Illinois Voices is a state-wide self-advocacy intiative,started in January 2005 and funded by the Illinois Department of Human Services. Illinois Voices is designed to empower people with developmental and other disabilities to make their own decisions, stand up for their rights and speak for themselves based on their strengths and desires.
Illinois Voices, self-advoactes and family members are talking about legislation that could positively change the lives of people with disabilities in Illinois for years to come. DISABILITY HISTORY AND AWARENESS LEGISLATION is an approach to inclusion, freedom and equality which would require schools to teach about disability history and the disability rights movement. So far, everyone agrees that this is a great idea! Share your thoughts and let us know what you think. Self-advocates will come up with the key parts and Illinois Voices will then look for politicians to sponsor the bill. Stay tuned for more information on this exciting "Advocacy in Action" movement.
HB 1035 UPDATE ~ WEDNESDAY, MAY 6, 2009
BLITZ IT!!!
We are on the verge of making history in Illinois!
House Bill 1035, Disability History and Awareness
passed out of the Higher Education Committee 7-0!
Please call, write, or visit your district’s Senator
and ask him or her to support this bill.
If you don’t know who your Senator is,
call Amy Walker at Illinois Voices and she'll help you!
Are you unsure about what to tell your Senator?
Amy will send you a "Disability History Talking Points”
and tell your Senator some of them to get him/her
“BLITZED” and “IN THE KNOW!”
Remember—if the full Senate passes HB 1035,
it will find its way to GOVERNOR QUINN’S DESK!!!
So, my good comrades-in-arms for justice and civil rights,
“BLITZ IT” OR BUST!!! J
Please help self-advocates to contact Senators, too!
HB 1035 UPDATE ~ THURSDAY, APRIL 30, 2009
The Illinois Senate Proudly Presents An
OFFICIAL HEARING
on House Bill 1035
Tuesday, May 5th, 2009, 2:30 PM, Capitol Room 409
PLEASE BRING SELF-ADVOCATES THAT YOU SUPPORT!!!
If you haven’t done so already,
please call, write, or visit the Senators on the Higher Ed Committee listed in the April 22, 2009 update!
HB 1035 UPDATE ~ WEDNESDAY, APRIL 22, 2009
BLITZ IT!!!
Please call, write, or visit your local Senators
And ask them to support House Bill 1035!!!
It’s been sent to the HIGHER EDUCATION committee.
THAT’S no jive!
Don’t know who your Senator is?
Has your head been scratched?
Please take a look at the list
That is attached!
ILLINOIS SENATE HIGHER EDUCATION COMMITTEE
SENATOR EDWARD D. MALONEY—18TH DISTRICT
Springfield Office:
Senator 18th District
119A Capitol Building
Springfield, IL 62706
(217) 782-5145
(217) 557-3930 FAX
District Office:
10400 S. Western Ave.
Chicago, IL 60643
(773) 881-4180
(773) 881-4243 FAX
SENATOR MICHAEL W. FRERICHS—52ND DISTRICT
Springfield Office:
Senator 52nd District
118 State House
Springfield, IL 62706
(217) 782-2507
District Office:
45 E. University Ave.
Suite 206
Champaign, IL 61820
(217) 355-5252
(217) 355-5255 FAX
SENATOR M. MAGGIE CROTTY—19TH DISTRICT
Springfield Office:
Senator 19th District
122 Capitol Building
Springfield, IL 62706
(217) 782-9595
District Office:
5119 West 159th Street
1st Floor East
Oak Forest, IL 60452
(708) 687-9696
(708) 687-9801 FAX
SENATOR DAVID KOEHLER—46TH DISTRICT
Springfield Office:
Senator 46th District
311 B Capitol Building
Springfield, IL 62706
(217) 782-8250
(217) 782-3213 FAX
District Office:
13 S. Capitol Street
Pekin, IL 61554
(309) 346-4646
(309) 346-4650 FAX
SENATOR JAMES T. MEEKS—15TH DISTRICT
Springfield Office:
Senator 15th District
M113 Capitol Building
Springfield, IL 62706
(217) 782-8066
District Office:
2050 E. 159th Street
Calumet City, IL 60409
(708) 862-1515
(708) 862-4745 FAX
SENATOR JOHN M. SULLIVAN—47TH DISTRICT
Springfield Office:
Senator 47th District
417 Capitol Building
Springfield, IL 62706
(217) 782-2479
District Office:
926 Broadway
Suite 6
Quincy, IL 62301
(217) 222-2295
(217) 222-2944 FAX
SENATOR J. BRADLEY BURZYNSKI—35TH DISTRICT
Springfield Office:
Senator 35th District
309F Capitol Building
Springfield, IL 62706
(217) 782-1977
(217) 782-4885 FAX
District Office:
1101 DeKalb Avenue
Sycamore, IL 60178
(815) 895-6318
(815) 895-2905 FAX
SENATOR DAN CRONIN—21ST DISTRICT
Springfield Office:
Senator 21st District
309G Capitol Building
Springfield, IL 62706
(217) 782-8107
District Office:
313 South Main St.
Lombard, IL 60148
(630) 792-0040
(630) 792-8620 FAX
SENATOR DAVID LUECHTEFELD—58TH DISTRICT
Springfield Office:
Senator 58th District
103 B Capitol Building
Springfield, IL 62706
(217) 782-8137
District Office:
700 North Front Street
P.O. Box 517
Okawville, IL 62271
(618) 243-9014
(618) 243-5376 FAX
HB 1035 UPDATE ~ FRIDAY, APRIL 17, 2009
House Bill 1035
Is now in the Senate’s “Assignments” Committee.
