Prairie State Wire

A bill that would repeal the Parental Notification of Abortion Act of 1995, which stipulates that a parent or guardian be made aware when a minor is considering undergoing an abortion, has passed out of a Senate committee solely on the strength of Democratic support.

Senate Bill 1594 recently advanced along partisan lines by an 8-4 vote and is now slated to go before the full Senate. Its twin version is House Bill 2467.

While critics of the legislation have blasted it as “anti-family,” bill sponsor Sen. Elgie Simms Jr. (D-Chicago) has defended it as a chance for families to have “authentic conversations.”

“We cannot have and force inauthentic conversations between families," Simms said. "The State of Illinois has no place.”

Though passed in 1995, the Parental Notification of Abortion Act only went into effect across the state five years ago after finally gaining court approval.

Newly elected Republican Sen. Jason Plummer (R-Edwardsville) told the State Journal-Register to count him among the unwavering group of GOP lawmakers who oppose the new bill.

“We’re talking about the termination of a life, right?” he said. “And so, for there to be maybe a hurdle or two there, I don’t think as a society is necessarily the worst thing because . . . we’re talking about the termination of a heartbeat, and that’s a significant concern of mine.”