[Peace-discuss] Update on Anti-Boycott Bill in IL State Legislature, 3/21

[Robert Naiman]

Update on Anti-Boycott Bill in IL State Legislature, 3/21/14

State Senate Bill 3017 was not called for debate or a vote during the
Judiciary Committee hearing on Wed., March 19th. It now appears, although
there is no certainty on this, that the bill will not be moved forward
during this legislative session. If the March 28th deadline for moving a
bill is not met, it means this unconstitutional assault on academic freedom
and free speech will have effectively been defeated.

We have come this far because people and organizations throughout Illinois
took action. Our hundreds of phone calls and email messages, the petitions,
and the direct discussions with members of the State Legislature all had an
impact and made a difference! We had a sense we were on strong footing when
we saw that 95 organizations and individuals had submitted to the Judiciary
Committee "witness slips" through Wednesday indicating that they opposed
this legislation, even though they could not appear at the committee
hearing in person. Only 3 people submitted witness slips in support of the
bill.

The issue is not quite settled though. A State Senate resolution introduced
by the same Senator Silverstein, SJR 59, is still pending. The Resolution
has still not been assigned to a Senate Committee. We will continue to
monitor the status of this resolution, and if it starts to move forward,
publicize opportunities for engagement.

Robert Naiman
Just Foreign Policy

This update was based on a draft prepared by the Illinois Coalition to
Protect Academic Freedom and Free Speech.

The Illinois Coalition to Protect Academic Freedom and Free Speech was
formed in response to anti-boycott legislation introduced in the Illinois
State Senate. The Coalition includes the Center for Constitutional Rights,
CAIR-Chicago, Jewish Voice for Peace-Chicago, Palestine Solidarity Legal
Support, American Studies Association, Committee for a Just Peace in Israel
and Palestine, Palestine Solidarity Group-Chicago, Arab-Jewish Partnership
for Peace and Justice in the Middle East, Committee Against Political
Repression, Friends of Sabeel: North America, United States Palestinian
Community Network,  American Friends Service Committee- Chicago, Just
Foreign Policy, Defending Dissent Foundation, American Muslims for
Palestine, UIC Graduate Employees Organization, IFT-AFT Local 6297, and
other individuals.

-- 
Robert Naiman
Policy Director
Just Foreign Policy
www.justforeignpolicy.org
naiman at justforeignpolicy.org
(202) 448-2898, extension 1
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