League of Women Voters of Illinois^®

The members of the League of Women Voters of Illinois in attendance at the 2009 convention and representing local Leagues call for the Governor and the General Assembly of the State of Illinois to restore the state’s fiscal health and to provide for Illinois’ future by:

• Raising the income tax
• Broadening the sales tax to include nonessential services
• Providing property tax relief
• Increasing deductions for low income families
• Increasing funding for public education to the levels recommended by the Education Funding Advisory Board
• Providing adequate support to maintain social services and health care services
• Ensuring transparency and accountability in the spending of tax dollars.

THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED that the delegates to the 54th Biennial Convention of the League of Women Voters of Illinois in East Peoria, Illinois, on June 14, 2009, communicate this will of convention to each member of the General Assembly of the State of Illinois as well as to the Governor.

(Action – letters sent to the Governor and all members of the General Assembly on June 22, 2009)

Whereas the League of Women Voters of Illinois has worked diligently for good government since its inception; and

Whereas 46 states have instituted some type of campaign finance limits; and

Whereas candidates have grown increasingly dependent on a small number of very large donors; and

Whereas the limits set by the Illinois General Assembly during the Spring session 2009 are substantially higher than the limits on federal candidates; and

Whereas the limits set by the Illinois General Assembly establish no limits on contributions of goods and services from parties and other candidates, setting up those contributions as conduits for private interests; and

Whereas yearly limits, instead of limits on election cycles, effectively give incumbents more time to raise campaign funds than challengers; and

Whereas yearly limits put candidates in contested primaries, who solicit contributions in January, at a disadvantage against opponents in the general election, who have not already solicited their supporters in that calendar year; and

Whereas the campaign finance reform bill that passed the Illinois General Assembly in May 2009 fails to provide clear definition of the provisions, including reasonable transfer limits, consistent effect on corporations, PACs and individuals, thus continuing the dependence on party leadership; and

Whereas this campaign finance reform bill continues to diminish the ability of new candidates to compete on an equal financial basis with incumbents; and

Whereas this campaign finance bill does not take effect until January 2011, after the 2010 General Election; and

THEREFORE BE IT RESOLVED that the delegates to the 54th biennial convention of the League of Women Voters of Illinois, held in East Peoria, Illinois on June 14, 2009, acknowledge that the legislature did establish some campaign finance limits.

HOWEVER, we urge the Illinois General Assembly to lower the campaign finance limits to the federal level and treat transfers and in-kind contributions from other candidates or multi-candidate committees on the same basis; apply limits to each election cycle rather than to each calendar year, as well as limit to one the number of political committees a public official can create.

BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that the League of Women Voters of Illinois communicate in writing this Will of the Convention to each member of the Illinois General Assembly as well as to the Governor from the League of Women Voters of Illinois.

(Action: Letters sent to the Governor and all members of the General Assembly on June 29, 2009)

WILL OF CONVENTION (HB 182)

Whereas Illinois law currently allows individuals to carry firearms on their own land, in their abode, or in their fixed place of business; and

Whereas HB 182, a bill passed in both houses and awaiting Governor Quinn’s action, would revise current law to allow a person to carry or possess a firearm on the land or in the legal dwelling of another person as an “invitee” with that person's permission; and

Whereas HB 182 does not establish how permission would officially be granted to an invitee and does not clarify whether or if an invitee would be required to disclose to the inviter that he or she is carrying a firearm; and

Whereas law enforcement would have no discretion in determining who is fit to carry concealed weapons; and

Whereas HB 182 does not adequately define an “invitee” for the purposes of the bill, and under current Illinois law, customers of businesses and restaurants, spectators at sporting events, job applicants, and babysitters are all invitees; and

Whereas law enforcement would no longer be able to charge a threatening or suspicious person who is armed with unlawful possession if they are an “invitee”; and

Whereas domestic violence offenders, and other law breakers could invite armed accomplices into their homes to avoid being charged with unlawful possession,

BE IT RESOLVED that the League of Women Voters of Illinois at their convention in East Peoria, Illinois, on June 14, 2009, urge the Governor to veto HB 182, a bill that would change Illinois law governing the concealed carry of handguns and allow a person to carry concealed handguns into another person’s home.

(Action: Letter sent to the Governor on June 17, 2009)