Religious Liberty: The Cornerstone of All Human Rights

You may remember him as a U.S. senator, governor, or 2008 candidate for president. During the Donald J. Trump administration, Sam Brownback served as Ambassador at Large for International Religious Freedom from February 2018 through January 2021. He currently serves as co-chair of the International Religious Freedom (IRF) Summit and chairman of the National Committee for Religious Freedom.

Earlier this year, the Southern Poverty Law Center attacked the International Religious Freedom Summit, complaining about the presence and influence of “anti-LGBTQ+ hate groups” and other conservative religious organizations. “To many of these extremists,” the SPLC wrote in an article, “religious freedom means, simply, the right to discriminate – particularly against the LGBTQ+ community.”

Ironically, according to The Daily Signal, the IRF Summit “highlighted persecution of Kyiv-aligned Christians in Ukraine, Christians in Nigeria, and many religious minorities—particularly Uyghur Muslims and Tibetan Buddhists—in China. Members of atheist, Baha’i, Falun Gong, Hindu, Jewish, Muslim, Sikh, and Yazidi organizations took part in the summit, as did Christian minorities such as Assyrians.”

Religious liberty is a fundamental, God-given right. Not only is it enumerated in and protected by the U.S. Constitution’s First Amendment, but it is also recognized by dozens of nations around the world as the cornerstone of all human rights. We can ill afford to ignore that there are still far too many instances where religious liberty, conscience, and practice are violated around the world. Here in the United States, attempts to regulate or censor religious thought, practice, and/or speech continue to raise their ugly heads.

Should Crisis Pregnancy Centers be fined $50,000 for disseminating Biblical views about the sanctity of human life because some believe it is “misinformation?” Should florists, photographers, and bakers be forced to provide their services for same-sex weddings and celebrations that violate their religious beliefs? Should peaceful pro-lifers be arrested for praying in front of abortion mills?

Religious freedom is more than the “freedom to worship” at a synagogue, church, or mosque. It means people shouldn’t have to go against their core values and beliefs to conform to the creed of a dominant culture or government. Religious freedom protects people’s right to live, speak, and act according to their beliefs peacefully and publicly. It protects their ability to be themselves at work, in class, and in social activities.

Join us on June 1^st to hear from Ambassador Brownback about the threats to religious liberty around the world and here at home, as well as how we can reinforce this critical right. There will also be a time of Q & A when you will be welcome to ask the Ambassador your questions.

We will also be joined by Arielle Del Turco, Family Research Council’s Director of the Center for Religious Liberty and co-author of the organization’s “Hostility Against Churches” report. This new report “indicates that criminal acts against churches have been steadily on the rise for the past several years… The first three months of 2023 saw approximately 3x the number of acts of hostility perpetrated against churches in the same timeframe last year.

UPDATE:  We are pleased to announce that former state legislator Peter Breen has been added to our line-up of speakers for the IFI Special Forum on Religious Liberty.  In addition to being a pro-life hero, Peter leads the Thomas More Society’s Legal Team in service of its Life, Family, and Religious Liberty missions.

>>> Click HERE for a flyer! <<<

We are pleased to announce that former state legislator Peter Breen has been added to our line-up of speakers for the IFI Special Forum on Religious Liberty.  In addition to being a pro-life hero, Peter leads the Thomas More Society’s Legal Team in service of its Life, Family, and Religious Liberty missions.

Peter recently testified in front of an Illinois House committee to highlight the legal and practical flaws of SB 1909 – a bill designed to punish traditional Christian beliefs about the sanctity of human life at pregnancy resource centers (PRCs) throughout Illinois. SB 1909 allows the Attorney General to investigate any PRC and levy fines up to $50,000 against any PRC that the he/she “believes” is engaging in deceptive practices.

What are false and deceptive practices? Any information the Attorney General believes is deceptive.

Once the Attorney General concludes its formal investigation with your tax dollars and imposes the fine against the PRC, the law would allow the Attorney General to provide this biased information to a person to file a civil suit against the PRC for more monetary damages. You can imagine the damage this will cause.

Planned Parenthood and Attorney General staff testified in favor of this freedom-quashing bill. Their argument contained no complaints (not one) that could be verified — they were all anecdotal accounts they claimed to have witnessed at PRC’s or heard second hand.

In fact, before the hearing, Peter had requested that the Attorney General’s Office provide all complaints it received against PRC’s in the last 10 years. Their response? Zero. Zero complaints against pregnancy care centers have been documented. There is simply no demand from “we the people” for a bill like this. It’s another opportunity for Big Abortion and their allies in the General Assembly to go after and bully people of faith into silence.

Make no mistake, this is an infringement on the First Amendment rights of those who work and/or volunteer at PRCs and want to save preborn babies and minister to women facing unplanned pregnancies. Specifically, this quashes our right to freely exercise our religiously informed views about what abortion does to mother and baby. These beliefs are shared by the vast majority of orthodox Christians, Jews and Muslims.

