We have an important update:
Last week, abortion advocates and pro-abortion legislators publicly announced their next target:
Illinois’ Parental Notification of Abortion Act.
This law mandates that an abortion provider simply notify a parent, grandparent, or legal guardian of a minor girl (17 or younger), 48 hours prior to giving her an abortion. (Note: parental consent is not required.)
This law is purely common sense, enacted as to be a safeguard for young, vulnerable girls.
Now, according to reports, legislators are moving to repeal it as early as this next veto session, beginning October 28th.
You might remember that earlier this spring, the repeal bill was called HB 2467 and SB 1942. Thanks to you and the united efforts of other Illinois pro-lifers, we were able to keep these bills from coming for a vote.
Now, we need to be ready to do it again. We cannot let this attack on human dignity and parent’s rights go down without a fight.
The impact of this law’s repeal would be disastrous.
In an interview, Mary Kate Knorr, spokeswoman for Illinois Right to Life Action, told Capitol News Illinois that parental notice, among other things, acts as a “checkpoint” for human trafficking and abuse situations.
If this law were repealed, an abuser could take a young girl to a clinic for an abortion without her family even knowing.
In addition, complications can occur in an abortion, and it would be in the minor’s best interest for a family member to know – someone who knows her pre-existing health conditions.
You can read the full Capitol News Illinois article here.
In any case, having an abortion is a huge decision, and a child should never be without parental knowledge or involvement.
You can learn more about Illinois’ Parental Notification of Abortion Act here.
As the veto session approaches, please stay tuned to our emails for updates and action items.
Before the Illinois Parental Notification of Abortion Act was passed in 1995, Illinois was the only state in the Midwest without a parental involvement law. After being held up in court, it finally took effect in 2013.
Since then, its effects have been tremendous.
Each year since 2012 – the year before the law was enforced in Illinois – we’ve seen a decline in the number of abortions done on Illinois minor girls. Since then, abortions on Illinois minors have dropped 55%.
Now, we’ve seen about 1,000 less abortions on Illinois minors each of the past three years (2015-2017) in comparison to 2012, and that represents the savings of the lives of thousands of babies.
We must protect this life-saving law, for the sake of our babies and our young girls.