CHICAGO (WBBM NEWSRADIO) — A state lawmaker from Rockford is proposing children in Illinois schools be taught about the dangers and consequences of “sexting.”
State Representative Maurice West said children are now exposed to cellphone technology at younger and younger ages and may feel comfortable sharing explicit photos, not realizing how their lives could take a turn for the worse in doing so.
"Five, 10, 15 years from now, this can hurt you. This can come back and haunt you when you try to go into a career, when you try to go in to get a job. Let’s say you even try to get into politics," he said.
Representative West said his proposal would not cost schools any more money, because the sexting lessons in 6th through 12th grades could be folded into already-required sex education classes.
He said a constituent gave him the idea for the proposed law.
"Even though that this is a topic that may make adults uncomfortable, we have to address the elephant in room. We have to have these conversations with our youth," Rep. West said.
He said it’s really needed, because of how comfortable students are getting with cellphone technology at younger ages.
"I remember having my first phone as senior in high school, but now my goddaughter is eight and she got an iPhone for her birthday," he said.
West said children need to understand that sending someone an explicit photo of themselves or others could get them into criminal trouble, or in the very least, follow them through life as they try to get into schools or look to advance in their careers.
"Once it’s out, there’s nothing you can do about it. You have zero control," Rep. West said.
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GRANITE CITY – To help meet with local residents and learn about their thoughts or concerns with local and state issues, state Rep. Monica Bristow, D-Alton, will be at Duke Bakery in Granite City on Jan. 17 from 9 a.m. to 10 a.m. for Coffee and Conversation.
“As we look towards the spring legislative session, I want residents to have the opportunity to talk with me about what they want to see done in state government and listen to any ideas on potential legislation that could be introduced in the new year,” said Bristow. “I want to hear from citizens about their ideas and their thoughts so I can be the strongest voice possible for our communities in Springfield.”
Bristow regularly hosts coffee and conversation events to provide residents with every opportunity to meet with her and share their concerns. Bristow will be at Duke Bakery’s Granite City location at 3202 Nameoki Rd. on Friday, Jan. 17 from 9 a.m. to 10 a.m. The event is free and open to the public and no reservation is required.
“Coffee and Conversation events are a way for me to talk with residents but to also help support one of our great local businesses,” said Bristow. “I look forward to talking with many old and new friends over coffee or a donut.”
House Bill 4007, introduced by Rep. Maurice West, D-Rockford, would require sex education curriculum in grades 6-12 to include material on the legal and social risks of sharing sexually explicit images, messages and videos.
“This is something that a lot of our students are dealing with and are partaking in without really understanding what the consequences could be,” West said.
Issues surrounding sexting that would be required in curriculum include long-term consequences, bullying and harassment, resisting peer pressure and using the Internet safely. Lessons would also have to highlight school and community officials who students can reach out to with a problem.
“There’s no telling what our children are doing on their phones,” West said, “so instead of trying to intrude into their privacy, let’s just make sure they’re educated on even the things that make us adults uncomfortable.”
The bill defines sexting as “sending, sharing, receiving, or forwarding a sexually explicit or sexually suggestive image, video, or text message by a digital or electronic device, including, but not limited to, a mobile or cellular telephone or a computer.”
New Jersey’s law, signed in 2018, requires schools to teach the “social, emotional, and legal consequences” of sexting.
The Los Angeles Unified School District, America’s second-largest, added the risks and consequences of sexting to its curriculum in 2015.
Driver says including sexting in sex education is a “smart response” to a growing practice.
“Young people generally think short term, in the immediate, and so providing the education before it becomes punitive … is a very responsible way to address sexting,” she said.
A 2018 study of 110,000 teenagers published in the Journal of the American Medical Association found 15 percent had sent sexts and 27 percent had received them. Twelve percent also admitted to sending a sext of someone else without their consent.
Sexting between minors is illegal in 25 states including Illinois, according to a 2018 analysis by the Cyberbullying Research Center. Illinois law forbids minors from sharing sexual images and videos of themselves via any electronic method, such as texting, social media and smartphone apps. The penalty is usually community service or counseling.
Illinois is one of 24 states plus the District of Columbia that require sex education. School codes require sex education lessons in Illinois to be age-appropriate, evidence-based and medically accurate. Parents have the option to take their children out of class if they object to the material.
