* HB4664 now goes to the House for concurrence. The House passed a similar bill the other day which was sponsored by Rep. Kelly Cassidy, but there were some issues in the Senate. Things got worked out over the past few days and Rep. Cassidy and stakeholders were able to get to an agreement…

The bill essentially protects patients, doctors and parents who come to Illinois for care. More in a minute.

…Adding… This press release helps explain the bill…

After the overturning of Roe v. Wade, State Senator Laura Fine helped pass legislation to protect people who seek reproductive health care in Illinois. House Bill 4664 passed the Senate making reproductive health care procedures and medicine more accessible and secure, while also increasing support of reproductive health care providers.

“The right to make choices about your body and your health is fundamental,” Senator Fine (D-Glenview) said. “It is disheartening that this right is no longer protected on a federal level. However, in Illinois, this legislation will further protect this right so that no one will be criminalized for seeking or performing reproductive health care.”

Following the Supreme Court’s overturning of Roe v. Wade, House Bill 4664 would protect legal and practical access to abortion care in Illinois. With this legislation, people who use reproductive health care in Illinois would be protected from out-of-state subpoenas related to reproductive health care, and out-of-state patients would be eligible to file a counterclaim if a judgment is made against them in another state. Similarly, this bill would protect the licenses of health care professionals who are penalized for providing care that is illegal in another state but legal in Illinois. These protections shield people who utilize reproductive health care in Illinois, where the ability to use or refuse reproductive health care is a fundamental right.

Additionally, the Illinois Department of Public Health would provide grants to underserved areas and transportation hubs for reproductive health care training, ensuring these communities have access to safe and accessible care.

“Attacks on reproductive health care disproportionately impact our most marginalized communities,” Fine said. “Making reproductive health care more accessible will ensure individuals in these communities are able to make the best and safest decisions for their health.”

…Adding… From sponsoring Sen. Celina Villanueva’s closing remarks…

Don’t sit here and tell me that you have the moral high ground on your soap boxes over mine. You don’t get to decide what happens to my body. You don’t get to decide what happens to the bodies of a lot of different people from other states that are coming to this state seeking refuge. … We are protecting patients, providers and families here. Illinois is a refuge for people. And I will spend every last breath in my body ensuring that those protections exist for anybody that is coming here seeking to live their lives openly and freely and honestly. I ask for an aye vote.

Her remarks were made in response to claims that the legislation was immoral.

…Adding… Senate President Harmon…

Senate President Don Harmon (D-Oak Park) issued the following statement after the Senate passed a comprehensive bill protecting the rights of Illinoisans to receive reproductive and gender affirming health care:

“The Supreme Court sent a clear message when overturning Roe v. Wade that it is willing to ignore precedent and roll back previously granted rights.

“In Illinois, we trust women, and we will protect their right to make their own decisions about their health care and their bodies.

“The legislation passed today solidifies our state against current and future attacks from those looking to roll back the clock and reverse progress.”

*** UPDATE *** The bill passed the House 70-39.

…Adding… Personal PAC…

Personal PAC is thrilled the Illinois General Assembly passed HB4664 today. Illinois has taken another step forward to protect a women’s right to an abortion. The bill ensures that patients and providers have protection and continued access to reproductive healthcare.

* Equality Illinois Deputy Director Mony Ruiz-Velasco…

We are excited House Bill 4664 passed the General Assembly tonight and is on its way to the desk of Governor Pritzker. Illinois is making history as one of the first states to further protections for patients, providers, and families who access reproductive healthcare and gender-affirming healthcare.

LGBTQ+ communities across the country are under attack. Trans people in particular are in urgent need of protection and access to the health care they need and deserve, including abortion and gender-affirming care. This legislation ensures essential protections and access.

We applaud Senator Villanueva, Representative Cassidy, President Harmon, Speaker Welch, and Governor Pritzker for their leadership and perseverance to protect providers, patients, and families in Illinois and those who may come to our great state seeking reproductive healthcare and gender-affirming care and protection from anti-equality, anti-choice states. Thank you for ensuring that Illinois keeps moving forward.

