Dupage Policy Journal

Former Illinois state Rep. Jeanne Ives recently called out Rep. Terra Costa Howard (D-Lombard) for voting in favor of a bill that reduces the penalties for people charged with fentanyl possession and for supporting controversial sex education legislation.

"Every time I see a Terra Costa Howard commercial, I am going to post about another one of her bad votes," Ives said in a recent Facebook post. "HB3447 - changes the penalty for fentanyl possession to a misdemeanor for possession of up to 3 grams of fentanyl. ONE GRAM of FENTANYL CAN KILL 500 PEOPLE. Three grams of Fentanyl is an amount drug pushers would have on them. Terra Costa Howard refused to vote against this bill. Last year 130 of the 138 people in DuPage County who died of an overdose, died from Fentanyl. Costa Howard is a danger to public safety."

Ives noted in another Facebook post that Costa Howard voted in favor of SB 818, the bill that expands "sexual education" in Illinois to include children as young as kindergarteners; as well as HB 370, the bill that repealed the parental notification of abortion, so children can get abortions without their parents' knowledge. Costa Howard, who is endorsed by Planned Parenthood, also voted in favor of HB 4247, a bill seeking to put emergency contraception drugs in campus vending machines; and HB 156, a bill that mandates the placement of tampons in boys' public school bathrooms.

Illinois Gov. JB Pritzker signed SB 818 into law in August 2021, requiring all schools K-12 that teach sexual education to align their curriculum with certain standards, an Illinois.gov press release said.

"Modernizing our sex education standards will help keep our children safe and ensure important lessons like consent and internet safety are taught in classrooms," Pritzker said in the release.

The new sex education curriculum will be based on the National Sex Education Standards (NSES), which include teaching children in kindergarten through 2nd grade to define gender and gender identify, as well as gender-role stereotypes, and teaching students the medically accurate names for body parts, including genitals; a report from Breakthrough Ideas said. Children in Grades 3 through 5 will be taught about masturbation; hormonal development and the role of hormone blockers; the differences between cisgender, transgender and gender nonbinary; and the difference between sexual orientation and gender identity. Children in Grades 6 through 8 will be taught to define oral sex, anal sex and vaginal sex; and instructed to identify at least four methods of contraception that are available without a prescription, such as condoms and emergency contraception. High school students will be taught about "reproductive justice" as well as how to differentiate between sex assigned at birth, gender identity and gender expression.

Illinois Democrats passed legislation last fall repealing the Parental Notice of Abortion (PNA) Act, which required that the parent or guardian of a minor must be notified prior to undergoing an abortion procedure, a release from state Sen. Craig Wilcox's (R-McHenry) office said. The law did not require permission from the guardian, only notification. Pritzker signed the repeal into law, and it took effect on June 1.

HB 4247 would require every higher education public institution to have emergency contraception available in vending machines on campus.

The Illinois Department of Public Health (IDPH) defines emergency contraception (EC) as "a concentrated dose of regular oral contraceptives taken in one dose or in two doses over 12 hours" and notes that it "reduces the chances of getting pregnant" after unprotected sex. IDPH stated that many women who use EC experience side effects including nausea and vomiting, and that it is approximately 75% effective.

Pritzker signed HB 156 into law last year, requiring all boys' and girls' bathrooms for students in Grades 4-12 to carry free feminine hygiene products, a WTVO report said. The bill was sponsored by state Rep. Barbara Hernandez (D-Aurora), who said the legislation is "really important for young menstruaters." State Rep. Kathleen Willis (D-Chicago) also supported the bill, stating that transgender students might need menstrual products. 

State Rep. Andrew Chesney (R-Freeport) was vocal in his opposition of the legislation, stating, "To put female products in a male bathroom is not only confusing to a sixth-grader but completely inapplicable."