Gov. J.B. Pritzker on Friday signed a bill repealing the 1995 Parental Notice of Abortion Act.
That act provided that parents or guardians of a minor undergoing an abortion receive notice 48 hours in advance.
The move comes after the U.S. Supreme Court let stand a Texas law banning most abortions.
The Senate had passed the bill 32-22 before being passed by the House in a 62 to 51 vote. The bill saw moderate Democrats cross the aisle to vote with Republicans who voted against the bill.
The bill is unlikely to be repealed given the Democratic advantage in the Illinois General Assembly.
In signing the bill, Pritzker commended those who backed the repeal.
“With reproductive rights under attack across the nation, Illinois is once again establishing itself as a leader in ensuring access to healthcare services,” Pritzker said in a press release. “This repeal was essential, because it was the most vulnerable pregnant minors who were punished by this law: victims of rape and physical abuse in unsafe homes. I thank Rep. Anna Moeller (D-Elgin), Sen. Elgie Sims (D-Chicago) and the lawmakers and advocates who have fiercely fought to repeal this law and keep vulnerable young people safe. I’m proud that Illinois continues to be a national leader in protecting reproductive rights.”
The governor's press release contained plaudits from a variety of pro-choice groups.
"Thank you Governor Pritzker for signing the Youth Health and Safety Act into law," said Jennifer Welch, president and CEO of Planned Parenthood Illinois Action. "Together, we're ensuring that young people can involve whomever they trust in their health care decisions, protecting them from harmful domestic situations and unnecessary judicial interactions."
As legislation and court decisions across the nation are putting limits on a woman's right to choose, Illinois is seeing an increase in out-of-state patients receiving reproductive care, according to the Illinois Department of Public Health. According to the IDPH, 7,534 nonresidents received abortions in Illinois in 2019, compared with 2,970 in 2014 and 5,528 in 2017.
Planned Parenthood told the Wall Street Journal it recently opened clinics along the Illinois state line in anticipation of a five-fold increase in the number of abortions for out-of-state patients.
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