This evening, the Illinois House voted to approve the Illinois Youth Health and Safety Act, sending the measure to the Governor. The bill would repeal the 1995 Parental Notice of Abortion Act which has been enforced for the past eight years. The following statement can be attributed to Khadine Bennett, advocacy and intergovernmental affairs director at the ACLU of Illinois:
House approval of HB370 – the Illinois Youth Health and Safety Act – moves Illinois one step closer to reaffirming our state’s policy recognizing the fundamental right of every person to make their own reproductive health care decisions. Once this measure is law, that right will be extended to young people who wish to seek abortion care. Starting next year, they will be able to make their decision without the necessity of navigating a judicial bypass system fraught with complex obstacles.
The legislation importantly creates a path toward developing additional resources and tools for pregnant and parenting young people. This is an importation endeavor and deserves the support of everyone who expressed a genuine desire to help and support young people while this bill was under consideration.
We want to express abiding gratitude to Representative Anna Moeller who served as sponsor of this bill, as well as chief co-sponsor Kelly Cassidy and every Representative who supported HB370.
As more states consider and adopt increasingly draconian bans on access to abortion service, Illinois stands out for recognizing that everyone should have the power to make decisions about their reproductive health without government interference. We encourage Governor Pritzker to sign this measure as soon as possible.
