Although the General Assembly had its share of turmoil during the session that finished in August, "We very clearly moved forward" in terms of some LGBT-related issues, said Mike Ziri, Equality Illinois' director of public policy.
"Democrats and Republicans came together on many different initiatives," he said. "We continue progress through bipartisan actionthat includes legislators and the governor as well. The agenda was built by community engagement, and organizations like Equality Illinois, the ACLU and the AIDS Foundation."
Another key measure of progress was passage of a full budgetthe state's first in two yearsin June, added Daniel Frey, AIDS Foundation of Chicago's ( AFC ) director of government relations.
"We were obviously very encouraged by that," he said. "[HIV/AIDS-related measures] were very nearly fully funded to FY 2015 levels."
"That budget includes so many services that LGBTQ people rely on," added Ziri.
Ziri pointed to three important measures that passed during the last session: one that eliminated "gay panic" as a viable legal defense for individuals up against murder charges; one that requires the Governor's Office of Boards and Commissions database to include an application data field where an applicant may optionally disclose his or her sexual orientation; and another that allows individuals to change the gender-marker on their state-issued identification cards without having had to undergo surgical medical intervention.
He also praised the passage of two other bills that were not LGBT-specific but relevant to the community. The first was the Illinois TRUST Act, which prevents state law-enforcement officials from detaining individuals solely because of their immigration status while limiting the amount of cooperation local officials can give to federal immigration authorities. Second was an initiative spearheaded by State Attorney General Lisa Madigan that expanded civil-penalties for hate crimes and offered up new protections for cyber-bullying.
Frey additionally noted Gov. Bruce Rauner's signing, on Aug. 22, of HB 2800, sponsored in the House by state Rep. Mary Flowers, requiring physicians to provide HIV counseling and tests to pregnant women in their third trimester.
Anti-LGBT elements tried to pass bills that discriminated against transgender students and offered religious-based protections for anti-LGBT discrimination. Those bills were quickly buried in committees, however.
"They didn't move," Ziri said. "That's a testament to the organizing the LGBT community has done around these issues."
One measure left hanging at the end of the session that numerous progressive legislators and advocates pushed for was HB 40, introduced by State Rep. Sara Feigenholtz ( D-Chicago ). Chief among its provisions was one that would have nullified a law that would automatically outlaw abortion in the state should the United States Supreme Court overturn its Roe v. Wade decision. It also would allow Medicaid to pay for abortions.
HB 40 passed both houses in the General Assembly, but it was not sent to Rauner after he indicated that he would not sign the measure. State Sen. Don Harmon ( D-Chicago ), in late May, moved that HB 40's Senate vote be reconsidered, a procedural tactic that in theory could give time for Rauner to reconsider.
"We were very supportive of that measure," said Frey. "We believe [Rauner] should sign that, but it hasn't gone forward."
Ziri said he was "blown away" by the amount of citizen advocacy surrounding some measures, particularly the birth certificate bill. He added, "It was amazing to hear the stories of citizens who would go in, talk to their legislators and share their personal stories, and how that moved legislators."