Progress Illinois chats with political scientists about the likelihood of Springfield lawmakers taking up the three statewide voter-backed advisory ballot questions.
Faced with a crucial mid-term election where Republicans are seeking to reclaim the governor's mansion, Illinois Democrats used an annual party gathering Wednesday to provide an early look at their strategy for victory this fall.
For-profit employers would be barred from using religious beliefs to deny contraception coverage or other federally mandated health services to their employees under federal legislation introduced Wednesday.
Senate Democrats say they will advance legislation to override the Supreme Court's recent ruling allowing some companies with religious objections to avoid the contraceptives requirement in President Barack Obama's health care law.
A non-binding referendum concerning birth control and prescription insurance programs will be placed on November's ballot under state legislation signed by Gov. Pat Quinn Sunday.
The Obama administration said Wednesday that the Supreme Court's ruling in favor of the religious claims of Hobby Lobby and other for-profit businesses supports the government's position in separate, ongoing disputes with religious-oriented nonprofit organizations.
That is the date when women everywhere can get free preventative health services
such as birth control pills, as recommended by the Institute of
Medicine (IOM) last month.
The U.S. Department of Health And
Human Services announced today that it would heed the IOM’s advice (PDF), requiring
health insurance to cover, in full, the eight services that the IOM defined as preventative care.
That is the percentage of Americans who support government-subsidized birth
control pills, according to a poll (PDF) conducted in April by Reuters and
National Public Radio. The study is making another round in the news
after the Institute of Medicine (IOM) offered its
recommendations (PDF) last week on preventive services for women.
The Affordable
Care Act has been big on promoting preventative care versus the
complicated -- and expensive -- nature of reacting to health problems.
And now that the IOM rightfully declared contraceptives as important
preventative care for women’s health, this would mean any FDA-approved
birth control could be "free" or without co-pay costs "to promote
optimal birth outcomes" because it would lower unwanted pregnancy rates
as well as help space out conception for some. The IOM made seven other recommendations,
including counseling for STDs and domestic violence and DNA testing for
HPV. But right wingers have found a way to turn these potential plusses into an opportunity to pit the left against low-income Americans.
That is the date when women everywhere can get free preventative health services
such as birth control pills, as recommended by the Institute of
Medicine (IOM) last month. 
That is the percentage of Americans who support government-subsidized birth
control pills, according to a poll (