Parental Notice of Abortion Act repeal passes committee amid faith leader, GOP opposition

Parental Notice of Abortion Act repeal passes committee amid faith leader, GOP opposition

By JERRY NOWICKI
Capitol News Illinois
jnowicki@capitolnewsillinois.com

SPRINGFIELD – The Illinois Senate Executive Committee advanced a measure to repeal the state’s Parental Notice of Abortion Act early Tuesday evening amid staunch opposition from Republicans and religious groups.

The repeal bill advanced to the full Senate, which could vote on it as early as Tuesday night. Its future in the House was less certain as of Tuesday night.

The current law, the Parental Notice of Abortion Act of 1995, was passed decades ago but ultimately took effect only in 2013 after court challenges. It does not require parental consent, only that a doctor’s office notify a parent of the child’s planned abortion 48 hours prior to the procedure.

Discussion on the repeal bill, an amendment to House Bill 370, centered on whether a parent has the right to be informed by a medical professional if their child was scheduled for an abortion or whether the requirement needlessly puts at-risk youths in danger.

“This issue goes beyond the typical pro-life-versus-pro-choice debate,” Republican Sen. Sue Rezin, of Morris, said in a news conference opposing repeal last week. “We’re way past just discussing our views on abortion. We are literally now discussing if a parent has a right to know about their child’s pregnancy and abortion.”

Rezin and other GOP members of the committee questioned why a minor must have parental consent to get their ears pierced or to receive a vaccine, but would no longer be subject to parental notification of abortion under the repeal.

Emily Werth, a staff attorney at ACLU of Illinois, responded that in Illinois, a minor who is pregnant no longer has to receive parental consent for any medical care. The pregnant minor could undergo a caesarian section, receive a vaccine or get any other medical care without parental notice or consent.

“And that is because the General Assembly has made the policy decision that when a young person is pregnant, it is in their best interests and all of our best interest that they have access to whatever medical care they need, without delay, without being put in harm’s way,” Werth said. “Abortion is one kind of medical care that they may need when they are pregnant. And it should be treated the same as any other kind of medical care.”

There was also disagreement over whether the bill would help protect human trafficking victims or put them in greater danger.

Representatives of the ACLU and human trafficking victim advocates have argued that there has been no proven link that parental notification serves as a deterrent for sexual traffickers or abusers.

Rezin cited a story by human trafficking survivor Brook Bello, who previously testified that if her mother would have been notified when she was forced as a youth by her traffickers to get abortions decades ago, it may have helped free her from the situation.

“How would repealing this law not help human traffickers?” Rezin asked.

Sen. Elgie Sims, D-Chicago, the bill’s sponsor, responded that the bill would direct a newly-created working group to look for policy solutions for human trafficking and resources to fund them.  The General Assembly also recently created a human trafficking task force, Sims said.

Advocates for repeal also argued in the committee that, in some cases, the parent or guardian is the person that is abusing or trafficking the child, and notifying them would create a dangerous situation.

The GOP pointed at exceptions in the existing law that they said are designed to protect victims.

The current law contains exceptions if the minor was a victim of physical or sexual abuse or neglect by an adult family member, if the minor is married or emancipated, or if the provider determines there is a medical emergency, or if an adult family member waives the notice in writing. A judge can also waive the requirement and has done so approximately 575 times since the law took effect, Werth said.

Werth, who works with the ACLU of Illinois to assist minors in the judicial bypass process, said while bypass works for 99.8 percent of the individuals who initiate it, the number does not account for those who are unable to access it.

“The system is complicated and creates significant logistical and emotional burdens for young people,” she said. “This number only reflects the young people who actually manage to get to court. There have been many who simply could not find a way to miss school to attend court during business hours without their parents being alerted.”

Since the COVID-19 pandemic, court hearings have taken place online, making it even more difficult in some circumstances, she said. The court process also makes victims relive their pain, she said.

Ultimately, the bill passed the committee on a partisan 9-6-1 vote, heading to the Senate floor for a potential vote Tuesday evening before it faced an uncertain future in the House.

Faith leaders, including Bishop Thomas Paprocki of the Catholic Diocese in Springfield, earlier in the day argued the parental notice law serves as a deterrent to abortion. At a Capitol news conference, he characterized abortion as murder and said the parental notice act was about parental rights and protecting the mental health of the child.

“These laws exist because they protect children from making serious life-changing decisions that they are not yet equipped to make,” he said. “These laws exist to protect the rights of parents to fulfill the duty that God has entrusted to them, and that no government can take away.”

But advocates argued pregnant youths notify their parents willingly in the vast majority of situations.

“And that’s not going to change,” Werth said. “If we repeal the parental notice of abortion act in Illinois, a majority of young people will still choose to involve their parents, one or both parents, in this decision because that is their chosen and trusted support system.”

Sims also noted the bill would create the Youth Health and Safety Advisory Working Group to “identify existing and needed resources for pregnant and parenting youth, and youth seeking reproductive health care.”

The unpaid working group would include four members appointed by each the speaker of the House, Senate president and governor, at least half of which are youth. Minority leaders would each appoint two members, half of them youth. Each legislative leader would also appoint a member from their chamber.

The working group would report to the General Assembly and governor by July 1, 2023. 

 

Capitol News Illinois is a nonprofit, nonpartisan news service covering state government and distributed to more than 400 newspapers statewide. It is funded primarily by the Illinois Press Foundation and the Robert R. McCormick Foundation.