“It is my hope that schools will be understanding of this because this is one thing that we really can’t control,” West said.
Ben Schwarm, deputy executive director of the Illinois Association of School Boards, predicts his organization will oppose the bill once it is assigned to a committee.
“We oppose all new curricular mandates. It has just really grown out of control,” he said.
Schwarm calls the bill unnecessary because school codes already mandate instruction on related topics like Internet safety and cyberbullying.
West, however, said he does not believe it would be an unnecessary mandate.
“We’re just simply saying we need to acknowledge the elephant that’s in the room,” he said.
West said sexting has already come up among a group of middle school boys he mentors.
“I’m telling them the ramifications to it and telling them how, though you may feel that this is pretty cool now, it can be detrimental later,” he said.
“But that’s just with six boys that I mentor. There’s a lot more out there that may not be getting that same kind of guidance.”
Driver said she agrees that sex education should meet young people where they are.
“I think very much how we’re trying to keep up with technology, we need to be keeping up with sex education at the same time so that one doesn’t happen without the other,” she said.
West introduced the bill in December and is reaching out to fellow lawmakers from both sides of the aisle for support as the General Assembly prepares for its 2020 session beginning Jan. 28.
15 new laws in Illinois for 2020
Vehicle fees
If you drive you already know you’re paying higher gasoline taxes in order to help pay for road construction projects. But that isn’t the end of it. Some other fees approved by lawmakers to pay for those projects kick in Jan. 1, including license plate fees that increase by $50 to $151 a year.
Fees for electric cars are going up to $248 a year, from the $35 every two years now in effect. And if you park those cars in a commercial lot or garage, you could end up paying a new parking tax.
Several traffic fines are going up in the new year. The fine is increasing to $250 for failing to reduce speed and move over when emergency vehicles are on the highway. Also, the fine for failing to reduce speed and move over in a construction zone is going from $10,000 to $25,000.
The fine for passing a school bus that is stopped and has its visual signals displayed is doubling this year. A first offense will cost a violator $300 instead of $150. Do it again, and it will cost $1,000 instead of $500.
Religious crimes
Murdering someone engaged in prayer or other religious activities at a place of worship will be a factor in sentencing or other increased penalties. Committing an assault or battery under the same circumstances will be subject to enhanced penalties.
Changing tables
Public restrooms will have to be more accommodating of infants who need a new diaper. Restrooms designated for women and those designated for men will need to have at least one diaper changing table. A bathroom for use by both genders also will be required to have one.
The spot on the State Fairgrounds to sample all sorts of ethnic cuisine will get a new name. It’s being retitled the “Village of Cultures” which was deemed to sound more inclusive.
Information protection
Privacy protections are being extended to direct-to-consumer commercial genetic testing kits that people can now purchase. The company selling the tests cannot share information from the results with health or life insurance companies without the consent of the person tested.
Another new law will require “expedient time” reporting of data breaches that affect more than 500 Illinois residents.
Mental health
In response to a number of suicides by law enforcement officers, new police officers will get instruction in how to recognize work-related stress and other issues that can lead to suicide. They also will be trained in how to help a person showing signs of distress.
Inmate expenses
The Department of Corrections no longer will be able to sue inmates to recover the cost of their imprisonment.
DAVID PROEBER, THE PANTAGRAPH
Sexual harassment
Public and private employers will be required to give employees training to combat workplace sexual harassment. The new law also prohibits private employers from requiring employees to sign non-disclosure agreements covering sexual harassment situations. Some hotel and casino employees will also have to be equipped with devices that can alert security if a person needs assistance.
John J. Kim
Pharmacy benefit managers
New regulations go into effect covering pharmacy benefit managers that negotiate drug prices for health insurers. The regulations are intended to curb practices where the managers manipulate prices to eliminate competition, something that has hurt independent pharmacies that serve largely rural areas.
Toby Talbot
No watching movies while driving
You’re not supposed to talk on the cell phone when you drive. Lawmakers have added to that that you shouldn’t watch streaming videos while you drive.
Deferred compensation
Newly hired state employees will be automatically enrolled in the state’s deferred compensation system, a program that is a supplement to the state pension system. Employees can opt out, but if they don’t, 3 percent of their salary will go into the plan.
