The following can be attributed to Khadine Bennett, Advocacy and Intergovernmental Director at the ACLU of Illinois, regarding the passage of House Bill 4664:
We applaud the members of the House and Senate for acting to reinforce protections for abortion and gender-affirming health care in Illinois. In the wake of the Dobbs decision, we see other states seeking not just to prevent people from accessing abortion in their own states, but also trying to reach beyond their borders with their dangerous abortion restrictions, to places like Illinois. And with hundreds of bills being considered across the country limiting gender-affirming health care, that care also is being threatened.
Illinois lawmakers have made clear that in this state, we trust people to make their own health care decisions with their health care providers, despite attacks from the Supreme Court; we cannot stand by and allow state legislatures elsewhere to create hurdles for patients and providers in Illinois.
The right to health care is an empty promise without meaningful access. House Bill 4664 enhances access for patients and protection for providers in Illinois. This is good policy.
We especially want to thank Senate President Harmon, House Speaker Welch, Representative Cassidy, Senator Villanueva, and the House Reproductive Health and Dobbs Decision Working Group and staff for all of their work, and commitment to getting this important legislation to the Governor’s desk.
