When Georgia, Alabama, and Missouri passed pro-life legislation earlier this month, it consumed the news cycle. But when the Illinois House of Representatives passed the most radical abortion bill in America Tuesday, it flew completely under the radar.
The House passed the Illinois Reproductive Health Tuesday by a vote of 64 to 50. The bill is nearly identical to the New York bill of the same name that made headlines in January for legalizing abortion until birth. The Illinois bill includes one important provision that wasn’t in the New York bill.
The bill would explicitly repeal Illinois’ Abortion Peformance Refusal Act, which defends the conscience rights of individuals and organizations who object to some or all abortion procedures.
It could require Catholic hospitals or pro-life doctors to perform abortions. Because the bill legalizes third-trimester abortion, repealing those conscience protections imposes an even greater burden.
Plenty of doctors and nurses who wouldn’t call themselves “pro-life” would still object to assisting in a late-term abortion procedure. Additionally, the Illinois RHA repeals the state’s Partial-Birth Abortion Ban Act.
These radical provisions are likely why 10 House Democrats did not vote in favor of the bill, with six voting against it and four voting “present.” The fact that this many Democrats won’t support the bill may be why the media is keeping hush about it.
The Illinois Reproductive Health Act can hardly be described as “pro-choice.”
Liberals have long said, “if you don’t like abortion, don’t have one.” But with this bill, Illinois Democrats have clearly moved past this. They are seeking to legislate their morality by forcing pro-life doctors and religious hospitals to perform late-term and even partial-birth abortions.
The bill will now advance to the Senate, where Illinois Democrats have a strong 40 to 19 supermajority. Additionally, newly elected Democratic Gov. J.B. Pritzker has promised to make Illinois “the most progressive state in the nation when it comes to guaranteeing women’s reproductive rights.” Unless 11 Senate Democrats vote with the Republicans, Pritzker could deliver on that promise very soon.
