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At the top of LWVIL’s priorities for the recently completed Lobby Day event was to influence our legislators not to renew the controversial Invest in Kids Act, which indirectly funded private school scholarships with public funds via state tax credits to well-to-do donors.
Thanks to lots of help from members around the state, partner organizations, an endorsement of our position by NAACP, and others, our efforts were successful! But our successes at Lobby Day did not stop there. Here’s what we accomplished in Springfield on October 24:
- Influenced the sunsetting of the Invest in Kids Act.
- Influenced passage of SB0690, which helps to preserve tax authority for townships who successfully passed referendums to implement 708 Mental Health Boards.
- Motivated over 15 local leagues to send members to Springfield, and many more than that to make phone calls and send letters to lawmakers supporting the League’s positions.
- Empowered a new group of League activists, some of which were meeting a legislator for the first time, by pairing them up with experienced advocates to show them the ropes.
- Learned about IIK from coalition partners and the art of compromise from one of Senate President Don Harmon’s staffers.
- Expanded our perspectives, met new members, made new memories, and had fun.
We’ll be back in Springfield this spring. Get engaged. Make a plan to join us. More details will be provided at a later date.
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