This week the Illinois Gun Violence Prevention Coalition will present an in-depth discussion, Debunking the 'Guns Make You Safer' Myth with Devin Hughes from GVPedia. GVPedia's mission is to provide access to facts and research so that policymakers and the public can make informed decisions about firearm policy. You can register for this virtual event to be held Thursday, April 20, from 12:00-1:00pm here.

Also, please take action in supporting HB 1404 HA1, a comprehensive cleanup bill that seeks to clarify the process and timeframe in which firearm remedies may be granted in orders of protection under the Illinois Domestic Violence Act. The bill will further ensure firearm remedies in orders of protection are accessible and enforceable across the state to safeguard survivors. This begins with clarifying that judges have the authority to issue the firearm remedy at ex parte emergency order of protection hearings, something 14 other states have authorized or required already written into law.  

To address the gap between revoked FOID cards and removed firearms, HB 1404 HA1 also clarifies the process and timeframe for firearm removal and surrender in cases where the firearm remedy is granted by the judge. 

Finally, under existing law, dating partners are ineligible to file a firearm restraining order. This bill will close the boyfriend loophole by adding intimate partners to the eligible petitioners list, bringing Illinois in line with recommendations from developers of the Extreme Risk Protection Order model. This can be used as another avenue for firearms relief for survivors of domestic violence. Go here to find your legislator information.

Make a difference this Earth Day by participating in the annual Des Plaines River Cleanup on Saturday, April 22, from 8:00-10:00am. Volunteer your time to clean up the Des Plaines Riverbank and Thatcher Woods. Cleanup bags, disposable gloves, and first aid supplies will be available at both the River Forest Park District and the Trailside Museum of Natural History. Please indicate pick-up location when registering. This event is rain or shine.

LWV US would like your feedback on reframing the overall League Structure for years to come. They recently entered the next phase of the transformation journey, Framing the Future, by assembling core working groups with members from local and state leagues and by launching a League-wide survey. It’s important that we receive viewpoints from all our League members. Your voice is critical to the League’s transformational success. Please fill out this 10- minute survey and take this opportunity to be heard! LWV US will use these responses, along with insights from the working group, to guide the next steps in the transformation journey. This survey is open to all members.The survey will be open until this Saturday, April 22.

Monday, April 24 is LWV Illinois Lobby Day, and this year our goal is for every League member in the state to participate. Lobby Day is a time to go beyond the ballot box and make sure you are represented. To participate, check out the Lobby Day Center. Find the issue you care about and plan to take action! If you have five minutes, you can make an impact. If you have more time, dig in, learn more, and engage and activate others. Use your email and social media platforms. Use your voice. Civic engagement is the ultimate form of democracy. Our messages to our elected officials are another way to vote for the kind of community we want to live in.  What message will you send? Start with five minutes on April 24!

Please join Illinois Families for Public Schools, the Illinois Education Association, the Illinois Federation of Teachers, and the League of Women Voters of Illinois for an important virtual discussion on Tuesday, April 25, from 7:00-8:30pm on what you need to know about Invest in Kids: Illinois' Tax Credit Voucher Program.  Voucher plans are sweeping the country, transferring public funds to private schools. Many Illinois residents don't realize we have a voucher program right here in the form of a tax credit "scholarship" program, known as Invest in Kids.

The expert panel, which includes Jessica Levin, Dr. Josh Cowen, Dr. Cassie Caswell, and Dountonia S. Batts, will look at this national trend, examine the research on student achievement in voucher schools, get a glimpse of the impact of vouchers on students in our neighboring state of Indiana, and present important information about Invest in Kids. Learn how you can join the campaign endorsed by more than 50 local, state, and national organizations to end the program permanently. You can register for this free virtual discussion here. Invite your neighbors and friends to watch!

The next Drinks & Dialogue will be Wednesday, April 26, starting at 6:30pm. Join us at Shanahan’s Irish Bar, 7353 Madison St., Forest Park, to learn about the mission of FORA (Forging Opportunities for Refugees in America), an after-school learning center that provides high dosage tutoring to refugee students to ensure their success in their new country. Hors d'oeuvres will be served, cash bar. RSVP Belinda Lutz-Hamel.

Spring is here and if you want to plant your garden, deck, doorway, or balcony with quality plants -- and benefit the LWV OPRF at the same time -- mark your calendar for our plant fundraiser. This fundraiser will once again be with Good Earth Greenhouse, 7900 Madison, River Forest, and will take place the weekend of May 5-7. LWV OPRF will receive 15% of sales. Simply go to the store, make your purchases, and either bring this checkout form or fill out one that will be available with the cashier. Also, please email Beverly Graham the amount of your purchase.

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