We also appreciate our deep partnership with the providers who care for patients and families and who we advocated with for this important legislation, including Planned Parenthood Illinois Action and Planned Parenthood of the St. Louis Region and Southwest Missouri. We are humbled to be in this ongoing fight with you to advance human rights and access to affirming healthcare.

* Jennifer Welch, President and CEO of Planned Parenthood Illinois Action…

“Planned Parenthood Illinois Action applauds Representative Kelly Cassidy, Senator Celina Villanueva and the pro-choice champions in the Illinois General Assembly for passing a crucial piece of legislation that provides protections for providers and patients and improves access to reproductive and gender affirming health care, ensuring that our state remains a haven in the Midwest. This legislation is an important step in the work that needs to be done. Because of the ever shifting national landscape since Roe was overturned, attacks on bodily autonomy are increasing. Now more than ever we need to continue to fight for equitable access to essential reproductive health care like abortion and gender affirming care because all people should have the freedom to make medical decisions that are best for their bodies, their lives and their families.”

* Yamelsie Rodríguez, president and CEO, Planned Parenthood of the St. Louis Region and Southwest Missouri (PPSLRSWMO)…

We commend the General Assembly’s urgency and leadership to listen to providers and advocates and act on the public health crisis unfolding in this post-Roe era. PPSLRSWMO looks forward to Governor Pritzker signing the bill into law and operationalizing these bold new policies, which will bring urgent and necessary relief to the abortion care system in Illinois.

* Rep. Kelly Cassidy, lead sponsor of HB4664…

“In the face of grave threats to the rights to privacy, reproductive care and bodily autonomy of Americans everywhere, Illinois once again has stepped up. With this legislation, today, we are ensuring that Illinois will continue to serve the thousands of people traveling to our state every month to receive abortions and other reproductive and gender-affirming health care, which they can no longer access in their home states.

“I thank my colleagues on the Reproductive Rights and Dobbs Decision Working Group who worked with singular focus to craft this legislation, including Leader Greg Harris, Leader LaToya Greenwood, Representatives. Lakesia Collins, Terra Costa Howard, Margaret Croke, Dagmara Avelar, Anna Moeller and Ann Williams. I am grateful to Sen. Celina Villanueva, a fierce champion and relentless voice for reproductive justice in the Senate. And I salute Speaker Welch, Senate President Harmon, and Governor Pritzker for their continued commitment to lead us in the protection of reproductive and gender affirming health care in this state.

“Finally, we all owe a debt of gratitude to the heroic activists and providers across our state who have continued to show up in exceedingly difficult circumstances and provide needed care, all while simultaneously advocating for stronger protections and additional funding in Springfield.”

* Khadine Bennett, Advocacy and Intergovernmental Director at the ACLU of Illinois…
 

We applaud the members of the House and Senate for acting to reinforce protections for abortion and gender-affirming health care in Illinois. In the wake of the Dobbs decision, we see other states seeking not just to prevent people from accessing abortion in their own states, but also trying to reach beyond their borders with their dangerous abortion restrictions, to places like Illinois. And with hundreds of bills being considered across the country limiting gender-affirming health care, that care also is being threatened.

 

Illinois lawmakers have made clear that in this state, we trust people to make their own health care decisions with their health care providers, despite attacks from the Supreme Court; we cannot stand by and allow state legislatures elsewhere to create hurdles for patients and providers in Illinois.

 

The right to health care is an empty promise without meaningful access. House Bill 4664 enhances access for patients and protection for providers in Illinois. This is good policy. 

 

We especially want to thank Senate President Harmon, House Speaker Welch, Representative Cassidy, Senator Villanueva, and the House Reproductive Health and Dobbs Decision Working Group and staff for all of their work, and commitment to getting this important legislation to the Governor’s desk.