While Illinois has protected access to reproductive health care and gender-affirming care in our state, policy makers and prosecutors in other states are seeking to extend their bans on this fundamental health care to Illinois.
As State’s Attorney, will you commit to policies that ensure that no one should have to face criminal investigation or charge in another state when seeking lawful health care in Illinois, especially abortion care and gender-affirming care?
BURKE: Devoted to preserving the right to privacy and reproductive autonomy, my focus is on fostering a culture that respects personal decisions and individual freedom. I am a staunch advocate for the right to make choices regarding one's own body and firmly support a pro-choice position. Leveraging my experience as a lawyer and former judge, I have diligently upheld legal frameworks aimed at safeguarding individual privacy. As State’s Attorney, I remain committed to advancing these laws and reinforcing the protection of these essential rights.
This is also my motivation in proposing a Choice Protection Unit housed within the State’s Attorney’s office to handle the dark side of this issue. Insidious actors coming from outside the state to stop women from exercising their rights to make choices about their own bodies, free from the interference of government or others determined to stop them. Clinics across Illinois have received threats and endorsed violence. I will stand strongly against such efforts.