The Illinois General Assembly adjourned yesterday afternoon, ending their regularly scheduled spring session. They did so, however, without finalizing a state budget or addressing the looming pension crisis. That means our lawmakers will be going back to Springfield for an overtime session to work out what they couldn’t resolve during the past five months. According to the Chicago Sun-Times, Illinois House Speaker Michael Madigan (D-Chicago) told state representatives that “the House will be in continuous session this summer.”
While the official end of session is good news, the fact that lawmakers will be returning to Springfield as early as this Thursday means that we will still have to be diligently working against pending legislation. This includes SB 1564, which has already passed the Illinois Senate and is pending a vote in the Illinois House.
SB 1564 would radically alter the Illinois Healthcare Right of Conscience Act — an Act that allows medical personnel and health care facilities to avoid participating in morally dubious medical procedures such as abortion, sterilization, and certain end-of-life care. Doctors, pharmacists and other medical personnel have been protected from having to violate their beliefs and values for almost twenty years under this Act.
SB 1564 would mandate pro-life doctors, nurses and pharmacists to distribute information to patients who are seeking objectionable medical services such as abortion, sterilization, and certain end-of-life care.
It is also important to point out that SB 1564 would negatively affect crisis pregnancy centers that provide health care services by requiring that these life centers give referrals to Planned Parenthood or other venues that commit abortions.
No American, let alone vital health care personnel, should be required to violate their personal integrity by being forced to provide referrals to procedures or services they find morally offensive. Instead, our lawmakers should be working to uphold and reinforce First Amendment conscience protections.
They should uphold liberty, not coerce free people.
Take ACTION: Click HERE to send an email or a fax to your state representative. Ask him/her to uphold Rights of Conscience for medical professionals and vote NO on SB 1564.
Please also call your state representative during normal business hours to politely ask them to uphold the rights of conscience for medical personnel. The Capitol switchboard number is (217) 782-2000.