The state has no business regulating speech it doesn’t like. Yet tyrants at the Illinois State Capitol passed SB 1909 and sent it to the Governor for his signature.

The Illinois Senate passed this bill on March 31^st by a vote of 36 to 19.

The Illinois House passed this bill on May 10^th by a vote of 72 to 40.

Click HERE to listen to this week’s IFA podcast in which Monte Larrick interviews Peter Breen.

Join us on Thursday, June 1st! You won’t want to miss hearing from Peter Breen and the plans to challenge this unconstitutional law in court as well as hear from our featured speaker, Ambassador Sam Brownback, who serves as chairman of the National Committee for Religious Freedom. He will report on the international situation in countries like China, Nicaragua, and Nigeria, as well as domestic attempts to eradicate religiously informed conscience rights for medical professionals and those working at pregnancy centers.

We will also be joined by Arielle Del Turco, Family Research Council’s Director of the Center for Religious Liberty and co-author of the organization’s “Hostility Against Churches” report. This new report “indicates that criminal acts against churches have been steadily on the rise for the past several years… The first three months of 2023 saw approximately 3x the number of acts of hostility perpetrated against churches compared to the same timeframe last year.

Religious liberty requires our vigilance because its degradation affects the exercise of every other constitutional right. Literally, our freedom is at stake.

“[T]hat the opinions of men are not the object of civil government, nor under its jurisdiction;
that to suffer the civil magistrate to intrude his powers into the field of opinion and to restrain
the profession or propagation of principles on supposition of their ill tendency is a dangerous fallacy,
which at once destroys all religious liberty.” ~Thomas Jefferson, 1779.

In the aftermath of the U.S. Supreme Court’s Dobbs decision, little if anything has changed concerning abortion in Illinois. You would think radical pro-abortion activists and legislators would be satisfied to know the status quo remains, but sadly, you would be wrong. Even though Illinois’ abortion law is one of the most liberal in the nation, pro-abortion forces are not content with unfettered access to abortion, and they are now coming after crucial pregnancy resource centers (PRCs).

Last week, SB 1909 passed the Illinois Senate on a partisan roll call vote (36 to 19) and has arrived at the Illinois House for their consideration. The so-called Deceptive Practices of Limited Services Pregnancy Centers Act amends the Consumer Fraud and Deceptive Business Practices Act, giving the Illinois Attorney General, who is militantly pro-abortion, the ability to fine PRCs for any perceived fraud or misleading statements.

So, what constitutes an instance of fraud or a misleading statement? Based on the Executive Committee hearing testimony by State Senator Celina Villanueva (D-Chicago), it depends entirely on the interpretation of the AG’s office. The so-called “testimonies” shared in support of the amendment were in no way substantiated, with one coming from Planned Parenthood Action and the other–get this–from the AG’s office. It’s a textbook conflict of interest, and yet no one seems to think this is problematic.

Now, a senate committee meeting is not a trial in which evidence is expected to be produced, but you would think that the obvious bias and lack of proof on the side of the bill’s proponents would raise some red flags. But apparently, the consciences of pro-abortion Illinois legislators are seared. Even a clear assault on religious liberty and free speech is no problem to them where their pet issues are concerned.

In addition to the shaky-at-best reasoning behind this new legislation, it was brought up multiple times in the hearing that this bill is not necessary, as the current Consumer Fraud Act more than covers the examples Villanueva and others gave. If a PRC is acting unlawfully, they are already subject to the law currently on the books. When pressed, the Deputy Attorney General for Policy at the AG’s office said over and over that infractions would be evaluated on a “case-by-case” basis. In other words, it’s subject to the whims of the AG, not the objective standards set out by the law. But then this isn’t about using the law correctly. It’s about punishing and potentially fining out of business these critical, often faith-based, centers for any reason.

Unsurprisingly, proponents cast “limited services pregnancy centers” as preying upon women, set against Planned Parenthood and other abortion businesses as compassionate providers of healthcare. Among the accusations they brought against PRCs is that they delay or under-deliver healthcare for pregnant women through vague language or outright lies about their pregnancies. But as Serena Dye, regional executive director of Hope Life Center, testified, “The wording in this bill reminds me of my personal experience at abortion facilities, not pregnancy help centers.”

Although the eventual outcome of the hearing was evident from the start, it was heartening to hear from both Dye and Kristi Hofferber, a pro-life speaker and executive director of A Beacon of Light. Both women know personally the harm done by the abortion business. They spoke boldly, detailing the compassionate and crucial work done by their respective organizations and drawing attention to the damage this bill will do if signed into law.

Another bright spot was the dogged questioning of State Senator Neil Anderson (R-Andalusia), who pointed out the inconsistencies and clear animus embedded in SB 1909, over the protests of other members of the committee. With Democrats in the majority, however, the bill passed out of committee along party lines and went on to do the same in the Senate. The same will likely happen in the House, and then it will go on to the Governor’s desk, where it will no doubt be signed into law.

