THIS JUST IN--ILLINOIS LAWMAKERS BACK TO SPRINGFIELD ON TUESDAY--REP HARRIS COULD CALL UP CIVIL UNIONS BILL IF YES VOTES ARE THERE

Illinois Governor Quinn is calling the lawmakers back to Springfield this Tuesday to solve the broken state budget. That means that Representative Greg Harris, sponsor of the Religious Freedom Protection and Civil Union Act, will be back under the dome with his co-workers--the men and women who hold our Equality in their hands. Brian Curtain, Representative Harris' Chief of Staff says that while the summer session may not be the best time for the Representative to call up his Civil Unions Bill because the lawmakers will be focusing on the budget, and making hard decisions on tax increases and budget cuts, "If he feels he's got the necessary amount of votes to call it he'll call it." Rep. Harris is going to be cautious, but being that only 5 of the THOUSANDS of House bills received an extension this year--the Civil Unions Bill being one--Rep. Harris' office is openly optimistic about the bill's passage--and says it will probably be called up and passed in the Fall session. The Representative "has not ruled out" calling the bill up next week, however, if it becomes clear that it would receive passage if he were to do so. "He won't hesitate," Mr. Curtain told me over the phone.

Representative Harris--our chief ally under the dome--has said before that if we want to help him pass this bill, we need to contact our lawmakers and see where they stand on this bill. If they aren't sure, or aren't yet favoring this bill, URGE THEM to support this bill. If, like me, you have a wonderful representative like Naomi Jakobsson, THANK THEM for their continued support of the bill.

TOAST TO OUR SUPERHERO IN ILLINOIS, REPRESENTATIVE GREG HARRIS!