The lame-duck session is currently underway in the Illinois General Assembly prior to the new session beginning on January 11th. One would think there isn’t anything more that could be done to further expand abortion in Illinois. Unfortunately, one would be wrong.
Late Wednesday night, Senate President Don Harmon (D-Oak Park) filed Senate Amendment 1 to HB 4664 during this lame-duck session. The purpose of the lame-duck session is to clean up cleaning unfinished business from the previous session. It’s not to introduce new legislation. So, why not wait until next week when the new session begins? The likely reason is that this amendment is so bad they want to ram it through rather than face the PR problems of a typical months-long session.
Senate Amendment 1 to HB 4664 includes the following:
The bill allows a doctor who had his/her medical license revoked in another state due to performing unlawful abortions to obtain a medical license in Illinois. In fact, the bill allows most medical personnel (e.g., doctors, nurses, psychologists, psychiatrists, and social workers) who have lost their licenses in other states due to unlawful abortion-related activities to obtain licenses in Illinois.
The bill allows the Department of Financial and Professional Regulation to issue a temporary permit to anyone who lawfully committed abortions in other states. This would include midwives, nurse practitioners, and physician assistants. The language states: “[T]he General Assembly finds that the adoption of rules to implement a temporary permit for reproductive health is deemed an emergency and necessary for the public interest, safety, and welfare.”
The bill provides abortion-training programs at the Department of Public Health.
The bill requires the Department of Public Health to provide a website which would list all the abortion providers in Illinois and “support services, such as airfare, lodging, ground transportation, public transportation, meals, childcare, doula support, and translation support to help a person access and obtain an abortion. Payment support resources, including coverage options, State programs, and other [financial] assistance…”
The bill requires insurance companies to cover the cost of abortion pills.
The bill would prohibit the governor from surrendering a person to another state that had laws prohibiting abortion if that person was involved in abortion in Illinois.
The bill requires two hours of continuing education “in training on reproductive health care” for all “health care professionals” renewing their licenses on or after January 1, 2024.
The bill allows a pharmacist to dispense hormonal contraception from a standing order from a local health department or the Department of Public Health, after the patient completes a self-screening risk assessment and without having a relationship with the patient.
The bill eliminates all Department of Public Health liability for “injury caused by the pharmacist’s or patient’s use of the self-screening assessment or the dispensation of hormonal contraceptives pursuant to the standing order.
The bill prohibits pregnancy-related services (i.e., pregnancy care centers) to advertise services that “misled, deceived, or damaged” any person seeking reproductive health care services. This would be left to the interpretation of the Courts. They are going after pregnancy care centers.
The bill also appears to go after those who practice “sidewalk counseling” and most likely those who pray outside abortion clinics: “[P]rohibited conduct” is that which would “interfere with a person seeking to gain entry or access to a licensed provider or reproductive health care services.”
The attorney general (AG) will “adopt such rules as will be necessary” to investigate and issue subpoenas and court orders for testimony and documents. During that time, the AG may grant injunctive relief that restrains the conduct constituting the violation–in other words, SHUT THEM DOWN. Civil penalties not to exceed $50,000 can be imposed on persons who violate this Act.
TAKE ACTION: Click HERE to contact your current state representative and state senator to urge them to oppose anyone of the three** massive abortion expansion bill, which also violates the deeply held religious beliefs of those offering hope and abortion alternatives to women in crisis pregnancies.
**Abortion wish list bill — 3 versions:
1) SA 1 to HB 4664 — the worst bill that goes after Crisis Pregnancy Centers, etc. (this is in Illinois Senate Rules Committe)
2) HA 1 to SB 3799 — House Amendment 1 passed House Exec Committee; held on 2nd Reading (does not attack Crisis Pregnancy Centers)
3) HA 4 to SB 1534 — House Amendment 4 passed the Illinois House and is now in the Illinois Senate on concurrence (this version does not attack Crisis Pregnancy Centers) — this one most likely to be the version to pass.
You can also call their offices for a greater impact. Click HERE to find the phone numbers of your current elected officials. NOTE: The newly elected state reps and senators will not take office until next week.
Thank you for taking the time to stop this bill!