Watch the Senate Committee Hearing HERE.

So, what next? This bill spells disaster for one of the last places where vulnerable moms in Illinois (and beyond, thanks to burgeoning abortion tourism coming from surrounding states) stand a chance of hearing the whole story about what their pregnancy could mean for them, and of course, where their innocent, unborn children can be saved. First, we must pray for God’s mercy and that more and more believers will be stirred to stand for life in their homes, churches, and communities. Second, we must pray for and support pro-life PRCs. Third, we must pray for and support pro-life, pro-freedom organizations that can use the law to bring attention to this unconstitutional, government-sanctioned witch hunt.

The Thomas More Society, a pro-life law firm headquartered in Chicago, has already gone on record that if this bill is signed into law, they will bring a lawsuit against it. Peter Breen, a former Illinois state legislator and the Executive Vice President and Head of Litigation at Thomas More Society stated, “Senate Bill 1909 is a radical attempt to silence and chill the speech of pro-life advocates in Illinois. The bill is presented as a ‘consumer protection’ measure, but its purpose is to protect abortion clinics from competition…” He went on to say, “This bill is flagrantly unconstitutional, and if it becomes law, we will immediately file suit to protect pro-life organizations’ right to free speech.”

Democrats in Illinois have long stood for ever-increasing abortion access. SB 1909 demonstrates, in no uncertain terms, their desire to eliminate all options but abortion for women facing an unplanned pregnancy. We know God will not allow evil to continue forever, but today, we lament and cry out to Him for justice for those who have no voice.

Take ACTION: Click HERE to send a message to your state representative asking him/her to leave PRCs alone by voting against SB 1909. Point out that pregnancy care centers do not engage in “deceptive practices” but rather vital life-giving work. The people at these centers minister to needy, vulnerable women and children and are supported by people of faith across the state who want to be a blessing.

Read more:

How A Pregnancy Center Saved Me From Homelessness, Addiction, And Despair
(The Federalist)

Pregnancy Resource Centers Must Be Ready for a Post-Roe America
(National Review)

The Critical Pro-Life Work of Pregnancy Resource Centers
(ERLC)

Lawyers for Mark Houck, a pro-life father of seven being prosecuted by the Biden administration, dropped bombshell evidence in defense of the pro-life advocate at a January 17, 2023, pretrial hearing in Philadelphia. Thomas More Society attorneys produced new evidence – never before considered by a federal court – that when the United States Congress passed the Freedom of Access to Clinic Entrances Act, it expressly intended to exclude so-called “escorts” operating outside of abortion facilities from being encompassed by the FACE Act.

The Thomas More Society filing on behalf of Houck in the United States District Court for the Eastern District of Pennsylvania, quotes U.S. Senator Ted Kennedy (D-MA), chief sponsor of the FACE Act. Kennedy clearly stated that clinic escorts are excluded, because they do not provide reproductive health services in a facility, as required under the FACE Act.

“The FACE Act was never intended to cover disputes between advocates on the public sidewalks outside of our nation’s abortion clinics,” declared Thomas More Society Executive Vice President & Head of Litigation Peter Breen, who is representing Houck. “This new evidence shows clearly that Congress intended to limit the FACE Act to patients and staff working in the clinic, and not to take sides between pro-life and pro-choice counselors and escorts on the sidewalk. The Biden Department of Justice’s prosecution of Mark Houck is pure harassment, meant solely to intimidate our nation’s pro-life sidewalk counselors who provide vital resources to help pregnant women at risk for abortion.”

The Thomas More Society filing highlights a key exchange between Kennedy and U.S. Senator David Durenberger (R-MN), over a bipartisan amendment they negotiated to strip clinic escorts of the right to bring lawsuits under the FACE Act (139 Cong. Rec. S15682):

Mr. DURENBERGER. By defining “aggrieved person” in this way, was it your intention to exclude clinic escorts or so-called clinic defenders? 

Mr. KENNEDY. That is correct. Demonstrators, clinic defenders, escorts, and other persons not involved in obtaining or providing services in the facility may not bring such a cause of action.

Durenberger then reiterated that escorts are not covered under the FACE Act (139 Cong. Rec. S15686):

The bill, as currently drafted before us, allows legal relief only to clinic patients and personnel. And this is the critical, if you will – not the only, but the critical – change that has been agreed to by the proponents of this legislation and by the Senator from Massachusetts. We have recognized that Federal law should be extended narrowly to protect only those who were actually attempting to obtain or provide medical or counseling services. It does not protect the escorts.

Thomas More Society attorneys filed the Objections to Government’s Jury Instructions in response to the Biden Department of Justice’s proposed jury instructions, which claim that, under the FACE Act, “A provider of reproductive health services includes any staff member or volunteer escort who is an integral part of a business where reproductive health services are provided.” The Biden Department of Justice claims that volunteer abortion escort Bruce Love is a “provider of reproductive health services” under the FACE Act.

