American Civil Liberties Union

DEFEND FREEDOM OF SPEECH, PRESS, ASSEMBLY, AND OTHER RIGHTS GUARANTEED BY THE US CONSTITUTION AND THE CONSTITUTION OF THE STATE OF ILLINOIS.

LEGISLATIVE INITIATIVES INCLUDED DIVERSE EFFORTS TO ADVANCE CIVIL LIBERTIES ACROSS THE STATE THROUGH LEGISLATION. ONE MEASURE WE ADVANCED WAS LEGISLATION DESIGNED TO REDUCE BARRIERS TO RECOVERY FOR THOSE WHO USE ILLICIT DRUGS. THE MEASURE WE ADVANCED THROUGH THE ILLINOIS HOUSE WOULD REDUCE PENALTIES FOR THOSE ARRESTED WITH SMALL AMOUNTS OF DRUGS FROM A FELONY TO A MISDEMEANOR AND ENHANCE ACCESS TO CARE AND REHABILITATION RATHER THAN RELYING EXCLUSIVELY ON PUNISHMENT AND IMPRISONMENT. ANOTHER MEASURE THAT MOVED THROUGH ONE LEGISLATIVE CHAMBER IS DESIGNED TO ADDRESS A PROVISION IN ILLINOIS LAW THAT BARS ANYONE WITH A FELONY CONVICTION FROM CHANGING THEIR NAME UNTIL 10 YEARS AFTER THEY HAVE SERVED THEIR TIME. THIS MEASURE DIRECTLY IMPACTS PEOPLE WHO ARE TRANSGENDER, AS WELL AS SURVIVORS OF HUMAN TRAFFICKING. THE ORGANIZATION ALSO ADVOCATED TO MODERNIZE LANGUAGE USED IN THE STATE'S CHILD WELFARE STATUTE SO THAT SUCH LANGUAGE REFLECTS OUR CURRENT UNDERSTANDING OF FAMILIES AND GENDER IDENTITY. THE ACLU OF ILLINOIS ALSO WORKED ON A HOST OF LEGISLATIVE PROPOSALS ADDRESSING TECHNOLOGY AND PRIVACY, ISSUES IN THE CRIMINAL LEGAL SYSTEM AND OTHER MATTERS.

COMMUNICATIONS: THE COMMUNICATIONS ACTIVITIES OF THE ACLU OF ILLINOIS ARE DESIGNED TO: KEEP OUR MEMBERS AND SUPPORTERS UPDATED ON THE WORK OF THE ORGANIZATION; BROADLY INFORM AND ADVANCE THE PUBLIC ABOUT IMPORTANT DEVELOPMENTS IN OUR WORK AND ISSUES OF CONCERN (CONSTITUTIONAL ISSUES) IN THE GENERAL PUBLIC; AND, TARGET MESSAGES THAT MAY MOVE OPINION LEADERS IN SUPPORT OF OUR WORK. WE UTILIZE AN ARRAY OF COMMUNICATIONS TOOLS IN ORDER TO ACHIEVE THESE GOALS, FROM PUBLIC SPEAKING, TO SOCIAL MEDIA, EMAIL COMMUNICATION WITH MEMBERS AND SUPPORTERS, OTHER WRITTEN MESSAGES AND A PODCAST. THE DEPARTMENT IS RESPONSIBLE FOR MESSAGES THAT REACH THOUSANDS OF PEOPLE ACROSS THE STATE OF ILLINOIS DURING THE YEAR, REGARDING THE WORK OF THE ORGANIZATION.

CHAPTERS: IN FOUR DISCREET GEOGRAPHIC AREAS ACROSS THE STATE - URBANA-CHAMPAIGN, BLOOMINGTON-NORMAL, SPRINGFIELD AND PEORIA - ACLU MEMBERS VOLUNTARILY GATHER TOGETHER TO FORM LOCAL CHAPTERS TO ADVANCE THE WORK OF THE ORGANIZATION IN THESE AREAS. THESE CHAPTERS SERVE AS A CRITICAL EARLY WARNING SYSTEM FOR CIVIL LIBERTIES' VIOLATIONS/CONCERNS IN THESE AREAS AND OFTEN PRODUCE IMPORTANT PUBLIC PROGRAMS THAT ADDRESS CONCERNS THAT MIGHT BE FEDERAL, STATEWIDE OR LOCAL. FINALLY, THE CHAPTERS SERVE AS REPRESENTATIVES FOR THE ACLU IN THESE COMMUNITIES, RAISING OUR PROFILE BY PARTICIPATING IN LOCAL ACTIVITIES, FROM MARCHES AND PARADES, TO DEMONSTRATIONS AND FARMERS' MARKETS. THE CHAPTERS ALSO PLAY A CRITICAL ROLE AS CONDUITS TO LOCAL ELECTED OFFICIALS, INCLUDING MAYORS, POLICE LEADERS AND OTHERS. DURING THIS YEAR, EACH OF THE CHAPTERS ADDRESSED LOCAL PROPOSALS TO ADOPT AND IMPLEMENT AUTOMATIC LICENSE PLATE READER SYSTEMS IN THEIR COMMUNITY. CHAPTER MEMBERS REACHED OUT TO PUBLIC OFFICIALS TO SHARE ACLU CONCERNS ABOUT PRIVACY RAISED BY THE SYSTEMS.