Mar 8, 2020
Ad Hoc announcement concerning HB4870:
HB4870 (the HPV vaccination bill) has been taken off the schedule for tomorrow and re-assigned to a different committee, which does not meet until Thursday, March 5. It is not yet on the schedule for Thursday, but can be added as late as tomorrow (Wednesday), so we are watching it closely. We've been told that the sponsor is working on an amendment, so it is possible that once it does get scheduled, the new amendment will include our suggested wording and Ad Hoc's objections will be satisfied. You may still oppose the bill for your own reasons, and calls to the bill's sponsors will not be wasted. http://www.ilga.gov/legislation/billstatus.asp?DocNum=4870&GAID=15&GA=101&DocTypeID=HB&LegID=124934&SessionID=108
Remember! Even if you have already signed a witness slip, you will need to do it again for this new committee and this new committee hearing. But until it is actually scheduled, it will not be possible. Keep an eye on the site.
Sincerely,
the Ad Hoc Committee for Illinois Home Education Legal and Legislative Matters
Mar 5, 2020
Ad Hoc update on HB4870:
HB4870 was not scheduled this morning and was therefore not discussed in its newly appointed committee, Appropriations-Human Services Committee. In lieu of the fact that the General Assembly will be out of session next week for the primary election, it will be a couple of weeks before it can be discussed. AdHoc continues to work behind the scenes to have an amendment added that will satisfy our own objections to the bill.
Since HB4870 was moved to a different committee, all the previous witness slips serve no purpose in going forward. Therefore, new witness slips will once again be necessary as soon as this bill goes on the schedule again. This could happen VERY QUICKLY so if you receive an alert, time will probably be of the essence. In the meantime you can do a couple of things. First, call all the members of this committee and share your concern about HB4870 and ask that they vote against it. Here is a list of members of the new committee: http://www.ilga.gov/house/committees/members.asp?CommitteeID=2295&GA=101. We do not want to let up. We must communicate that we are standing firm.
Thank you,
Ad Hoc Committee on Illinois Home Education Legal and Legislative Matters
Mar 3, 2020
Ad Hoc Committee for Illinois Home Education Legal and Legislative Matters Legislative Update HB4870
Our lobbyist continues negotiations with the sponsor for HB4870 – the HPV vaccination bill.. He has reported that she is working on a larger amendment but nothing has been officially proposed. We believe that since we cannot count on our wording to be added to this amendment that may or may not be added to this bill, it is time to take the next step in our actions against it. This week the General Assembly will not be in Springfield. We are therefore asking you all to visit or call your representatives’ home offices and POLITELY and RESPECTFULLY ask them to oppose the bill. Your own representative may not see the bill unless it passes through committee, but at least they will be aware. (To find your rep, go to this site: https://openstates.org/find_your_legislator/ )
While you may have other reasons to oppose this bill, Ad Hoc’s very limited mission is to protect homeschoolers’ freedoms to homeschool. With that in mind, our objection to this bill is that it gives the Public Health Office open-ended authority to enforce this new requirement in any way they wish, and we are concerned that it may (like the vaccination bill of 1999) result in an attempt at homeschool registration.
For those who have filled out witness slips or made calls … thank you. We must, however, increase our efforts as well as enlisting the help of others in our co-ops, social media groups, etc. Please forward this message to others. In addition to reaching out to your representative, consider calling the members of the Appropriations - Human Services Committee by clicking the link below:
http://www.ilga.gov/house/committees/members.asp?CommitteeID=2295&GA=101
Remember, it is much easier to keep our liberties than try to regain them after we have lost them. Please contact your representative at their district offices this week.
Feb 14, 2020
Dear HOUSE members,
Concerning HB4870 and the HPV vaccination, Ad Hoc is aware of this bill and has discussed it and all of its ramifications. Though Ad Hoc has not chosen to take a position on it, its progress is being monitored. It is important to note that several vaccinations have already been on the books for a few years and have not raised an inordinate amount of concern; HPV is being added to that list.
While this is most definitely a parental issue and parents should make their voices heard in Springfield (if they feel strongly about it), it is not homeschool specific, which would make it Ad Hoc's focus. However, we are watching it carefully and looking at how/if the state plans on monitoring compliance. We will communicate again when we have more information.
You may forward this to anyone interested.
Rebecca Jaxon