Thomas More Society attorneys have provided alternate jury instructions, arguing that the clear language of the FACE Act requires that the reproductive health services must be provided “in a…facility,” which excludes escorts – a view reinforced by the clear statements supplied by the Congressional record.

United States of America v. Mark Houck is currently set for a jury trial, January 24 through 27, 2023, before United States District Judge Gerald J. Pappert in the United States District Court for the Eastern District of Pennsylvania.

Read the Objections to Government’s Jury Instructions, filed on January 17, 2023, by Thomas More Society attorneys on behalf of Mark Houck, in United States of America v. Mark Houck, in the United States District Court for the Eastern District of Pennsylvania, here.

About the Thomas More Society

The Thomas More Society is a national not-for-profit law firm dedicated to restoring respect in law for life, family, religious liberty, and election integrity. Headquartered in Chicago and with offices across the country, the Thomas More Society fosters support for these causes by providing high quality pro bono legal services from local trial courts all the way up to the United States Supreme Court. For more information, visit thomasmoresociety.org.

Obama judicial appointee Judge John Z. Lee of the Northern District of Illinois ruled against The Beloved Church last week as they filed a federal complaint challenging Governor J.B. Pritzker‘s emergency Executive Orders. The pastor and church, located in Lena, Illinois, are seeking to have their First Amendment rights restored to them in order to host regular services of up to 80 people each week.

Judge Lee’s reasoning in his decision denying the church’s complaint was shocking:

It is difficult to see why the legislature would recognize these long-running problems as disasters, yet divest the Governor of the tools he needs to address them.

Judge Lee continues:

Former State Representative Peter Breen (R-Lombard) has two words for his fellow Illinoisans, “Fair Maps.” Fair Maps is an effort to break the hold Illinois House Speaker Michael Madigan (D-Chicago) has on the state’s election map.

On the website FairMapsIllinois.com, Breen explains, “If you despair over the future of Illinois… if you’re frustrated about the stranglehold of a corrupt political machine over Illinois politics… if you worry about whether your friends and family—and even you yourself—will be able to make a home in Illinois in the years to come… then this message is just for you.”

Fair Maps is a grassroots plan to let voters put a referendum on the 2020 ballot to amend the state constitution. If passed, the referendum would give the power to redraw the redistricting maps to an independent, bipartisan commission. To get Fair Maps on the ballot, Breen needs the signatures of 360,000 registered Illinois voters.

Breen does have public opinion on his side. According to a poll conducted in the spring by the Paul Simon Public Policy Institute at Southern Illinois University, 67 percent of Illinoisans supported a constitutional amendment such as Breen’s that would allow an independent commission to draw legislative maps, instead of the state’s lawmakers.

The state constitution mandates redistricting be done every 10 years. New maps will be drawn up in 2021, after the 2020 election. Unless Fair Maps is placed on the ballot and passed by voters, Breen suggests the maps will be redrawn once again to favor Democrats who will be beholden to House Speaker Mike Madigan.

Breen calls the current system, “The linchpin that takes otherwise fleeting control over the political process and turns it into a decades-long, sustained political machine: the power to draw legislative maps to guarantee a permanent partisan majority. No matter how the political winds blow, whether for him or against him, Madigan’s majority cannot be overcome.”

Other states that have tried to reform redistricting have faced court battles that have gone all the way to the U.S. Supreme Court. In June 2019 cases involving the States of Maryland and North Carolina were declined by the Court. Chief Justice John Roberts admitted the problems states have with gerrymandering and partisanship writing, “But the fact that such gerrymandering is ‘incompatible with democratic principles’ does not mean that the solution lies with the federal judiciary. We conclude that partisan gerrymandering claims present political questions beyond the reach of the federal courts.”

Iowas voters passed Fair Maps in 1980 and Breen calls the state, “A national model of clean, responsive government. Iowa’s debt and tax burden are under control. Iowa’s schools are good and its crime rate low. The people of Iowa are happy with their representation, and it’s easy to see why: when you have fair maps, legislators have to be much more careful to respond to the needs of the people they serve.”

Take ACTION: Click HERE to volunteer to collect a minimum of 10 signatures on an official petition page. You can also volunteer to sign up friends or promote this effort on social media.

This is an important way to return the political process to the voters of Illinois. Please prayerfully consider this worthy project, and spend a couple hours working to break free of the political headlock we’ve been in for decades.

A Night With Rev. Franklin Graham!
At this year’s annual IFI banquet, our keynote speaker will be none other than Rev. Franklin Graham, President & CEO of the Billy Graham Evangelistic Association and Christian evangelist & missionary. This year’s event will be at the Tinley Park Convention Center on Nov. 1st. You don’t want to miss this special evening!

Learn more HERE.

