MIDWIFERY BILL UPDATE!! April 30th 2010

Dear Homebirth and Midwifery Supporters,

We've just learned that the Illinois House has cancelled it's Saturday workday. Unfortunately, this is just how things go near the end of the session. Thank you to all of you who had planned to come.

Next week the House will be in session Monday through Friday. This will be the week we hope to reach the 60 votes we need to pass the floor. Please come if you can.

We have 40 solid YES votes and more than 10 likely yes votes that we need to get committed.

THAT LEAVES LESS THAN 10 MORE YES VOTES TO GO!

Time is running out for getting those yes votes but we are not giving up hope. Only a few weeks ago, we had only 30 total. In the past several weeks we've gained a new chief sponsor and TWELVE new co-sponsors including Barbara Flynn Currie, second only to the Speaker of the House, Michael Madigan. This is progress, but we still need those last few committed votes. We need them THIS COMING WEEK.

Please plan to come to Springfield this coming week to help us with this. Earlier in the week would be most helpful but anytime is good. Also please watch for one more action alert (later tonight or tomorrow) that will identify approximately 30 legislators who haven't had any constituent contact at all.

Help us find people in their districts and you may help us get that final YES that we need!


Finally, please remember we have a lobbyist working for us. He has opened doors for us we never would have reached and is continuing to do so. Please donate one of the following if you can:


$100 to commemorate the 100 years that midwives have been fighting a system that turned against them in the early 20th century.

$60 to reflect the number of votes we hope to have by the end of this week

$30 to recognize how many votes we had just a few weeks ago. - WE'VE COME SO FAR!!

$10 to thank the current and recent Coalition board who have been working hard on your behalf, for 10 years.

or any amount you can. We are grateful for all donations, no matter how small.

Please visit http://illinoismidwifery.org and click on paypal or mail a check made out to CFIM (or Coalition for Illinois Midwifery) to:

CFIM c/o Vicki Johnson
6092 Torchlite Trail
Loves, Park, IL 61111

Or if you are a midwife, doula, massage therapist or other provider, please consider donating a small portion of each client fee. Check out Community Counts – Better Birth Initiative at http://communitycountsbetterbirth.wordpress.com/2010/01/


Illinois Mothers, Babies and Midwives benefit from all you do to help pass HB 226, the Home Birth Safety Act.

Thank you for all you do!



Rachel






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