Latest Post | Last 10 Posts | Archives
Previous Post: Illinois Supreme Court rules against local pension fund fiefdoms
Next Post: Meanwhile… In Oklahoma
Posted in:
* Center Square…
A former state legislator has formed a group that is launching a statewide effort to put parents’ rights on Illinois’ November 2024 ballot.
The Parents Matter Coalition has said that minor children in Illinois should require the guidance of their parents when faced with life-altering medical decisions like abortions or gender identity procedures. The group, in response, has launched a petition seeking to ask voters if parents should have more control over such decisions.
“Shall the written consent from a minor’s parent or guardian be required before any entity, person, clinic or school can provide a minor (under the age of 18 years) any nonemergency medical procedure, medication, pharmaceutical, or any gender modification procedure, gender identification counseling or gender therapy?” the question asks.
Jeanne Ives, a former state representative, said Thursday petitioners hope to get the advisory question on the November ballot.
“We want it on the 2024 ballot, that means we need petition signatures,” Ives told The Center Square. “Our goal is 500,000 signatures. We need less than that, but we are aiming for 500,000, and we would like to collect those by the end of March.” […]
The initiative is just a ballot question and will not change state law regardless of the final vote outcome. However, Ives said this can put pressure on those making the laws.
Matt Dietrich at the Illinois State Board of Elections said the circulators must collect 328,371 valid signatures of registered voters and submit them by May 6. So, 500,000 may not be enough.
State law limits the number of referenda to no more than three at a time. The General Assembly could decide to crowd out the Ives effort (if it’s even successful) by voting to put their own questions on the ballot, including a constitutional amendment.
posted by Rich Miller
Friday, Jan 19, 24 @ 11:43 am
Sorry, comments are closed at this time.
Previous Post: Illinois Supreme Court rules against local pension fund fiefdoms
Next Post: Meanwhile… In Oklahoma
WordPress Mobile Edition available at alexking.org.
powered by WordPress.
Just change the law to 18. There are studies from Western European countries that support this.
And from a simple political perspective, I have a tough time understanding how you can’t smoke a cigarette in Illinois until you are 21. But can have a life altering procedure before eighteen without any parental approval.
Comment by Almost the Weekend Friday, Jan 19, 24 @ 11:47 am
Obviously the referendum is a slam dunk but it also fails to compute with so many states banning procedures even opposite sex hormone therapy. (which at least in the short term therapy does not seem to cause infertility)
Comment by Macon Bakin Friday, Jan 19, 24 @ 11:51 am
It must be some kind of miserable to wake up every morning p.o.ed at the world.
Comment by Flyin'Elvis'-Utah Chapter Friday, Jan 19, 24 @ 11:52 am
Banning those from under 18 for partaking, sure you can use the tattoo argument, but hormone therapy is viewed as a medical procedure tattoos are not.
Comment by Macon Bakin Friday, Jan 19, 24 @ 11:53 am
==Just change the law to 18. There are studies from Western European countries that support this.==
Compromise and capitulation with the hardline bigots tends to work out great in both the short and long runs, historically. Giving them what they want ahead of them formally asking for it, well, that’s got an even better winning percentage.
To be supportive of Ives and her cadre on this is to be willfully ignorant of what the movement openly says it wants and the ways in which it says it is willing to get it. It is also taking her campaigns for statewide office and walking them over to the nearest memory hole.
Comment by Roadrager Friday, Jan 19, 24 @ 11:55 am
Fascinating strategy here. For real, I’m not being sarcastic!
Okay, yes I am. Jeanne Ives just getting weirder and more extreme by the week.
Comment by The Truth Friday, Jan 19, 24 @ 11:57 am
Nice to see the Commando turn from attacking the Chi-Com battery plant in Kankakee to inflicting governmental busy bodies into what must be a very challenging time for many families. Her intrusions are always a real treat.
Comment by Annon'in Friday, Jan 19, 24 @ 11:57 am
Ives falls into the “How can I miss you when you won’t go away?” category…
Comment by Friendly Bob Adams Friday, Jan 19, 24 @ 11:58 am
I’ve been wondering who would step up and fill the traditional Pat Quinn role of championing meaningless referenda efforts. Now we have our answer.
Comment by SpiDem Friday, Jan 19, 24 @ 12:01 pm
== And from a simple political perspective, I have a tough time understanding how you can’t smoke a cigarette in Illinois until you are 21. But can have a life altering procedure before eighteen without any parental approval.==
I can join the military and die for my country at 18, but can’t drink or gamble until I turn 21.