The U.S. Supreme Court will decide soon on two closely watched cases that could have a major impact on life and the freedom of conscience in America. Justices will rule on a California law that requires pro-life pregnancy care centers to post notices about the availability of taxpayer funded abortions. And the High Court will be ruling on baker Jack Phillips, the Colorado man who refused, based on his faith, to paint a cake for a same-sex wedding. We need to pray for the US supreme court.

The Illinois General Assembly is winding up its work for the 2018 Spring session and will try to adjourn for the summer by Thursday, May 31st. That means that things could move very quickly over the next six days. We will try to keep you posted on the issues that concern you and your family. (As a result, you may get multiple email alerts next week.)

Even though the state of Illinois is on the brink of bankruptcy, various news reports suggest that state lawmakers are making progress toward the constitutional requirement of passing a balanced budget. Of course, the budget continues irresponsible spending and does little to address Illinois’ massive pension problem or the $8 billion of unpaid bills, which has accrued $1.14 billion in late fees.

To put this in perspective, the state expects approximately $37 billion in revenue in the 2019 fiscal year, which begins on the first of June.

A major concern with this budget has to do with the new mandate to require Illinois citizens to pay for elective abortions through state Medicaid and state employee health insurance plans.

Yes, this is the funding aspect of HB 40 which was signed into law by Governor Bruce Rauner last year. This wicked new law removes all prohibitions on using tax dollars for abortions under Medicaid and removes the ban on state employees’ insurance policies paying for abortions. Since this legislation did not contain specific funding appropriation, payment for elective abortions will come out of state Medicaid and health insurance funding.

During floor debate last year, Illinois State Representative Peter Breen (R-Lombard) warned his colleagues that HB 40 may cost taxpayers up to $60 million per year to kill an additional 10,000 to 15,000 pre-born human beings. That is in addition to the 40,000 abortions Illinois commits annually on average.

To be clear, we do not yet know how many taxpayer-funded abortions will be committed each year, but we can call upon Springfield lawmakers to vote against any budget bill (and there are multiple) that appropriate tax funds for elective abortions.

Take ACTION: Click HERE to send a message to your state senator and state representative, urging them to reject any budget agreement that uses tax resources to fund abortion.

The working families of Illinois have no fiscal or moral obligation to provide the abortion industry with resources to destroy our innocent and defenseless humans.

Since the vast majority of Illinois voters have been historically against using their tax dollars for abortion, it would be wise for pro-life advocates across the state to speak out loudly (but politely) now. Moreover, we must continue to work to convince legislators at every level of government of the sanctity of life from conception to natural death.

IFI depends on the support of readers like you. Donate now

-and, please-

The Thomas More Society has now moved for an emergency injunction to be heard on Thursday, December 28, to stop State of Illinois officials from providing tens of thousands of taxpayer funded abortions in the New Year.

Additional legislators and groups will also seek to join the suit that day, including State Representative Jeanne Ives (R-Wheaton) and State Senator Neil Anderson (R-Rock Island). The taxpayer lawsuit, filed at the end of November in the Sangamon County Circuit Court, is brought on behalf of hundreds of thousands of Illinois taxpayers, represented by county and statewide pro-life organizations, the Springfield Catholic Diocese, and a group of Illinois legislators from across the state.

“This emergency injunction would stop a New Year’s Day implementation of this law, under which Illinois taxpayers would be forced to pay for 20,000 to 30,000 or more abortions per year,” explained Peter Breen, Thomas More Society Special Counsel. “Even apart from the sincere moral objections that many folks have to paying for abortions, there is no money in the Illinois state budget to pay for them. And, because of games played by Senate Democrats, in holding HB 40 until late September, after the May 31 cutoff for legislative action, this bill can’t be effective until June 1, certainly not on January 1.” Breen also serves as state representative for Illinois’ 48^th District.

If implemented, despite its illegality, HB 40 would force every Illinoisan to pay for free abortions for those on Medicaid. This would apply through the full nine months of pregnancy and for any reason, even when the latest scientific research has shown that the unborn child can feel pain and survive outside of its mother’s womb.

The State of Illinois has a tradition of allowing taxpayer lawsuits, which are brought by private individuals to protect the public treasury. Illinois law requires such a suit to be brought by a petition for leave to file a taxpayer complaint, which was granted by Judge Jennifer Ascher on December 6, at the last hearing in this case.

The Illinois legislators bringing the lawsuit include (italicized names are newly added):

• Representative Mark Batinick, District 97
• Representative Jeanne Ives, District 42
• Representative Charlie Meier, District 108
• Representative Steve Reick, District 63
• Representative Barbara Wheeler, District 64
• Representative Keith Wheeler, District 50
• Senator Neil Anderson, District 36
• Senator Dale Fowler, District 59
• Senator Sam McCann, District 50
• Senator Kyle McCarter, District 54
• Senator Dan McConchie, District 26
• Senator Paul Schimpf, District 58

The pro-life groups listed on the complaint include (italicized names are newly added):

• Illinois Federation for Right to Life
• Illinois Right to Life Action
• Springfield Right to Life
• Right to Life of Adams County, Inc.
• Clinton County Citizens For Life
• Henry County Right to Life, Inc.
• Knox County Right to Life, NFP
• Lake County Right to Life Committee, Inc.
• Morgan County Right to Life, Inc., NFP
• Faith and Freedom Family Ministry, NFP
• Pro-Life Action League, Inc.

