KIDS TOO educates lawmakers to advance Federal and Illinois legislation that prioritizes the physical and mental health of children.
legislative advocacy
Faith’s Law, Illinois HB 1975
KIDS TOO worked alongside Survivor Advocate, Faith Colson, on the passage of HB 1975 (Faith's Law) in December 2021. This was a big win in Illinois, advancing safeguards by expanding the definition of grooming in the criminal code, increasing resources and protections for sexual abuse survivors and their families, and requiring school districts to develop a sexual misconduct code of conduct, review employment history, and increase training for educators.
Faith's Law Press Conference
Faith's Law Rollout News Coverage, August 2023
"I thank Governor Pritzker for signing this important piece of legislation that will strengthen the tools schools, parents, and child protection organizations can use to recognize, prevent, and prosecute grooming and inappropriate relationships by school staff members of the students who trust them, which has tragic life-long consequences for these young victims.”
State Representative Michelle Mussman (D-Schaumberg).
Sammy’s Law, Illinois HB 5380
House Bill 5380, also known as Sammy's Law, is named after 16-year-old Sammy Chapman. The teen died after buying fentanyl-laced drugs on Snapchat and having them delivered to his home. Sammy's Law would mandate social media platforms to provide data to a third-party software for parents to track their children online.
News Coverage for House Comittee Hearing. March 2024.
KIDS TOO teams up with survivor parents, Rob and Rose Bronstein, Sam Chapman and AG Kwame Raoul to advocate for Sammy’s Law at the Illinois capitol. March 20, 2024.
Illinois HB 4241
1 in 10 kids will be sexually abused by an educator or staff while in school. In 2023, Illinois made progress at protecting youth in schools with Faith’s Law. However, KIDS TOO is advocating to close a loophole with HB4241 needed to protect another vulnerable population in schools: students who are 18 years old and older, including kids with disabilities who often remain in high school through age 22.
Oak Park, IL, Village Trustee Ravi Parakkat with panelists Il. Rep. Amy Elik, Tania Haigh and Dan Vosnos - advocating for HB in Illinois’ 39th Senate District. September 2024.