Comment by Sgt Schultz Friday, Jan 19, 24 @ 12:02 pm
So the school nurse needs to create an a** covering paper trail when my kid comes to her with a headache? Sounds like a really smart plan. Lot of deep thinkers put this together.
Anyway I find Jeanne Ives to be legitimately funny. It amuses me how much she plainly hates the vast majority of people, while ostensibly “working” as a politician. She’s a caricature.
Comment by Larry Bowa Jr. Friday, Jan 19, 24 @ 12:03 pm
Package their hate agenda in code words to make it seem like a reasonable action. Like all things MAGA, this is about depriving others of their rights, not granting rights actually deprived.
Comment by Norseman Friday, Jan 19, 24 @ 12:04 pm
Written parental consent just to talk to a counselor or a therapist seems like a bridge too far.
Comment by Sterling Friday, Jan 19, 24 @ 12:05 pm
Transistioning people do not miraculously change at 18 after their parents no longer have legal authority over them. Waiting until 18 only guarantees that parents can deny their children’s gender identity and have the power of the state to tell children they cannot be men or women, unless their parents say so.
Gender Identity, skintone, sexuality, ethnicity, etc., are not parental prerogatives. Parents do not decide these things. These identities exist within people, they are not externally imposed, nor should they be externally regulated.
Having a gay child and having worked with countless LGBT students over decades, it is wholly unethical for a state or a people to decide what other people can be or when they can be who they are.
There are limits to parental rights. We do not allow parents to abuse their children legally. This measure is unconstitutional because it asserts children are property to be controlled, denied and abused by parents.
Having a gay child or having a transgender child does no harm to the parent. But forcing sexuality and identity on children does do harm to children.
Ives is spearheading evil because she is in a position to do so.
Comment by H-W Friday, Jan 19, 24 @ 12:05 pm
=== Obviously the referendum is a slam dunk ===
I’ve yet to see any evidence of this. Republicans have been harping on this issue for a few years now, and it didn’t help them at all in 2020 or 2022. Looking at it more generally, there’s no evidence that stringent social conservatism is the path to victory for Illinois Republicans.
They’ve tried everything but moderation, and none of it has worked.
Comment by vern Friday, Jan 19, 24 @ 12:13 pm
Wait, I thought citizen-initiated amendments can only pertain to the size and structure of the general assembly. Wouldn’t the General Assembly have to initiate this?
Comment by TNR Friday, Jan 19, 24 @ 12:17 pm
– I thought citizen-initiated amendments can only pertain to the size and structure of the general assembly. –
That’s true of constitutional amendments. Ives appears to be going for a non-binding advisory referendum.
Comment by Michelle Flaherty Friday, Jan 19, 24 @ 12:20 pm
This is just the latest grift from Jeanne which has the added goal of becoming less irrelevant and putting her back in the public eye. And she’s going to need to get 600,000 signatures in the next four months. Good luck with that.
Comment by New Day Friday, Jan 19, 24 @ 12:24 pm
Well at least we know it won’t be successful. You lost me at Jeannie Ives.
Comment by Trap Friday, Jan 19, 24 @ 12:25 pm
=or school can provide a minor (under the age of 18 years) any nonemergency medical procedure, medication, pharmaceutical, or any gender modification procedure, gender identification counseling or gender therapy?”=
Schools already cannot provide non-emergency medical procedures or medication without parental consent. We do not provide pharmaceutical, or any gender modification procedure, gender identification counseling or gender therapy.
We just don’t. SO another pandering waste of time to get the tiny right wing riled up some more.
The whole parents rights thingy is getting old too. At least as it pertains to schools. There is almost nothing that they do not have final authority over, if they actually take the time to do it.
I propose a Parental Responsibility Law- Parents are responsible for feeding, clothing, and sheltering their children (not just a “housing plan” and ues, that is the law right now). They are responsible for getting their kids to school everyday and making them do their school work and treating everyone with respect. They need to pick their kids up from school and not make us watch them until 5pm even if their new boyfriend/girlfriend wanted to go out for afternoon drinks.
Let’s start there instead of the pretend stuff Jeanne.
Comment by JS Mill Friday, Jan 19, 24 @ 12:29 pm
It is a reasonable referendum and aligns with other laws concerning juveniles’ rights and parental responsibility.
