Illinois Legislators Denounce Anti-Choice Bills

A news conference was held in Springfield today with several Illinois Representatives to discuss HB 4085 and HB 4117, two politically motivated bills designed to undermine women’s access to abortion. These medically unnecessary bills have been assigned to the Agriculture Committee – not a committee that usually deals with health care issues - in attempt to ensure that they will go to the full House for a vote.


Rep. Kelly Cassidy (14th district), Rep. Sara Feigenholtz (12th district), Rep. Naomi Jakobsson (103rd district), Rep. Elaine Nekritz (57th district), Rep. Robyn Gabel (18th district), Rep. Karen May (58th district), Rep. Michelle Mussman (56th distrcit), Rep. Ann Willaims (11th district) and Rep. Greg Harris (13th district) were joined by Planned Parenthood of Illinois and the ACLU of Illinois to discuss the threats these bills pose to reproductive rights.

HB 4085 dictates requirements for medical professionals and takes the standards for medical care away from professionals. Health care professionals, not politicians, should decide what care is best for their patients.  HB 4085 will not improve patient care. Instead, HB 4085 creates a regulation and additional paperwork designed to make abortions more onerous, complicated, and time consuming for both patients and medical providers.

HB 4117 would require that facilities where 50 or more abortions are performed be fully licensed ambulatory surgical treatment centers. This bill is designed to make abortions more expensive and less accessible in Illinois. The supporters of HB 4117 are not medical or public health organizations. They are groups that have a political agenda in making abortion as difficult to access as possible. Planned Parenthood accepts reasonable regulation of abortion care for health and safety reasons. However, we object to politically motivated legislation that is designed to close facilities and end access to care.

Planned Parenthood thanks all these champions of choice for standing up for women!  What can you do? Contact your state represenative today and urge him or her to vote NO on HB 4085 and HB 4117!

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