State Rep. Lance Yednock, D-Ottawa, and Habitat for Humanity of La Salle, Bureau and Putnam Counties are hosting the Citizen Utility Board’s utility bill clinic 6:30 to 8:30 p.m. Thursday, Jan. 9, at Trinity Lutheran Church, 717 Chambers St., Ottawa.
Bring copies of gas, electric and phone bills for a free one-on-one bill analysisby a Citizen Utility Board expert. Learn how to avoid scams, be energy efficient and understand utility policy.
RSVPs are required. Call the Citizen Utility Board at 312-263-4282, ext. 111, or email events@citizensutilityboard.org with the subject line "Ottawa 1/9."
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Area residents are invited to learn about new state laws going into effect at an information session hosted by state Rep. Stephanie Kifowit, D-Oswego, on Thursday, Jan. 16 at 6 p.m. at the Aurora Public Library, located at 555 S. Eola Road in Aurora.
“This past year, we enacted a large number of new laws that will begin to affect our community starting in January,” said Kifowit. “This event will help inform residents about the new laws and touch on how residents can keep track of new bills as they go through the legislative process.”
Among the pieces of legislation Kifowit will highlight is a measure to protect students from being questioned or detained by school supervisors without the presence of their parent, guardian or mental health professional. She also passed a bill to streamline the process of the Secretary of State to issue drivers licenses or identification cards with the word “veteran” to qualified veterans and passed legislation to give voters the opportunity to choose an elected local library board.
Also at the event, attendees will have the opportunity to learn how to navigate and understand the Illinois General Assembly (ILGA) website so residents can track bills going through the legislative process and share their thoughts.
“Residents may have questions about how these new laws will impact them and their families,” said Kifowit. “This is an opportunity to ask questions, and the feedback I receive will assist me as I continue my work in Springfield.”
For more information about the event, or to RSVP, please contact Kifowit’s full-time constituent office at 630-585-1308 orRSVP@ILDistrict84.com.
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ELGIN — Got something on your mind about what’s going on in Springfield? Rep. Anna Moeller wants to hear about it.
The state representative for our area is inviting constituents to join her one Monday each month for the length of the legislative session for updates and discussion:
State Rep. Anna Moeller is inviting local residents and business owners to help her better advocate in Springfield this spring, over coffee.
Rep. Moeller, D-Elgin, has scheduled five Coffee and Conversations meetings during the 2020 spring legislative session. All of the meetings will run from 11:30 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. at the Blue Box Café, 176 E. Chicago St., in Elgin: · Monday, Jan. 13 · Monday, February 10 · Monday, March 9 · Monday, April 13 · Monday, May 11
Each meeting will give Moeller a chance to update constituents on the issues being debated in Springfield as they develop, and let constituents share their perspective on state and local issues.
"I can best serve the 43rd House District and the people of Illinois when I am talking and meeting regularly with them, explaining our debates in Springfield and seeking their input on my positions on key issues," Moeller said. "I encourage everyone to join me for these lunch discussions at the Blue Box for a lively back and forth over coffee."
The Holidays are best spent at home and with family, but what about those who don’t have that same luxury? Local legislators are doing their part to spread Christmas cheer.
During the Christmas and the holiday season, state Rep. Monica Bristow, joined fellow legislators, local leaders, and non-profit organizations to help give back to those in need across the Metro East and RiverBend Region.
Throughout the month of December, Bristow joined more than 50 other local groups in collecting toys and cleaning supplies for RiverBend Family Ministries’ Christmas Baskets. Parents were able to come and pick out toys for their kids and also receive a basket of cleaning supplies. Bristow also spent time volunteering for the Salvation Army.
During her holiday open house, Bristow collected socks for school board member Rosetta Brown’s Socks for Tots drive as well as participated in Lilly and Taylor Freer’s Cookies and Cocoa event to benefit the United Way’s Community Christmas.
ROCKFORD — State Rep. Maurice West II, D-Rockford, has introduced a resolution calling on Illinois schools to provide education to all students in grades 6-12 on how to identify, understand and respond to signs of addiction and mental illness.
West’s House Joint Resolution 95 outlines the prevalence of bullying, mental health disorders and substance use in schools and the fact that suicide is a leading cause of death among individuals ages 10-34.
For information: staterepwest.com.
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The Holidays are best spent at home and with family, but what about those who don’t have that same luxury? Local legislators are doing their part to spread Christmas cheer.
Working for Illinois Caucus 