Illinois PTA Advocacy Day in Springfield is coming on February 6, 2019, and as a lead up, we are taking the opportunity to reflect on the substantial legislative gains Illinois PTA made on issues affecting our children and youth in the areas of health, including mental health, safety, gun control, social and emotional learning, and special education. Today’s article looks back at new laws covering children’s safety, including firearms concerns.

Firearms Safety

Every child deserves a nurturing environment that is free of the fear of violence. The reality for many is far different. The news is filled with stories of gun violence. According to the CDC, in 2013 there were 1,117 gun violence related deaths in Illinois. Of those, 151 were children and youths aged 19 and younger. PA 100-0606 amends the Criminal Code of 2012 imposing a 72 hour waiting period for the sale or delivery of firearms and adds restrictions for sales to the mentally ill and narcotic addicts. PA 100-0607, the Firearms Restraining Order Act, permits family members and law enforcement officials to petition the courts to remove firearms for a limited time from the home of someone they think might be a danger to themselves or to others.

Concussions

Concussions are one of the most commonly reported injuries in children and adolescents who participate in sports and recreational activities. According to the CDC, in 2012, an estimated 329,290 children and youth aged 19 or younger were treated in the USA for sports and recreation-related injuries that included a diagnosis of concussion or traumatic brain injury. From 2001 to 2012, the rate of emergency room visit for these issues more than doubled for this age group. Continuing to play with a concussion or symptoms of a head injury leaves a young athlete especially vulnerable to greater injury and even death.

PA 100-0747 (HB4226) provides for the much needed distribution of information concerning the effects of concussions in children detailing the related warning signs of a concussion to the child or the parent or guardian of a child who may have sustained a concussion at no charge by schools. The law also provides that the regional office of education of a public elementary, secondary, or charter school is to supervise the athletic trainer (or other responsible individual) with respect to the return-to-play or return-to-learn concussion protocol.

Child Car Seats

Another safety issue relates to the use of car safety seats. The AAP recommends rear-facing car safety seats for most infants up to 2 years of age. Recently enacted PA 100-0672 (HB 4377) requires the person transporting a child under two years old in a motor vehicle in the first or second division, is responsible for securing the child in a rear-facing child restraint system, unless that child is more than 40 pounds or over 40 inches tall.

Immigrant Children

Recent national policy has caused concern regarding the treatment of children based on their immigration status. PTA supports the confidentiality of school records, including records that pertain to the immigration status of children, and opposes unrestrained access to school records to determine that status. PTA further believes that school districts should not voluntarily report undocumented students to immigration authorities because such actions may constitute a denial of access to education under the 1982 United States Supreme Court decision Plyler v. Doethat determined that undocumented school-aged children are entitled to have access to a high quality and free public K-12 education.

Based on this, the Illinois PTA supported the Anti-Registry Program Act, now P.A. 100-1088 which prevents the creation of, or requirement to enroll in, a registry program (with certain specified exceptions) to collect and disclose personal demographic information in which individuals or groups are listed on the basis of information that includes, but is not limited to, race, color, gender identity, age, religion, disability, national origin, ancestry, sexual orientation, marital status, military status, order of protection status, pregnancy. The Anti-Registry Program Act also provides that no agent or agency may provide personal demographic information that is not otherwise publicly available.

Additionally, the Voices of Immigrant Communities Empowering Survivors Act, PA 100-1115,provides important protections concerning the immigration status of crime victims. Without those protections, undocumented immigrants might be afraid to come forward to report crimes in the community or domestic abuse, or, if they do come forward, the victims may themselves be incarcerated under the current federal policy; any children involved could be detrimentally impacted by this.

Take Action

Do we have more to do? Every day! How can you help? Sign up for the Illinois PTA Takes Action Networkto stay up to date on issues, and  join us for Illinois PTA Advocacy Day in Springfield on Wednesday, February 6, 2019.

Questions concerning advocacy issues? Please contact Illinois PTA Legislative Advocacy Director Lisa Garbaty at lgarbaty@illinoispta.org.