SPRINGFIELD – State Rep. Paul Jacobs is updating constituents on proposed changes to Illinois’ Health Care Right of Conscience Act and Parental Notification of Abortion signals Illinois Democrats are doubling down on liberal progressive policies.
“Democrats in Illinois are working hard to remove the family unit from decisions impacting their minor children, and replace that family unit with government bureaucrats,” Jacobs said. “I voted against repealing the requirement that a parent or guardian be notified in the event a minor child is going to have an abortion. Illinois already has laws that allow for young girls to seek a waiver for parental notification in cases of abuse. Illinois already has the loosest restrictions of any other state when it comes to receiving a taxpayer funded abortion at any time of pregnancy for any reason up to and including birth. This change is an unnecessary affront to the workings of the traditional family, and removes parents at a time when young girls truly need them the most.”
HB 370 was the legislative vehicle to repeal parental notification. The legislation passed the Senate on Tuesday and passed the House late Wednesday night. The legislation will now head to the governor’s desk.
A controversial measure that will remove the right of an individual to claim religious or conscientious objection to receiving COVID-19 vaccine or submitting to testing also passed by a slim margin on Wednesday. The bill seeks changes to Illinois’ Health Care Right of Conscience Act. Once the bill was posted for a Committee hearing, more than 50,000 people submitted slips in opposition to the bill, but Democrats pressed forward, passed the bill by a vote of 62-42 with no Republicans supporting the measure.
“Again, with the change to the Health Care Right of Conscience Act, we see the government of Illinois saying we know what is best for you and your health care,” Jacobs said. “As a physician, it is my core belief that health care decisions are best made by a patient in consultation with their doctor and loved ones. To have the government step in and say you must take a COVID vaccine, get tested, or get fired is wrong. I am hopeful the Illinois Senate rejects this change and we can return a modicum of religious freedom back to the people of Illinois, whose individual rights seem to be constantly under attack by the big government minded Democrat supermajorities currently in power.”
Shortly after the vote, a parliamentary hold known as a Motion to Reconsider was filed by a House Democrat member on SB 1169. The future of the bill is unknown at this time.
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