The above listed legislators and groups are joined in this action by:

• Diocese of Springfield In Illinois

Read the Plaintiff’s Unopposed Motion for Leave to File a Verified Amended Taxpayer Complaint HERE.

Read the original Petition for Leave to File a Taxpayer Action to Restrain and Enjoin the Disbursement of Public Funds and the Taxpayer Complaint to Restrain and Enjoin the Disbursement of Public Funds HERE.

About the Thomas More Society

The Thomas More Society is a national not-for-profit law firm dedicated to restoring respect in law for life, family, and religious liberty. Headquartered in Chicago and Omaha, the Thomas More Society fosters support for these causes by providing high quality pro bono legal services from local trial courts all the way up to the United States Supreme Court. For more information, visit thomasmoresociety.org.

Bills regarding the sanctity of life are headed to committee!

Please fill out a witness slip on the following bills which are scheduled to be heard on Wednesday, February 8^th, in the Illinois House Human Services Committee. It’s critical that we have more slips from pro-lifers because the other side is working hard on these bills. When Committee Chairperson Robyn Gabel (D-Chicago) tells the committee members that thousands have filled out slips, this will send a strong message that pro-life voters are ready to fight for those who cannot speak for themselves.

These are the bills we need you to take action on:

OPPOSE HB 40  is sponsored by Illinois Rep. Sara Feigenholtz (D-Chicago) – reinstates taxpayer-funded abortions for Medicaid recipients and adds abortion coverage in state employees’ insurance plans.

SUPPORT HB 282 is sponsored by Illinois Rep. Barbara Wheeler (R-Crystal Lake) – prohibits abortions based solely on race, color, national origin, ancestry, sex, or diagnosis of Down Syndrome or other disability.

SUPPORT HB 283 is sponsored by Illinois Rep. Barbara Wheeler (R-Crystal Lake) – Creates the Ultrasound Opportunity Act by requiring an ultrasound be offered to anyone considering an abortion.

SUPPORT HB 467 is sponsored by Illinois Rep. Sheri Jesiel (R-Antioch) – Provides for the licensure of facilities that commit 50 or more abortions a year; requires certain standards; requires the Dept. of Public Health to annually conduct at least one unannounced inspection per year; provides patients be notified if a violation could threaten a patients’ health.

SUPPORT HB 532 is sponsored by Illinois Rep. Peter Breen (R-Lombard) – Amends the Illinois Anatomical Gift Act by banning the sale of fetal tissue from abortions.

File a Witness Slip:  Click HERE

Register on the left column.

Once you have verified your registration, you can file a witness slip on any bill.

Return to the GA Dashboard.

Click on “House” in the left-hand column for a drop down menu. Then click on “Committees.”

Find the “Human Services Committee” and click on the hammer icon, which is “View Committee Hearings.”

Now you should be on the “Human Services Committee” page. On the right side, please click on “View Legislation.”

Scroll down to find one bill at a time and click on the paper and pencil icon at the far right to “Create Witness Slip.”

Make sure you click OPPONENT for HB 40 and PROPONENT for the other 4 bills.

You may type “None” for Firm/Business/Agency and Title and “Self” for Representation.

Under Testimony, click Record of Appearance Only.

If required, check the Terms of Agreement.

Click Create Slip.

Click the back arrow or the green  button to create another slip.

Please “like” the IFI Facebook page!

Written by David E. Smith and Laurie Higgins

Despite a full-court press by IFI and many Illinois pro-life groups–including dozens of pregnancy resource centers (PRCs)–Governor Bruce Rauner chose to sign legislation (late Friday afternoon) that will result in our state government requiring pro-life medical professionals to refer patients for medical procedures/services they find morally objectionable such as abortion, sterilization and certain end-of-life care protocols.

This is not the result for which so many hoped and prayed.

Nonetheless, IFI wants to thank all those who took time to call or email the governor to ask him to veto SB 1564.

IFI also wants to acknowledge and thank those handful of pro-life state lawmakers who recently met with Rauner in an attempt to persuade him to reject this proposal.  IFI is deeply grateful for those who took time to plead the pro-life, pro-conscience position with Rauner.

Despite the fact that not one Republican voted for the final version of SB 1564, Rauner decided to side with the Democrats in approving its final passage.

Thankfully, we have a system of checks and balances.  IFI has been informed that a lawsuit is being planned to challenge this onerous and tyrannical new law.  So now we must now shift our focus to praying for the Thomas More Society in their effort to overturn this unconscionable law in court.

