[il-talk] FW: HB 2626 IL Parental Rights for the Blind Bill

Fri Apr 28 21:11:29 UTC 2017

From: Laura Fine [mailto:repfine at gmail.com] 
Sent: Friday, April 28, 2017 2:26 PM
To: Patti S Chang
Cc: David Meyer; Bill Reif; David Meyer; John Mulroe; suerezin at comcast.net; Diggs, Parnell; Denise Avant; Shiva Mohsenzadeh
Subject: Re: HB 2626 IL Parental Rights for the Blind Bill

Hi All,

Just want to let you know that HB 2626, the Parental Rights for the Blind Act, just passed off the House floor.  On to the Senate!

Have a great weekend! 

Kindly,

Laura Fine

State Representative, 17th District

1812 Waukegan Rd., Suite A

Glenview, IL 60025

Tel:  847-998-1717

Fax: 847-998-1707

On Wed, Mar 15, 2017 at 10:39 AM, Patti S Chang <pattischang at gmail.com> wrote:

This is good news. Thank you so very much. 

Patti S. Gregory-Chang Esq.

Treasurer

National Federation of the Blind of Illinois

pattischang at gmail.com

www.nfbofillinois.orgFollow @NFBI on twitter

Join the National Federation of the Blind of Illinois group on facebook.

From: repfine [mailto:repfine at gmail.com] 
Sent: Wednesday, March 15, 2017 8:59 AM
To: Patti S Chang; 'David Meyer'
Cc: 'Bill Reif'; 'David Meyer'
Subject: RE: HB 2626

Hi All,

Just want to let you know that the bill got out of committee this morning with an 8 to 3 vote. 

Talk to you soon!

Kindly,

Laura Fine 

State Representative,  17th District 

Sent from my T-Mobile 4G LTE Device

-------- Original message --------

From: Patti S Chang <pattischang at gmail.com> 

Date: 3/10/17 4:06 PM (GMT-06:00) 

To: 'Laura Fine' <repfine at gmail.com>, 'David Meyer' <datemeyer at sbcglobal.net> 

Cc: 'Bill Reif' <billreif at ameritech.net>, 'David Meyer' <datemeyer at mysero.net> 

Subject: RE: HB 2626 

Laura, thanks for forwarding DCFS’ email. We sincerely appreciate the opportunity to respond.

With all due respect to DCFS:

1.       I  left a message with Meryl to please call so we could discuss and have received no call back.

2.       2. Her statement regarding the ADA is simply not true in Illinois. I sent the case law previously.

3.       Dealing with DCFS alone won’t touch on the divorce and custody issues.

4.       Why does DCFS remove kids from blind parents before they even leave the hospital? Some overzealous nurse or social worker calls out of worry because they do not understand how blind people parent. DCFS errs on the side of caution and takes the child with no basis for the belief that the individual can’t parent except for the fact of blindness.  Again, we have a mom right now whose baby was taken before she left the hospital. Her public defender spoke with me and said the only factual basis might be that a small amount of milk was left in a bottle. Parents do that. If the baby is done, the feeding is done. You wash the bottles and lose the little bit left. Clearly that removal is based upon the notion that blindness will prevent mom from parenting. This removal is especially disheartening because mom has older children who have not been abused or neglected.

5.       Finally the email you forwarded makes clear that they plan to oppose instead of working with us on a bill.

Honestly the fact that DCFS is not even willing to call is a bit frustrating. We tried reaching out to discuss. We will not be protected by the status quo. I am not sure what else to say at this point. I have been dealing with two or three of these matters every year for at least 10 years. It has to stop. 

Patti S. Gregory-Chang Esq.

Treasurer

National Federation of the Blind of Illinois

pattischang at gmail.com

www.nfbofillinois.orgFollow @NFBI on twitter

Join the National Federation of the Blind of Illinois group on facebook.

From: Laura Fine [mailto:repfine at gmail.com] 
Sent: Friday, March 10, 2017 3:42 PM
To: Patti S Chang; David Meyer
Subject: Fwd: HB 2626

Hi Patti and David,

  I am forwarding the email I received from DCFS.  Please let me know your thoughts.  Thank you!

Kindly,

Laura Fine

State Representative, 17th District

1812 Waukegan Rd., Suite A

Glenview, IL 60025

Tel:  847-998-1717 <tel:(847)%20998-1717> 

Fax: 847-998-1707 <tel:(847)%20998-1707> 

---------- Forwarded message ----------
From: Walsh, Gwendolyn <Gwendolyn.Walsh2 at illinois.gov>
Date: Fri, Mar 10, 2017 at 12:08 PM
Subject: HB 2626
To: "repfine at gmail.com" <repfine at gmail.com>

Good Morning Representative Fine, 

As you requested I am following up with an email to our conversation regarding HB 2626. While we attempted to come up with an amendment to your bill, we feel that it would not encompass what the National Federation of the Blind is seeking. We would agree to work with them and think it would be beneficial for the National Federation of the Blind to provide input to DCFS in order to update our procedures and really capture what they are trying to achieve. 

We would remain opposed to the original bill. This bill sets up a higher evidentiary standard than Juvenile Court requirements, which is at a preponderance level.  DCFS utilizes juvenile court standards. In addition, there is already federal law in place for persons with a disability, which protects parents from unlawful discrimination in the administration of child welfare services, programs, and activities. The Americans with Disabilities Act, is very straightforward in protections or these parents.

Please let me know if you have any questions.

Thanks,

Gwen Walsh, MSW

Deputy Director, Office of Legislative Affairs

Department of Children and Family Services

406 E. Monroe

Springfield, IL 62701

(217) 785-1480 <tel:(217)%20785-1480>  (Office)

(217) 685-2897 <tel:(217)%20685-2897>  (Cell)

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