Leave a Comment





Local News

Sorry, we couldn't find any posts. Please try a different search.

Neighbors

BVball Stagg kill 10 alt

Boys Volleyball | Stagg ends Marist Invite with win over Riverside-Brookfield

Spread the love

Spread the loveBy Jason Maholy Sports Editor Stagg outlasted Riverside-Brookfield in a marathon first set, winning 36-34, then followed that with a 25-20 clincher on March 23 to finish seventh in the Silver divison at the 20th Marist RedHawks Invitational. The Chargers went 2-3 in the tournament. They opened pool play on March 22 at…

Shepard senior Jake Klein goes up for the kill against two Lincoln-Way East players during a match on March 22. Photo by Jason Maholy

Boys Volleyball | Shepard finishes 4th in Bronze at Marist Invite

Spread the love

Spread the loveShepard served as one of three host sites for the 20th Marist RedHawks Invitational, and kicked off play in Palos Heights by facing Lincoln-Way East on March 22. The Griffins defeated the Astros, 25-10, 25-15. Marian Catholic beat Shepard, 25-23, 25-9, in the Astros’ second match of the day. The Astros fell to…

The Obbie’s Pizza sign will remain a familiar sight on Archer Avenue. Taking time out for a photo are new owner John Caputi; his son, Giovanni; and Obbie’s longtime managers, Jim Triak and Jeff Twaragowski. --Photo by Cosmo Hadac

Obbie’s Pizza to stay ‘unique and delicious’

Spread the love

Spread the love. New owner vows to serve same popular menu .  By Tim Hadac Archer Avenue’s long-time king of pizzerias will continue to rule. Same recipes at Obbie’s Pizza, 6654 W. Archer. Same pizza and ingredients. Same pasta, broasted chicken, shrimp, perch, Italian beef/sausage/meatball sandwiches, sides and pop. Same seasoned, Middleby Marshall pizza oven…

countryside logo

Countryside City Council tackles long list of items

Spread the love

Spread the loveBy Steve Metsch Water leaks, a new truck and abandoned vehicles were among a laundry list of items tackled by the Countryside City Council at its latest meeting. They were all from the infrastructure committee chaired by Ald. Mark Benson (3rd). All of the following were approved by a unanimous 6-0 vote on…

Mahdi Ali (from left), Team AlBary, Ghina Albary, Abla Daoud, Minna Sulieman, Iman Ezzhory, Medinah Yusef,  and Argo Teacher Nadia Elkhatib. (Supplied photos)

Argo High School holds Iftar Dinner for community

Spread the love

Spread the loveBy Carol McGowan More than 100 people gathered at Argo Community High School last week for a now annual Ramadan Iftar dinner organized by Argo teacher Nadia Elkhatib. Elkhatib was happy with the turnout for those coming Thursday night to break bread with the school’s Muslim students and their families. “I will continue…

regional palos heights logo

Pool improvements advance in Palos Heights

Spread the love

Spread the loveBy Nuha Abdessalam Palos Heights aldermen last week approved contracts advancing improvements at the municipal pool. Alderman Jefry Key motioned for approval of a letter of agreement with the American Institute of Architects between Williams Architect and the City of Palos Heights for the pool improvement project. Since first proposing pool improvements in…

Palos Hills young people sang their hearts out for karaoke night at a neighborhood coffee house. (Photo by Nuha Abdessalam)

Teens enjoy Green Hills karaoke party

Spread the love

Spread the loveBy Nuha Abdessalam Palos Hills tweens and teens sang their hearts out for karaoke night at a neighborhood coffee house. Green Hills Library invited all tweens and teens for a karaoke night at Strange Brew Cafe on West 103rd Street and 87th Street on Feb. 22. Organized by Green Hill Library Youth Program…

Luis Garcia, of Oak Forest and the owner and chef of Cervantinos Authentic Mexican Restaurant #2, 12778 S. Harlem Ave., Palos Heights. (Photos by Kelly White)

Cervantinos Authentic Mexican Restaurant opens in Palos Heights

Spread the love

Spread the loveBy Kelly White When choosing a location for his second business location, Luis Garcia knew he wanted it to be Palos Heights. “I absolutely love it here,” Luis Garcia, of Oak Forest and the owner and chef of Cervantinos Authentic Mexican Restaurant #2, said. “It’s a great area, nice clientele and I’m happy…

The corner of Crandall and Depot in Worth will be the future site of the Garden Center Services apartment complex. (Photo by Joe Boyle)

Worth Polar Plunge raises record amount

Spread the love

Spread the loveBy Joe Boyle The FOP Worth Polar Plunge has been deemed a major success and local officials said the amount raised has set a new record. The annual event, sponsored by the Worth Police Department, took place in a large swimming pool that was put up in the parking lot of the Marrs-Meyer…

Kris Sumner, Youth Programming Librarian at Green Hills Public Library, is responsible for organizing the Eid Clothing Bazaar at the library, 10331 Interlochen Dr., Palos Hills. (Supplied photos)

Green Hills Public Library hosts Eid Clothing Drive

Spread the love

Spread the loveBy Kelly White The Islamic calendar has two major holidays each year: Eid al-Fitr, which marks the end of Ramadan and celebrates an entire month of fasting, and Eid al-Adha, the festival of the sacrifice that occurs during the culmination of the Hajj pilgrimage season. It takes place two lunar months after Ramadan.…