This legislative travesty accentuates the need for Christians to be involved in the political process and engaged in the public square.  No American should ever be required by the government to do or say something that violates their deeply held beliefs.

It is because so many Christians have abdicated their civic responsibilities with regard to self-government (also known as “politics”) that we are seeing tyranny rise and religious liberty erode. Unless and until conservatives cease being one- or two-issue voters (e.g., focusing almost solely on the economy and defense), secular humanists, cultural Christians, and libertarians will continue their perversion of the legislative process.

Unless and until social conservatives exercise their power while they still have any, there will remain no party to defend social conservatism, including issues related to life, marriage, properly ordered sexuality, physical privacy, religious liberty, and conscience rights. Unless social conservatives reject those who reject social conservatism, the already-present hostility to social conservatives and rejection of social conservatism will intensify.

Instead of throwing in the towel in response to the traitorous outrage perpetrated by Rauner–who has demonstrated his willingness to thwart the will of Democrats with regard to the budget bill–IFI wants to challenge conservatives to double down instead.  We desperately need more–many more–pro-life/pro-family/pro-children’s rights men and women in Springfield.

As we head into fall, the November election looms large. Don’t disengage! Find a local candidate you can get behind, and volunteer and/or financially support him or her. Support those candidates who demonstrate an unequivocal and unashamed commitment to the social issues, which are essential to the continued flourishing of America.

In addition, consider volunteering and/or financially supporting a local pregnancy resource center, starting a pro-life/pro-family committee at your church, and attending IFI events and forums.

And let us not grow weary while doing good,
for in due season we shall reap if we do not lose heart.
~Galatians 6:9~

SB 1564 undermines the freedom
of conscience and invites intimidation and
legal action against pro-life healthcare providers.

Last year, State Senator Daniel Biss (D-Skokie) introduced SB 1564 to radically alter the Illinois Healthcare Right of Conscience Act.  This proposal was passed by the Illinois Senate on April 22, 2015 by a vote of 34-19. It then moved to the Illinois House where it was picked up by State Representative Robyn Gabel (D-Evanston).

Late in the afternoon of May 25th, the Illinois House debated and passed this ominous new mandate by a vote of 61-54.  (See roll call below.)  The bill now heads to the office of the governor.

SB 1564 would force doctors, nurses, pharmacists to distribute information to help a patients find objectionable medical services such as abortion, sterilization, and certain end-of-life care.

Take ACTION:  Click HERE to send a message to Illinois Governor Bruce Rauner to ask him to please uphold religious freedom and conscience rights for medical personnel in Illinois.  Ask him to veto SB 1564 and the tyranny it represents.

Emails are noticed, but we also need a flood of calls to the Governor’s office: (217) 782-0244 or (312) 814-2121.  Once you’ve taken action, please pray that he will understand how coercive this legislation is.

You may want to point out that according to the Christian Medical and Dental Associations, 95 percent of physicians in a national poll agreed, “I would rather stop practicing medicine altogether then be forced to violate my conscience.”

It is important to know that SB 1564 will also 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 promote abortion.

IFI is deeply grateful to those lawmakers who spoke out during debate today, including:  State Representatives Peter Breen (R-Lombard), Jeanne Ives (R-Wheaton), Barbara Wheeler (R-Cyrstal Lake), Tom Morrision (R-Palatine), C.D. Davidsmeyer (R-Jacksonville), Sheri Jesiel (R-Antioch), and Margo McDermed (R-Frankfort).

(Click HERE to learn more about the problems of SB 1564.)

In response to controversial videos that have surfaced surrounding the harvesting and sale of aborted fetal body parts and tissue, State Representative Peter Breen (R-Lombard) has filed legislation to amend and clarify the Illinois Anatomical Gift Act as it relates to tissue and body parts that can be legally donated or sold.

The bill, HB 4266, was filed Wednesday in Springfield.  This proposal would expand the definition of “decedent” to include a deceased fetus or unborn child using definitions outlined in the Illinois Abortion Law of 1975. The proposed new language also expressly prohibits the donation or sale of aborted fetuses and fetal tissue.

Take ACTION:  Click HERE to urge your state representative to sponsor and pass this proposed ban to stop any and all trafficking of aborted baby body parts and tissue.  Ask them to support HB 4266.

“Recent videos have shined a spotlight on the harvesting and sale of aborted baby body parts in our nation’s abortion clinics,” said Breen. “From the lack of informed consent to modifying abortion procedures to harvest more ‘valuable’ organs, these practices are rife with abuse. This bill is a bipartisan attempt to put an end to the trafficking of the remains of these aborted babies.”

So far, a bi-partisan group of thirty-two state lawmakers have become co-sponsors, including Chief Co-Sponsors State Representatives Jerry Costello (D-Red Bud), Dwight Kay (R-Edwardsville), and Brandon Phelps (D-Harrisburg).

