.

This article is reprinted from the May 11, 2007, issue of The Illinois Baptist, the newspaper of the Illinois Baptist State Association.

Further Learning

Learn more about: Family, Marriage, Parenting, Sexual Purity, Homosexuality, Pornography, Life, Abortion, Stem-Cell Research, Citizenship, Legislation