Comment by Just a Citizen Friday, Jan 19, 24 @ 12:33 pm
==It is a reasonable referendum==
Only if you’re a hatemonger in the mold of Jeanne Ives
Comment by Demoralized Friday, Jan 19, 24 @ 12:41 pm
As usual with Jeanne, cruelty is the point, not a byproduct.
Comment by Manchester Friday, Jan 19, 24 @ 12:43 pm
OK, now explain how that fits with Article IV of the Illinois Constitution.
Comment by TinkerEversChance Friday, Jan 19, 24 @ 12:45 pm
Using Jeannys logic, Parental Consent should be required before children choose a “Heterosexual Lifestyle”.
Comment by Jerry Friday, Jan 19, 24 @ 12:52 pm
Nope.
First question I would like someone to tell me is how often the physical medical side of this (like meds or surgery) happens with minors without some sort of parental awareness?
Secondly wouldn’t this stop a pastor from counseling a young person about this, seems telling someone they shouldn’t do this would be counseling, you trying to limit religious freedom there Jeanie?
Comment by OneMan Friday, Jan 19, 24 @ 12:52 pm
===OK, now explain how that fits with Article IV of the Illinois Constitution===
This is not a constitutional amendment. The phrase “advisory question” is in the story. Try reading things.
Comment by Rich Miller Friday, Jan 19, 24 @ 12:56 pm
This is a winning issue with regular voters. Perhaps she is doing this to gear up for 2026?
Comment by Lake Effect Friday, Jan 19, 24 @ 12:58 pm
“Our old fundraising mailing list is not producing well: too many voters dying off. We need new victi…. Um, new voters to target for the fundraising appeals.”
“Should we just buy new lists off the dark web?”
“Naw, not enough suckers on those lists, I want fresh guaranteed product. Let’s get a petition drive going and let the sheep come to us.”
“You’ll need something to motivate the marks to sign up and give an address.”
“Can’t go wrong with the transsexual boogie man…”
“Boogie -Person-…”
“Yeah, sure, whatever. Let’s run with that.”
“Think we’ll get enough legitimate signatures to get on the ballot!”
“Don’t matter: just getting that list for the telemarketers and direct mail is enough. We’ll sell that to some rich guy with identity issues and make mad bank.”
Comment by Give Us Barabbas Friday, Jan 19, 24 @ 12:59 pm
===But can have a life altering procedure before eighteen without any parental approval. ===
What procedure are you talking about?
Comment by Suburban Mom Friday, Jan 19, 24 @ 1:02 pm
It is a reasonable referendum and aligns with other laws concerning juveniles’ rights and parental responsibility.
It is not, and does not.
Comment by The Truth Friday, Jan 19, 24 @ 1:09 pm
Suburban Mom-
Hormone Replacement Therapy for transitioning teens has been shown to cause permanent infertility.
Teens are getting double masectomies.
Losing the ability to procreate and/or having one’s breasts cut off before the age of consent are certainly life altering.
Comment by Lake Effect Friday, Jan 19, 24 @ 1:18 pm
===But can have a life altering procedure before eighteen without any parental approval. ===
Too often trans kids and other marginalized youth make a truly life altering decision when they are bullied, abused, shunned and denied medical treatment.
Comment by Cool Papa Bell Friday, Jan 19, 24 @ 1:20 pm
To OneMan’s question, “how often the physical medical side of this (like meds or surgery) happens with minors without some sort of parental awareness?”
Very, very rarely — and only with an extended period of counseling and documentation of legitimate fears of or actual abuse by a parent.
But that leads me to highlight that this is NOT just about endocrine or physical treatment, it covers “any entity, person, clinic or school” and even counseling.
In a sad effort to stay relevant and probably raise money by scaring people, Jeanne Ives is stoking the fires of more violence against my kids and kids like them, who just want to live their own lives and be left alone.
I strongly hope the legislature shuts down this hatemongering.
Comment by Phineas Friday, Jan 19, 24 @ 1:52 pm
I do not support her effort. But what I do support is more open discussion of the issues re transgender. Gender identity includes different feelings for any sex. for example women who love women may change their gender or not. being a lesbian is an actual thing not a mandatory pathway to changing genders. girls who like girls should not be made to think that means they are male. there is no one way to be a woman. the discussion in the US is marked by the extremes on either side of the issue. this has to stop. this includes fear of being labeled. I’ve become more open in discussion of this & it is often filled with anger. Including on sports where those looking for a fair way for competition are unfairly labeled TERFs. Discuss this more so we can make things happy for individuals.