“The allegations involving Planned Parenthood are incredibly troubling, and as lawmakers we need to do whatever we can to ensure the confidence of Illinoisans in our state’s Anatomical Gift Act,” continued Breen. “This issue extends beyond the abortion debate and addresses important issues of how, and under what circumstances, body parts and tissues can and should be used.”

Other cosponsors include State Representatives Avery Bourne (R-Litchfield), Adam Brown (R-Champaign), Norine Hammond (R-Macomb), Terri Bryant (R-Mt. Vernon), C.D. Davidsmeyer (R-Jacksonville), John Cavaletto (R-Salem), Sheri Jesiel (R-Gurnee), Barbara Wheeler (R-Crystal Lake), Christine Winger (R-Bloomingdale), Thomas Bennett (R-Watseka), Steven Andersson (R-Geneva), Margo McDermed (R-Mokena), Tom Demmer (R-Rochelle), Michael Unes (R-Peoria), Jeanne Ives (R-Wheaton), Thomas Morrison (R-Palatine), Grant Wehrli (R-Naperville), Katherine Cloonen (D-Kankakee), David McSweeney (R-Cary), Mark Batinick (R-Plainfield), John Cabello (R-Loves Park), Donald Moffitt (R-Galesburg), Charles Meier (R-Highland), Raymond Poe (R-Springfield) and David Harris (R-Arlington Heights)

Illinois Family Institute
Faith, Family and Freedom Banquet

Friday, September 18 , 2015
The Stonegate Banquet & Conference Center (Map)
Click HERE for a banquet flyer.

Program advertisements & banquet sponsorships available.

Click HERE to register online!

The Illinois Appellate Court, Second Judicial District, has overturned a lower court’s dismissal of a zoning and fraud lawsuit brought by the Thomas More Society on behalf of Fox Valley Families Against Planned Parenthood and several neighbors. The Society argued that the zoning of the mega-abortion facility (built eight years ago in Aurora, Illinois) was illegal, as it was (and remains) located in a business development district – an area which is exclusively reserved for profit-making businesses. The appellate court remanded the case for discovery and further proceedings in the circuit court focused on the nearby residents’ primary contention – that the clinic’s continued operation at this location would be illegal and in defiance of an explicit ban on non-profits.

“Planned Parenthood built its abortion facility in Aurora under false pretenses and in blatant violation of the strictures of Aurora’s zoning code, which require a tax-paying for-profit use on that site,” said Peter Breen, Thomas More Society Special Counsel. “This facility was built on a foundation of deception, and the appellate court’s ruling reaffirms that Planned Parenthood must obey Aurora’s zoning laws, just like any other resident of Aurora. We look forward to returning to the circuit court and continuing to prosecute this lawsuit aggressively.”

The appellate court’s decision overturned the dismissal of the Society’s main claim that the property is zoned for tax-paying, business uses, thereby barring any non-profit use on the part of Planned Parenthood, which is an IRS-recognized 501(c)(3) public charity. Unless further proceedings are undertaken in the appellate court or a further appeal is taken up to the Illinois Supreme Court, the case will now return to the DuPage County Circuit Court for further litigation on whether this non-profit entity may continue to occupy land meant for business uses.

The appellate court upheld the circuit court’s dismissal of several secondary claims by Fox Valley Families and neighbors against Planned Parenthood, ending the lawsuit on those claims.

Planned Parenthood boasted that it had been paying property taxes on the property from 2006 throughout the pendency of proceedings in the circuit court, and its attorneys argued that such payment of property taxes proved that it was lawfully operating as a for-profit entity. However, within a few months after the suit was dismissed by the circuit court, Planned Parenthood applied for and was granted property tax exemptions and a rebate of taxes paid for the prior three years, arguing that its use of the property was strictly charitable and non-profit. In 2007, Planned Parenthood also won $8.05 million in 501(c)(3) tax-free bond financing from the Illinois Finance Authority upon its promise that it would use the property for exclusively charitable purposes.

In 2006 and 2007, Planned Parenthood hid behind two layers of dummy “front” companies to secure permits to construct a 21,000-square-foot abortion facility in Aurora, Illinois. During the development process, Planned Parenthood withheld its true intended use and the resultant negative impact on its neighbors from the people and City of Aurora. After media revelations in July 2007 that the property was to house a massive Planned Parenthood abortion facility, intense public outcry resulted. But Aurora finally allowed the facility to open in October, 2007.

In late 2007 and early 2008, attorneys with the Thomas More Society brought administrative appeals and then a lawsuit alleging zoning ordinance violations against Planned Parenthood and the City of Aurora. The lawsuit was dismissed by the circuit court in August of 2013. In April 2015, the case was argued before the Illinois Appellate Court, Second District. The decision of the Appellate Court was filed June 19, 2015.

Read copy of Appellate Court’s decision here.