Amendments to the State Constitution
merit selection of judges;
a progressive, graduated income tax;
recall of elected judges.
Criminal Justice
increased use of intermediate sanctions in the community;
Judicial discretion to choose between imprisonment or probation for most offenses;
a sufficient number of trained probation officers and other court personnel;
prompt trials;
a system of bail that does not rely on financial ability as a criterion for pretrial release;
an adequately funded judicial system;
the expansion of prevention and treatment programs;
abolition of the death penalty.
Gun Violence Prevention
legislative controls to stop the proliferation of private ownership of handguns and their irresponsible use;
restricting access to automatic and semi-automatic assault type weapons.
Schools
high quality elementary and secondary schools for all children in Illinois;
local control of school program and budget;
State provided leadership to local communities for program development;
standards for recognition and accreditation of schools;
regular evaluation of educational programs;
minimum standards for graduation and promotion of students;
increased professionalism for teachers including stringent teacher preparation standards;
comprehensive teacher and principal evaluation;
changes in tenure;
increased teacher compensation;
an adequate level of State financial support;
continuing to monitor the progress of existing charter schools before supporting further expansion.
State Election Laws
uniform election laws and procedures;
opposes term limits for members of the General Assembly.
State Fiscal Policies
a progressive, stable, responsive and simple tax code
State Redistricting
a timely, orderly and fair redistricting
Land Use
a comprehensive land use policy for Illinois that provides for orderly growth while preserving the environment;
conserving natural resources and providing needed open space;
a plan for adequate low and moderate income housing;
regional planning agencies with funding from local, regional and state sources;
legislation for development impact fees.
Large-scale livestock facilities
strict regulation of large-scale livestock facilities on the state, regional and county levels;
statewide environmental control;
public hearings prior to siting and regional and/or county control of siting.
Pesticides
reduction of exposure to all pesticides;
encourage use of non-toxic alternatives.
Services
the State should play the leading role in meeting the needs of children and their families;
fund quality services equitably throughout the state;’
community-based services that strengthen and preserve families and fosters healthy growth and development of children;
a juvenile court system that provides opportunities for effective protection, treatment, and rehabilitation;
opposes the automatic transfer of children to the criminal court and the death penalty for children.
Immigration
community efforts to provide orientation and counseling services for all immigrants;
provisions for educational programs and materials on rights in the workplace for all workers;
driving certificates for undocumented workers and the availability of auto insurance for holders of certificates.
opposes deputizing state and local police to enforce immigration laws;
opposes ordinances that penalize landlords for renting to immigrants;
Opposes prohibiting the issuance of business permits to undocumented immigrants;
opposes extending the right to vote to undocumented immigrants.
Income Assistance
income assistance and supportive services for all low-income individuals and families.
Mental Health
comprehensive and coordinated system of treatment and rehabilitation services for adults and children with mental illness;
adequate funding, planning, program standards, and personnel training requirements;
a broad array of adequate and accessible community services;
in addition to state funding, local, federal, and non-governmental funding sources should be encouraged;
A system of local boards to levy taxes, administer funds, and plan and coordinate services should be required throughout the state;
governments should provide for residential programs for persons with mental illness in local zoning ordinances.
Fiscal Policy and Tax Reform
promote efforts to address the inequities of the state fiscal system in order to provide stable, reliable and adequate revenues for public education and other social services.
Campaign and Ethics Reform
impose contribution limits;
require full, immediate disclosure of all contributions;
provide enforcement and monitoring mechanism to assure transparency.
For more information on the State League, please visit www.LWVIL.org
