SB 2332–Tobacco Products Under 21: This bill will limit the sale of tobacco products, electronic cigarettes, and alternative nicotine products such as electronic nicotine delivery systems (ENDS) to those age 21 or older. According to a 2016 Surgeon General’s report, nicotine exposure can harm adolescent brain development in ways that may affect their health, including mental health, and points out that e-cigarettes and other ENDS product use has increased by 900% among high school students from the years 2011 to 2015. The Illinois PTA unanimously passed our Resolution on ENDS in May 2018. This Resolution in part confirms that the Illinois PTA will work with other associations and agencies to limit the availability of e-cigarettes and other ENDS to youth. The Illinois PTA supports SB 2332.
HB 4657–Emotional Intelligence and Social and Emotional Learning Task Force: The task force created by this bill would develop curriculum guidelines, assessment guidelines, and best practices on emotional intelligence and social and emotional learning (SEL). The Collaborative for Academic, Social, and Emotional Learning (CASEL) determined that SEL programs benefit students long-term, and that the SEL skill development is best done through effective classroom instruction, student engagement in positive activities, and broad parent and community involvement in program planning. Illinois PTA strongly supported the inclusion of SEL standards in the Illinois Learning Standards, and supports HB 4657 to benefit students and keep Illinois a leader in student SEL. HB 4657 originally passed both houses with veto-proof majorities in April.
SB 34—Voices of Immigrant Communities Empowering Survivors (VOICES): This bill provides protections concerning the immigration status of crime victims. Without such protections, undocumented immigrants who are victims of crimes such as domestic abuse may be reluctant to report such crimes or may be incarcerated themselves under current federal policy. In a case of domestic abuse, for example, either situation may leave children solely under the care of an abuser or placed into foster care, both of which would be to the detriment of the children. Illinois PTA supports SB 34 as part of PTA’s mission to make every child’s potential a reality, including undocumented children. SB 34 passed both houses with veto-proof majorities in May.
SB 35—Immigration Safe Zones: This bill would require the Attorney General to publish model policies for limiting assistance with immigration enforcement to the fullest extent possible in order to ensure that specified facilities including, but not limited to, state-funded schools (from licensed day care centers through institutions of higher education), medical treatment and health care facilities, and public libraries, remain safe and accessible to all Illinois residents regardless of immigration status. PTA believes that all children living in the United States, regardless of their immigration status, have the right to a quality public education, basic health care, and adequate food and shelter. In addition, the Supreme Court stated in Plyler v. Doe that undocumented school-age children are entitled to have access to a high quality and free public K-12 education. Acts of illegal data collection, profiling, or interference through threats of deportation are essentially denial of that right. Illinois PTA supports SB 35 based on our legislative platform.
382