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  • 2016-02-25 (xsd:date)
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  • Illinois Single Mother Birth Certificate Controversy (en)
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  • On 20 February 2016, Chicagoist published an item about a newly proposed bill in the state of Illinois that could, if passed, make obtaining a birth certificate more difficult for single mothers: On 24 February 2016, two blog posts about the bill led many to believe that Illinois Republicans proposed to simply refuse to issue birth certificates to unmarried women, no matter what their circumstances. The bill in question was HB6064, introduced on 11 February 2016. Many readers inferred that the bill's intent was morally punitive, put forth simply to stigmatize unmarried mothers. However, its synopsis introduced it as part of Illinois' Public Aid Code, which contained rules and laws about the distribution of state assistance to families in need: HB6064's introductory paragraph provided context for the bill's purpose. Lawmakers proposing the changes were seeking to amend public assistance laws, not pass legal judgement on single mothers or illegitimate children. Its synopsis detailed lawmaker objectives in passing such a bill, namely cutting tax spending on support for children with living, able-bodied fathers: Proposed changes were underlined at the bottom of the page, detailing the changes announced in the bill's synopsis: It was true that Reps. John D. Cavaletto and Keith Wheeler proposed a bill on 11 February 2016 that, if passed, would inhibit the acquisition of a birth certificate for some single mothers. However, that proposal's primary target appeared to be scenarios in which a child's father could be named on a birth certificate (and thus be liable for providing support) but wasn't, placing the fiscal burden of care for a child onto taxpayers. While the onus was placed on the child's mother to comply in naming the father and completing that record (which would, arguably, make life extremely difficult for single mothers unwilling or unable to comply for a variety of reasons) the bill's goal appeared to be ensuring that fathers of babies born to single mothers paid support for their offspring rather than allowing the state to pick up the tab. (en)
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