Working for Illinois Caucus

A pair of Central Illinois legislators acknowledge the national scene is bleak for members and supporters of the LGBTQ+ community.

But Sen. Dave Koehler of Peoria and Rep. Sharon Chung of Bloomington say Illinois’ Democratic supermajority is working to keep the state a beacon of LGBTQ+ support.

In fact, much of the legislation they discussed Monday night at an annual legislative town hall hosted by the Prairie Pride Coalition and Equality Illinois is aimed at keeping in place support that’s being scuttled by the Trump administration.

“We’re just kind of protecting vulnerable populations against some of the possible attacks that might be coming from the federal government,” said Chung.

It’s making Illinois a popular destination for members of that community, according to the pair, who both recounted meeting people who’ve moved from states like Texas and Florida.

Moderator José Che Che Wilson, director of civic engagement at Equality Illinois, said it was something he’d heard as well.

Koehler thinks the situation is temporary.

“As long as we can keep our democracy, we’re going to see a change," he said. "We’re going to see this pendulum swing. And so we just have to be ready for that. But in the meantime, there’s Illinois.”

Speaking to a group of about 35 people at Heartland Community College’s Astroth Community Education Center, the pair discussed their support of proposed legislation benefiting the LGBTQ+ community.

Among those bills:

• A bill that would tighten privacy around gender listed on driver’s licenses.
• A measure to require health insurance to support hormone therapy — something Chung stressed as important for women’s health care as well as transgender treatments. 
• A bill that would prevent the state from tracking hormones such as estrogen and testosterone as part of the Prescription Monitoring program within the Illinois Controlled Substances Act
• A “Bill of Rights” prohibiting discrimination in long-term health care because of sexual orientation or gender identity. 

The lawmakers also took questions and comments from the audience on topics ranging from the dangers of “conversion therapy,” as well as statistics around LGBTQ+ migration to Illinois. Other wishes included support for Medicaid and housing issues that disproportionately include the LGBTQ+ population.

Several members of the McLean County Board, Bloomington City Council and others were in attendance, and several booths were outside that included both county clerk candidates — Republican incumbent Kathy Michael and Democratic challenger Joshua Crockett.

Organizers said both Republicans and Democrats were invited to sit on the panel, but local Republican legislators didn’t respond.

Still hopeful 

While Chung and Koehler pair decried the situation nationally, both held out hope. Koehler emphasized the federal policies didn’t represent a shift in most people’s beliefs.

“I don’t think that the country has changed so much as it has the Trump political leadership … And we will have a realignment with the politics and where the people are,” he said.

The pair said local actions such as the town hall are important alongside legislation. “Finding those little glimmers of hope that we can sort of grab onto, I think is important in these times,” Chung said.

And Koehler said that at its core, diversity is good.

“Diversity is our strength. Somehow diversity has become a bad name nationally and we’ve politicized it. But diversity means that you respect one another and if there are differences, if there are different thoughts, different lifestyles, whatever, that we appreciate that,” he said.

SPRINGFIELD, Ill. – Wanting to strengthen worker rights, state Rep. Gregg Johnson, D-Rock Island, has passed legislation that would prohibit employers from requiring that applicants have a driver’s license unless it is necessary for the position.

“At its core, this legislation is about ensuring that everyone has equal access to job opportunities,” said Johnson. “If a job does not need someone to drive, then whether or not they have a driver’s license shouldn’t matter. If they can work, they should have the opportunity to do so without unnecessary barriers standing in their way.”

Johnson’s House Bill 4758 states that a job posting can not require that an applicant has a valid driver’s license unless driving is an essential part of the job. This guarantees that applicants without a driver’s license have an equal opportunity to employment opportunities where they are not required. If a driver’s license is required for a posted position, the employer must provide a brief description on the job posting describing why it is considered necessary.

“Whether or not someone has a driver’s license doesn’t determine what type of worker they’ll be,” said Johnson. “And for that to be a deciding factor makes absolutely no sense. This legislation will provide people with greater access to different employment opportunities, something that should have never been restricted in the first place.”

House Bill 4758 received bipartisan support, and it now moves to the Senate for further consideration. For more information, please contact support@repgreggjohnson.com.

An Illinois State University alum who happens to be a state lawmaker has chimed in on the ongoing strike at ISU.

Democratic State Representative Amy “Murri” Briel of Ottawa says she stands alongside the striking buildings, grounds, and dining service employees represented by AFSCME. Briel also says “As the oldest and one of the most respected universities in Illinois, it’s imperative these workers tasked with upkeeping the campus’ essential operations receive fair compensation”.

More than 300 ISU workers have been on strike for a week now, arguing they deserve higher pay. A bargaining session with a mediator has been announced for Wednesday.