Illinois Gov. Pritzker signs sweeping abortion protections into law

Gov. J.B. Pritzker on Friday signed into regulation sweeping reproductive well being care laws to guard out-of-state abortion seekers, including Illinois to the listing of states which have positioned authorized reinforcements across the process after the U.S. Supreme Court docket’s choice to overturn Roe v. Wade.

Along with shielding reproductive and gender-affirming well being care sufferers and suppliers from authorized motion originating throughout state strains, the act can even shield the Illinois licenses of well being care suppliers licensed in a number of states who present therapy authorized in Illinois however might price them their license in a state the place it’s not. The measure additionally prevents insurers from charging extra for out-of-network care when in-network suppliers object to therapy on ethical grounds.

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“Right here in Illinois, we all know that reproductive care is well being care,” Pritzker mentioned. “A medical choice needs to be made between a affected person and their well being care supplier.”

Because the Supreme Court docket’s Dobbs choice in June left abortion legalization as much as the states, Deliberate Parenthood of Illinois has seen folks in search of therapy from 33 states, in contrast with 10 to fifteen earlier than the ruling. Deliberate Parenthood spokesperson Mary Jane Maharry mentioned roughly 30% of its sufferers are from exterior of Illinois, in comparison with about 6% pre-Dobbs.

Following the excessive court docket’s decree, many Illinois lawmakers and advocacy teams urged Pritzker to name a particular legislative session to bolster Illinois’ protections. As a substitute, Home Speaker Emanuel “Chris” Welch shaped working teams on abortion and different prime priorities, together with one which led to a ban on semiautomatic weapons Pritzker signed into regulation Tuesday.

The so-called Dobbs Determination working group was led by Chicago Democratic Rep. Kelly Cassidy. Talking earlier than a dozen lawmakers and advocates at Pritzker’s Chicago information convention, she proclaimed the regulation only the start.

“We should reply to the brand new ways in which bully states will provide you with to assault sufferers and suppliers,” Cassidy mentioned. “Our mission is obvious: If you wish to come after folks in search of care or their suppliers, in case your mission is to torment trans children and their households, you are going to should get via all of us first.”

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Mary Kate Zander, head of anti-abortion group Illinois Proper to Life, mentioned the governor’s “pro-abortion legacy is, in apply, harming ladies and depriving unborn youngsters of a possibility at life. This can be politically expedient for Gov. Pritzker right now, but it surely gained’t age effectively.”

However the measure’s Senate sponsor, Democratic Sen. Celina Villanueva of Chicago, mentioned such delicate selections needs to be left to people.

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“This laws consolidates Illinois as an island that protects reproductive and gender-affirming rights within the Midwest,” Villaneuva mentioned. “It locations our state on the forefront of a nation for granting folks the liberty to make their life selections.”