NW Illinois News

Li Arellano, a candidate for the 37th State Senate District, has publicly backed the Parents Matter Coalition's initiative to introduce a parental rights amendment on the November 2024 ballot in Illinois. Arellano expressed solidarity with Jeanne Ives and the coalition, emphasizing the importance of parents receiving proper notification before medical procedures are conducted on their minor children.

“Jeanne Ives and the Parents Matter Coalition are spreading petitions to get an amendment on the ballot that would give parents proper notification before medical procedures are happening to their minor children,” Arellano said on Facebook. “It’s a cause worth getting involved in.”

The former state representative, Jeanne Ives, is leading the Parents Matter Coalition's statewide initiative. 

“We want it on the 2024 ballot, that means we need petition signatures,” Ives told The Center Square.

Ives aims to gather 500,000 signatures by the end of March to place the advisory question on the ballot, emphasizing that the initiative, if successful, will not change state law but aims to pressure lawmakers through public opinion.

The coalition contends that parents should have more authority over significant medical decisions concerning their minor children such as abortions or gender identity procedures. The proposed question requires written consent from a minor’s parent or guardian before administering any nonemergency medical procedure or medication.

The proposed amendment states: "Shall the written consent from a minor’s parent or guardian be required before any entity, person, clinic or school can provide a minor (under the age of 18 years) any non-emergency medical procedure, medication, pharmaceutical, or any gender modification procedure, gender identification, gender-affirming counseling or gender therapy?"

After exposing extensive fraud within city government, Arellano successfully ran for mayor of Dixon in 2015. During his term as mayor which spanned two terms, he focused on restoring fiscal integrity, enhancing local infrastructure, and fostering economic development. After fulfilling his objectives as mayor, Arellano adhered to the term limits he had pledged and chose not to seek reelection for a third term, according to his website. Instead, he returned to the private sector where he now owns two Jimmy John’s franchises, a frozen yogurt shop—the Frosted Spoon, and a commercial property leasing company. Additionally, Arellano serves as a Sergeant in the U.S. Army Reserves and is currently a squad leader with the 317th Engineer Construction Company in Homewood, IL.

The 37th State Senate District covers Lee, Bureau, Henry, DeKalb, Ogle, Rock Island, Whiteside, Stark, Peoria, Woodford and Marshall counties according to ilga.gov. The district is currently represented by State Sen. Win Stoller (R-Germantown Hills) who announced in August that he would not seek a third term.