LOBBY DAY - WED April 14

Lobby Together with the Coalition for Illinois Midwifery



WHAT: Ask your State Representative to vote “yes” on the Home Birth Safety Act (HB226)

Ask for a public position of support by Co-Sponsoring HB226



WHEN: Wednesday, April 14, 11:00 am*



WHERE: Springfield Capitol Complex Rotunda

301 South 2nd Street, Springfield, IL

Look for our table in the Rotunda or in one of the side hallways.



BRING: 3 plates of M&M cookies (for your Senator, your Representative and Governor Quinn);

Pictures of your children born at home (if this applies); notes with your personal stories

of support for the bill. Mention the bill by number in your note and ask them to co-sponsor

in order to help make home birth safer than it is now.





Please look-up the name of your state representative and state senator before you leave. Go to ILGA.GOV and search the legislative look-up.



*Arrival before or after meeting time is OK. Someone will be at the table starting at 9am.

If you need to speak with one of us, call Jamie at 217-521-6731. Cell phones do not always work well in the capitol, however. So keep trying.



DIRECTIONS:



If you drive, use this link to map your drive: http://maps.google.com/maps?oe=UTF-8&ie=UTF8&q=map+illinois+state+capitol&fb=1&gl=us&ei=vCPDS9uBFpakM5iUoIoM&ved=0CBYQpQY&hl=en&view=map&geocode=FQ1HXwIdp_mn-g&split=0&iwloc=A&sa=X



Bring plenty of quarters for hours of metered parking.



If you wish to take Amtrak, trains leave from Chicago Union Station at 7:00 am and 9:25 am. You must have an ID to travel and tickets must be purchased before boarding, so leave plenty of time. There can be a line. Tickets can also be purchased online but you must print out the email confirmation and bring it with you. There are quick track machines that will scan the confirmation bar code and print your ticket. This is a bit quicker. Sometimes these trains sell out so it is best to purchase or reserve ahead of time.

Go to www.amtrak.com for information.



When you leave the train, walk south along the direction the train is traveling in, then turn right and cross the tracks at either Washington or Adams. Walk two blocks west and you will see the capitol building on your left, two or three blocks away.



WHILE IN THE CAPITOL:



If you or your family need sustenance, there is a cafeteria beneath the basement floor of the complex. Ask for directions at the information desk. If you would like breakfast or lunch at excellent coffee house run by a former Illinois home birth attendant, check out the Trout Lily Café at 218 S. Sixth Street. Ask for Kate and say hello from the home birth midwives.



If you are looking for additional Springfield fun, check out the Lincoln Museum – described as a “major experience museum” “visitors are offered an engaging, emotional and educational experience through immersive, "you-are-there" exhibits.” (from www.lincolnlibraryandmuseum.com) Check out their official website at www.alplm.org for more details.





For more information about Lobby Day contact Rachel Wickersham 630-750-9444



If you cannot travel, PLEASE CALL YOUR STATE REPRESENTATIVE IN THEIR SPRINGFIELD OFFICE on Lobby Day and ask them to co-sponsor HB226.





WE HOPE TO SEE YOU IN SPRINGFIELD!!









Rachel Dolan Wickersham, CD(DONA), LCCE
president, Coalition for Illinois Midwifery
vice president, Illinois Council of Certified Professional Midwives
Jiandra@aol.com
630-750-9444