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* Tribune…
A bill that establishes a “fundamental right” for women to get an abortion in Illinois cleared the state Senate late Friday night, sending the sweeping measure to Gov. J.B. Pritzker, who already has signaled his support.
As the clock approached midnight Friday, the Senate voted 34-20 in favor of the abortion legislation, which comes amid an increased sense of urgency among advocates looking to protect abortion access as a series of states have passed laws essentially banning the practice.
“I believe, frankly, there’s a war against women’s rights going on,” Sen. Melinda Bush, the Grayslake Democrat who sponsored the bill in the Senate, said about the restrictive laws other states have passed.
The bill establishes the “fundamental right” of a women to have an abortion and states that a “fertilized egg, embryo or fetus does not have independent rights.” It repeals the Illinois Abortion Law of 1975, doing away with provisions for spousal consent, waiting periods, criminal penalties for physicians who perform abortions and other restrictions on facilities where abortions are performed.
* Center Square (or, if you prefer, the artist formerly known as INN)…
Republicans warned that the bill would adopt language that would allow otherwise viable fetuses to be aborted.
“It’s about radically expanding what is allowed under law,” said Sen. Sue Rezin, R-Morris. “If there’s a line, we’ve definitely crossed it here in Illinois with this proposal.”
The matter now heads to Gov. J.B. Pritzker, who campaigned on the promise to make Illinois the most progressive state in the nation for reproductive rights.
Pritzker met Democrats on the Senate floor late Friday night to congratulate them after the vote.
The bill would take away reporting requirements regarding the reason an abortion procedure was performed, including restrictions Republicans insisted would keep coroners from investigating potentially botched abortions.
Just to be clear, the idea here is to treat abortion like all other medical procedures. Coroners aren’t automatically notified after botched heart surgeries, for example (or, as a commenter pointed out, when a mother or child dies during birth).
* Capitol News Illinois…
The measure received 34 Democratic yes votes. Twenty senators voted no, including lone Democrat, Bunker Hill Democrat Andy Manar. Three Democrats voted present. […]
McConchie sought clarification on whether any provisions of the legislation would render toothless the Parental Notification of Abortion Law, which requires a minor to consult her parents before getting the procedure. Bush said no part of her bill would impact that statute.
* SJ-R…
″(Abortion) is not a medical procedure,” she said. “What we’re talking about today isn’t simply protecting women’s reproductive health choices. … If there’s a line, we definitely crossed it here in Illinois with this proposal.”
“The one bill that will be most detrimental, and the one that we will be talking about 40 years from now, is this bill right here,” Rezin added. […]
With a group of mostly female state representatives, who had come to the Senate floor to watch the debate, standing behind Bush, holding hands, Bush described the “ungodly hate” she and other proponents of the Reproductive Health Act have faced, including death threats.
“To make that decision, (to have an abortion) that is not an easy decision,” she said. “That is not something that any woman makes without tremendous difficulty and pain. Nor something she ever forgets … (but) it’s her right to make that choice.”
posted by Rich Miller
Saturday, Jun 1, 19 @ 1:10 pm
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–“The one bill that will be most detrimental, and the one that we will be talking about 40 years from now, is this bill right here,” Rezin added. [–
That’s some crystal ball. I think some of the anti-weed votes said legalization would only be notorious twenty years from now.
However, if the clear trend of fewer abortions continues, there might not be anything to talk about. It’s already at the lowest number on record.
Comment by wordslinger Saturday, Jun 1, 19 @ 1:17 pm
Abortion is not a medical procedure? Some folks would do well not to participate in floor debates.
Comment by PJ Saturday, Jun 1, 19 @ 1:36 pm
I will believe the Republicans are sincere in their concern for life when they add support for universal healthcare, universal child care, paid leave for all new parents, etc. There is a pretty solid set of reasons why women choose not to carry a pregnancy to term, and many of those could be addressed by legislation to support mothers, children, and families. When the Republicans start filing and supporting bills to address those concerns, I’ll start to take their efforts to stop abortion as more than state control of women’s rights.
Comment by Pot calling kettle Saturday, Jun 1, 19 @ 1:37 pm
I really hope they finally catch a few people sending death threats and lock them up for a while
Comment by DuPage Saint Saturday, Jun 1, 19 @ 1:45 pm
I didn’t know until now that Trump tweeted against this legislation, calling the Illinois “Democrat” Party unhinged. He is a perfect example of why we need this legislation, someone who used to be pro-choice but sold out.
Comment by Grandson of Man Saturday, Jun 1, 19 @ 1:59 pm
“Just to be clear, the idea here is to treat abortion like all other medical procedures. Coroners aren’t automatically notified after botched heart surgeries, for example.”
Abortion is not like any other medical procedure in that it involves a separate, living fetus…a more comparative example than a heart surgery would be a botched conjoined twin separation when one of the twins died….the Coroner would be notified
Comment by Just Sayin' Saturday, Jun 1, 19 @ 2:08 pm
“(Abortion) is not a medical procedure” is way too broad of a statement. It’s just not true. There are any number of scenarios where an abortion is the least harm/most good, when the mother’s health is at risk and or the baby simply will not survive.
So called “elective” abortions, where it’s not medically necessary, is a different matter but like I said, Rezin way overstepped there.
Comment by Perrid Saturday, Jun 1, 19 @ 2:11 pm
**a more comparative example than a heart surgery would be a botched conjoined twin separation when one of the twins died….the Coroner would be notified**
By law? They’re required to notify the coroner?
They’re definitely not required when a baby or mother die in childbirth.
Comment by JoeMaddon Saturday, Jun 1, 19 @ 2:31 pm
==it involves a separate, living fetus…==
Definitely not “separate.” A fetus is part of the woman’s body and cannot survive on its own for most of the gestational period. Its presence poses a significant risk to the woman’s life and health until birth.
Comment by Pot calling kettle Saturday, Jun 1, 19 @ 2:32 pm
===By law? They’re required to notify the coroner? ===
Nope. Only an abortion.
Comment by Rich Miller Saturday, Jun 1, 19 @ 2:35 pm
Yep, my bad (as a licensed physician would obviously be attending).
Comment by Just Sayin' Saturday, Jun 1, 19 @ 5:01 pm
===Yep, my bad (as a licensed physician would obviously be attending).===
Which is the opposite of the point you were trying to make. Early stage abortions barely meet the definition of a medical anything.
Comment by Pot calling kettle Saturday, Jun 1, 19 @ 7:11 pm
There are two persons involved. The unborn child and the Mother.
Comment by Anonymous Sunday, Jun 2, 19 @ 1:15 am
The last comment was from me
This is very sad but will not last forever. Eventually, Someday people will turn away from this and be pro-life.
Comment by Evanston Sunday, Jun 2, 19 @ 1:19 am
I’d like to see “pro-life” people act like that other person is actually a person once it’s born.
Comment by Cheryl44 Sunday, Jun 2, 19 @ 12:15 pm