Abortion
Illinois Considers Another Terrifying Law Allowing Infanticide
Illinois is climbing on the infanticide bandwagon with a bill that removes any limits on abortion. It is sponsored by one-third of the state House. This bill is terrifying in its scope.
Elizabeth Bauer
By Elizabeth Bauer
March 1, 2019
On January 22, New York Gov. Andrew Cuomo signed into law a measure permitting abortion up to the gestational age of 24 weeks for any reason, and after that point, if “necessary to protect the patient’s life or health,†that is, broadening its prior “life of the mother†law to one based on the broad Doe v. Bolton definition as overall well-being.
On February 21, the Vermont House passed a measure that “would legalize abortion at any stage of pregnancy and for any reason,†as described by Alexandra DeSanctis at National Review. The House sent it to the state’s Senate.
Then Illinois climbed on the bandwagon with a bill that removes any limits on abortion, HB 2495, the Reproductive Health Act. As of February 28, it had 42 sponsors, out of a total of 118 members of the Illinois House of Representatives, 73 of whom are Democrats. On Tuesday, it was assigned to a committee. This bill is terrifying in its scope.
To begin with, it wholly repeals IL 720, the Illinois Abortion Law of 1975. This law has been amended multiple times, including in 2017 (HB 40), but some minimal protections remained, so that current Illinois law permits post-viability abortions but requires that an attending or referring physician determine that it was “necessary to preserve the life or health of the mother,†in which case the doctor was required to document the particular medical indications for the abortion. It also requires that, if the baby would be capable of survival, the doctor use the abortion method “most likely to preserve the life and health of the fetus†and a second physician be available to provide medical care for any child born alive. These provisions would be entirely removed.
The bill also would repeal the Partial-birth Abortion Ban Act and the Abortion Performance Refusal Act, which, as its name suggest, protects the conscience rights of those who refuse to perform abortions. Instead, it categorically states that “Every individual who becomes pregnant has a fundamental right to continue the pregnancy and give birth or to have an abortion, and to make autonomous decisions about how to exercise that right.†It also states “A fertilized egg, embryo, or fetus does not have independent rights under the laws of this State.â€
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http://thefederalist.com/2019/03/01/illinois-considers-another-terrifying-law-allowing-infanticide/