Comment by Amalia Friday, Jan 19, 24 @ 1:53 pm
@Lake Effect:
As far as I know none of what you list is happening without parental involvement. And, that being the case, it’s really none of your business what decisions a parent is making with their child in this regard. Stay. Out. Of. Other. People’s. Business.
Comment by Demoralized Friday, Jan 19, 24 @ 1:55 pm
One of the “nonemergency” things listed in the question is “gender identification counseling or gender therapy”. I would argue that any kind of therapy or counseling provided to children struggling with gender identity would be emergent. Has she seen the rates of depression and suicide in trans kids?
Comment by Wisco Expat Friday, Jan 19, 24 @ 1:57 pm
@ Lake Effect
Not receiving gender identification counseling while navigating complicated hormonal and emotional issues as a child is also life-altering as exemplified by LGBTQ people being 4 times as likely to die by suicide. Numerous studies have shown that the “regret” rate for de-transitioned people is significantly lower than the “regret” rate for common medical procedures like knee replacements. Trans kids should be treated with love, not hate and used as political weapons.
Comment by Chicago Blue Friday, Jan 19, 24 @ 1:57 pm
===OK, now explain how that fits with Article IV of the Illinois Constitution===
This is not a constitutional amendment. The phrase “advisory question” is in the story. Try reading things.
Touche. You’re 100% correct. Was reading too quickly.
Comment by TinkerEversChance Friday, Jan 19, 24 @ 1:58 pm
As the parent of a young teenager I’m part of the group Ives is aiming to protect. The next parent I meet confronting this problem will be the first. Of all the things we worry about with our kids this doesn’t even register. But when has that ever stopped Ives? She pedals a special kind of hate. Fear mongering at its absolute worst.
Comment by Pundent Friday, Jan 19, 24 @ 2:00 pm
“This is a winning issue with regular voters. Perhaps she is doing this to gear up for 2026?”
Where? In Oklahoma? Sure as hell ain’t in Illinois.
Comment by New Day Friday, Jan 19, 24 @ 2:09 pm
If it get’s on the ballot, it’ll certainly bring out the haters, but they would have probably been there anyway to get their messiah into office.
Comment by PublicServant Friday, Jan 19, 24 @ 2:39 pm
==This is a winning issue with regular voters.==
Citation needed.
From Ron DeSantis down to local school boards, people who put the Libs of TikTok trans obsession front-and-center keep getting kicked in the teeth by “regular voters” who aren’t terminally online and wonder why the heck these people keep yelling about strangers’ private parts when the school’s test scores are down and the highway bridge has pieces crumbling off.
Comment by Roadrager Friday, Jan 19, 24 @ 2:45 pm
To a paraphrase a former President. “I’m from the gubbamint and I’m here to tell you how to raise your children”.
Comment by Jerry Friday, Jan 19, 24 @ 2:57 pm
So we just need to come up with three questions to put on the ballot to squeeze Ives out? Here’s some suggestions:
1. Should there be change to a graduated income tax structure where the lowest income bracket rate is no more than 2% of eligible income?
2. If a graduated income tax is enacted, should there be an upper limit to the rate collected for the highest income bracket? [or, if allowable, make this a multiple choice question with 6, 10, 15, and “no limit” as choices]
2. Should a minimum of 3% of income taxes collected from the highest 3% of income earners in Illinois be reserved for social services, such as housing and food assistance for low income earners, and education?
/s
Or turn this into a CapFax Question of the Day asking for best questions to put on the November ballot.
Comment by From DaZoo Friday, Jan 19, 24 @ 3:19 pm
This advisory question proposal by Parents Matter Coalition reeks of anti-trans and anti-abortion sentiment and has nada to do with “parental rights.”
Comment by Justin Friday, Jan 19, 24 @ 3:47 pm
Who hurt Jeanne Ives?…I wonder.
Carrying so much antipathy must be a heavy burden.
Comment by Dotnonymous x Friday, Jan 19, 24 @ 4:00 pm
Who’s paying for this?
Comment by walker Friday, Jan 19, 24 @ 4:00 pm
==This is a winning issue with regular voters. ==
Is it? Trans panic stuff has generally landed with a wet thud.
==Perhaps she is doing this to gear up for 2026?==
DPI certainly hopes so.
Comment by Arsenal Friday, Jan 19, 24 @ 4:06 pm