* Press release…

Planned Parenthood Illinois Action (PPIA) applauds the Illinois General Assembly for passing several key pieces of legislation related to abortion, gender-affirming care, and preventive health care. Thus far in 2023, the General Assembly passed seven significant measures aimed at protecting reproductive and sexual healthcare in Illinois.

“Because Illinois is a haven state in the Midwest for abortion and gender-affirming care, it’s critical the General Assembly continue its commitment to protecting and expanding access to reproductive and sexual health care.” said Jennifer Welch, President and CEO of PPIA. “Thanks to the pro-choice champions in Springfield, the passage of these crucial bills solidifies our state’s ability to welcome and protect health care refugees forced to flee their home state for services as well as expand access for all Illinois residents. We look forward to Governor Pritzker signing these bills this summer.”

Spring session legislative milestones include:

• SB 1909 – (Senator Celina Villanueva, Rep. Terra Costa Howard D-Glen Ellyn) amends the Consumer Protection and Deceptive Practices Act to prohibit limited services pregnancy centers (more commonly known as crisis pregnancy centers) from engaging in deceptive or fraudulent practices.

• HB 3326 – (Rep. Ann Williams, D-Chicago, Senator Sara Feigenholtz, D-Chicago) provides that law enforcement shall not sell or share automatic license plate reader data to any state for the purpose of investigating or enforcing a law that denies or interferes with a person’s right to choose or obtain reproductive health care services or any lawful health care services, or for an investigation of a person based on the person’s immigration status.

• SB 1907 – (Senator Celina Villanueva, Rep. Barbara Hernandez, D-Aurora) requires public colleges and universities, including community colleges, to make emergency contraception available on campus via a wellness kiosk or vending machine.

• HB 2450 - (Senator Ram Villivalam D-Chicago, Rep. Dagmara Avelar D-Romeoville) requires cultural competency continuing education for health care providers in order to provide them with the tools and information they need to effectively and affirmingly serve communities of color, people with disabilities, people of diverse faiths, undocumented individuals, LGBTQ+ people, people living with HIV, intersex people, and other communities that have been marginalized in the health care system.

• HB 4664 – (Senator Celina Villanueva, D-Chicago, Rep. Kelly Cassidy, D-Chicago) provides legal protections for providers of and patients seeking reproductive and sexual health care, including abortion and gender-affirming care. It requires state-regulated health plans to cover abortion medications, PEP, and PrEP with no copay or deductible spend down, and creates a program for training health professionals in providing abortion care.

• SB 1344 – (Senator Celina Villanueva, Rep. Kelly Cassidy) is a trailer to HB 4664 that makes corrections and clarifies that state-regulated health insurance must cover medications used off-label for abortion.

• SB 1561 – (Rep. Kelly Cassidy, Senator Celina Villanueva) requires state-regulated health insurance to cover certain preventive health care services without a copay or deductible spend down including immunizations, mammograms, and other services listed in the current recommendations of the United States Preventive Services Task Force. In addition, it clarifies that any preventive service designated for “men” or “women” company shall not deny or limit the coverage required or a claim based solely on the individual’s recorded sex or actual or perceived gender identity, or for the reason that the individual is gender nonconforming, intersex, transgender, or a has undergone or is in the process of undergoing gender transition.