The following can be attributed to Colleen Connell, Executive Director of the ACLU of Illinois:       

“The Public Health Committee today moved the Reproductive Health Act one step closer to approval by the Illinois General Assembly. The proposal stands in stark contrast to the wave of radical abortion bans sweeping the nation – treating maternal care, contraception and abortion care as health care. 

There are two important messages from the discussion in the Committee today. First, the Reproductive Health Act essentially codifies existing practice in our state. Hypotheticals and rhetoric aside, this bill leaves in place much of the way reproductive health care is practiced in Illinois. Second, it is clear today that the core of this debate is about who makes decisions about reproductive health care. The RHA leaves decision-making in the hands of doctors, nurses, patients and their families. This is good practice and will make good law. 

State Senator Melinda Bush carefully made the case to the Committee this morning, and we are grateful for her leadership. We thank the members of the Committee who supported the RHA and appreciate the views and questions of those who did not support the measure.  

We look forward to a vote in the full Senate before the end of the session tomorrow.”