Secretary of state pushing legislation on abortion, book bans, and air fresheners

Giannoulias
Illinois Secretary of State Alexi Giannoulias said his office is involved in several big issues state legislators will be considering in Springfield. Photo credit Mustafa Hussain/Sipa USA

(WBBM NEWSRADIO) — Illinois Secretary of State Alexi Giannoulias said his office is moving several big issues in Springfield this legislative session.

Giannoulias has championed a bill that would make sure that information from automatic license plate readers in Illinois will not be used to trace people coming from out of state with the hopes of getting an abortion or other reproductive health services.

Lawmakers will consider a separate measure to deny state grants to any Illinois libraries that participate in the kinds of book bans that have occurred in other states.

“We’re the first state in the country, as the state’s chief librarian, to fight back on these dangerous book bans that are popping up across the country,” Giannoulias said.

That’s only part of a very busy week for the secretary of state.

There’s also legislation to end the state’s ban on air fresheners and other things hanging from motor vehicle rearview mirrors. Giannoulias said that’s just been a pretext for racial profiling traffic stops.

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Featured Image Photo Credit: Mustafa Hussain/Sipa USA