I promise to write about the road-trip-to lobby-with-children part of yesterday and upload the pictures as soon as I am done sorting them.
As far as the legislation goes, here is the roll call for the vote to pass HB226 out of committee yesterday:
Yes:
Mary Flowers
Keith Sommer
Mike Zalewsk
Julie Hamos (subbing in for Esther Golar)
No:
Greg Harris
Will Burns
Lisa Dugan
Karen May
Mike Connelly
Joanne Osmond
Rosemary Mulligan
Tim Schmitz
There is re-grouping happening to decide next steps, but what is clear today is:
- - Rep. Julie Hamos deserves tremendous appreciation and support from all of us who support this effort, because she has gone all out to make it possible for women in Illinois to have the choice to give birth at home.
- - We have our work cut out for us to turn these nos into yeses! If we are to succeed, we must talk to representatives across the city and state. If you haven’t done so, please consider calling, writing a letter to your representative – or even better, go to see them and give them information about why a mother might want to birth at home vs. the hospital and ask them to do every thing they can to support this bill the next time they see it. You can look up your legislators here: http://www.ilga.gov/ If they are a supporter already – please thank them!
If you want to call, write, or visit and haven’t gotten around to it, please let me know and I will help!