SPRINGFIELD – Abortion advocates are testing just how far the Illinois public will tolerate them going to expand abortions in Illinois with two measures now in the Illinois General Assembly. HB 2495 and SB 1942 are energized with a pro-abortion majority in both Illinois chambers and a new governor that Planned Parenthood and Personal PAC were eager to put into office. Illinois could become the most radical abortion state in the nation.
With either HB 2495 or SB 1942, all restrictions on post-viability abortions will be eliminated and abortions will be allowed for any reason whatsoever throughout all nine months of pregnancy. Abortions methods on unborn babies developed enough to live outside their mothers' wombs will be allowed with no consideration of the babies' chances of surviving the abortion. During late term abortions, there will no longer be the need to have a second physician on hand to provide medical care for a baby the abortionist did not intend to survive an abortion.
"…(T)he Reproductive Health Act, as its supporters candidly admit, goes far beyond repealing Illinois statutes that have been struck down by the federal courts, and would repeal a broad range of constitutional statutes that regulate the performance of abortion in Illinois, as well as jeopardize statutes and judicial rules that have nothing whatsoever to do with abortion," an assessment by the Thomas More Society says.
If the legislation were to become law as written, Illinois would have in its statutes a clear declaration that unborn babies have no rights – especially no right to life.
Thomas More Society explains: "In reading the Reproductive Health Act, one can feel the disdain, indeed, the contempt, the Act has for the unborn child, whose life counts for nothing. Nowhere is this contempt expressed more strongly than in § 1-15(c) (p. 4, lines 24-25), where the Act states that “[a] fertilized egg, embryo, or fetus does not have independent rights under the laws of this State.”
The proposal would remove restrictions on where abortions may be performed, would no longer require physicians to perform abortions and allow expectant mothers to perform abortions on themselves, without medical supervision. Abortion clinics would no longer be required to abide by healthcare guidelines.
In addition, rights of conscience would be overruled, and churches, as well as religious organizations would be required to offer health insurance that pays for abortions. A path to undermine laws protecting the rights of medical staff to refuse to participate in abortions would be set in place.
The measure goes on to eliminate any restrictions on fetal experimentation and more. In conclusion, Thomas More Society writes,
The Reproductive Health Act is an extreme bill that would basically enshrine abortion as a positive good in Illinois law. It would eliminate virtually all common sense regulation of abortion, including regulations that are constitutional, mandate coverage for abortion in health insurance policies – even in those policies provided by churches and religious organizations – provide an argument for the nullification of the Parental Notice of Abortion Act of 1995 and undermine existing legal protections for institutional and individual rights of conscience. The Reproductive Health Act is a radical bill that the people of Illinois and members of the General Assembly should vigorously and aggressively oppose.
The following Democrat state representatives have signed on to sponsor/co-sponsor HB 2495: Rep. Kelly M. Cassidy - Emanuel Chris Welch - Sara Feigenholtz - Marcus C. Evans, Jr. - Jehan Gordon-Booth, Thaddeus Jones, Katie Stuart, Elizabeth Hernandez, Ann M. Williams, Deb Conroy, Martin J. Moylan, Daniel Didech, Mark L. Walker, Anne Stava-Murray, Gregory Harris, Anna Moeller, Celina Villanueva, Delia C. Ramirez, Sonya M. Harper, Justin Slaughter, Theresa Mah, Aaron M. Ortiz, Bob Morgan, Jennifer Gong-Gershowitz, Will Guzzardi, Robyn Gabel, Michelle Mussman, Lamont J. Robinson, Jr., John Connor, Jonathan Carroll, Robert Martwick, Jaime M. Andrade, Jr., Luis Arroyo, Michael J. Zalewski, Karina Villa, Kathleen Willis, William Davis, Carol Ammons and Debbie Meyers-Martin
The following Democrat senators have signed on to sponsor/co-sponsor SB 1942: Sen. Melinda Bush - Elgie R. Sims, Jr. - Cristina Castro - Kimberly A. Lightford - Robert Peters, Omar Aquino, Don Harmon, Linda Holmes, Iris Y. Martinez, Heather A. Steans, Mattie Hunter, Toi W. Hutchinson and Emil Jones, III
SB 1942 is awaiting hearing in the Senate Executive Committee. HB 2495 was assigned to the Informed Consent sub-committee.