That committee used to be known as “Rules”,
Which is where all bills in the Senate go
After their First Reading.
House Bill 1035 got its First Reading on April 15th.
The people in “Assignments” will now look at the bill
And then assign it to another committee—maybe soon.
Keep an eye out for more updates on HB 1035!!!
HB 1035 UPDATE ~ THURSDAY, APRIL 2, 2009
HOUSE BILL 1035
PASSES HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES
113—4!
LET’S HEAR IT FOR
“LIBERTY AND JUSTICE FOR ALL!”
Great news! The Illinois House of Representatives has just passed House Bill 1035 with 113 YES votes and 4 NO votes! Now the bill is in the Senate, and it is going to go to the “Rules” committee. The “Rules” committee is the first one that any bill goes to, and the Senators there look at it and see if it’s good enough to pass along to another committee. After the bill gets out of Rules, it might go to the Education Committee and then up to the full Senate for a vote!
DREAMS DO COME TRUE! KEEP CAMPAIGNING—CALL YOUR LOCAL SENATORS AND TELL THEM TO CO-SPONSOR HB 1035!
HB1035 UPDATE ~ WEDNESDAY, FEBRUARY 25, 2009
BLITZ IT!!!
Call! Visit!
Write some letters to your Illinois Representatives!
House Bill 1035, Disability History and Awareness, has just passed the Elementary and Secondary Education Committee in the House
13 YES, 2 NO.
The two “No” votes were from Representative Jerry Mitchell and Representative Suzanne Bassi. We ESPECIALLY need to call, write, and visit those two and convince them that Disability History and Awareness is important and critical to have in Illinois public schools!
Let’s “blitz” them with our voices and our contact! The bill might go to the “full House” pretty soon!!!
Representative Jerry Mitchell (R), 90th District
630 State House
Springfield, Illinois 62706
217-782-0535 (phone)
217-557-0571 (fax)
100 East Fifth Street
Rock Falls, Illinois 61071
815-625-0820 (phone)
815-625-0839 (fax)
Representative Suzanne Bassi (R), 54th District
211-N Stratton Building
Springfield, Illinois 62706
217-782-8026 (phone)
217-782-5257 (fax)
331 W. Northwest Highway
Palatine, Illinois 60067
847-776-1880 (phone)
847-776-1925 (fax)
To find your elected officials, log on to
www.elections.il.gov/DistrictLocator/SelectSearchType.aspx?NavLink=1.
BREAKING NEWS! BREAKING NEWS!
MONDAY, FEBRUARY 23, 2009
The Illinois House of Representatives’ Elementary and Secondary Education Committee
proudly presents an official HEARING
on House Bill 1035, Disability History and Awareness, on
Wednesday, February 25, 2009, 8:00 AM in
Room 114 at the Capitol Building (the one with the silver dome)
It is short notice, and the time of day for the hearing is very early, but ALL self-advocates and staff who are willing and available to attend are more than welcome to! Only a very few people will be allowed to testify, however. Attendees can fill out a slip, as they did last year, that says they are PROPONENTS (in favor of) House Bill 1035. The hearing is—on!
FEBRUARY 12, 2009
GREAT NEWS!!!
House Bill 4537, entitled Disability History and Awareness, has been reintroduced with a new number: HB 1035!!!
House Bill 1035, Disability History and Awareness, has just been sent to the Elementary and Secondary Education Committee! That’s step one on getting it passed in the Illinois House of Representatives!
BLITZ IT!!!
Please write letters, and help self-advocates that you support to write letters, to the members of the Elementary and Secondary Education Committee. A list of their names and info is below. Please visit www.ilga.gov/house/committees/members.asp?committeeID=587 in order to find out the addresses of their offices and fax numbers.
You can write to Michael K. Smith, Chair of the Committee, to the Representative from your area, or if you want, you can write to everyone on the ELEM Committee! Please ask the Reps to support House Bill 1035!!!
ELEMENTARY AND SECONDARY EDUCATION COMMITTEE - IL HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES
Chair Michael K. Smith Pekin
Member Monique Davis Chicago
Rpb. Rep. Michael K. Smith Rock Falls
Member Suzanne Bassi Palatine
Member Fred Crespo Streamwood
Member Lisa Dugan Kankakee
Member Roger Eddy Hutsonville
Member Paul Froehlich Schaumburg
Member Esther Golar Chicago
Member Robert F. Flider Decatur
Member David E. Miller Dolton
Member Harry Osterman Chicago
Member Sandra M. Pihos Glen Ellyn
Member Robert W. Pritchard Sycamore
Member David Reis Olney
Member Jim Watson Jacksonville
Member John D. Cavaletto Salem
Member Karen A. Yarbrough Broadview
Member Darlene J. Senger Naperville
Member Marlow H. Colvin Chicago
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