Pritzker signs laws to ensure Illinois remains an abortion ‘oasis’

CHICAGO, Ill. (WTVO) — On Wednesday, Illinois Gov. JB Pritzker signed multiple laws to ensure women traveling to Illinois seeking to have an abortion can do so without repercussions from their home states, where the practice is illegal.

Pritzker, who also funds abortion-advocacy non-profit Think Big America , has made it a priority to keep Illinois an “ oasis ” for women throughout the Midwest seeking to terminate their pregnancies.

“It is no longer enough to legislate for the current moment. We sadly have to anticipate a future when the Supreme Court and other bad actors further restrict and punish women seeking to exercise their medical rights and control over their bodies. ​ These new laws will ensure that women in Illinois and those traveling from out of state can avoid persecution and discrimination on every level,” said Pritzker. “These laws work together alongside the legislation my administration has already put in place to ensure providers and patients alike can make the best decisions for themselves, their bodies, and their families without fear of retribution or legal liability from hostile states.”

“Regardless of what happens at the federal level, or any decisions made by an extremist Supreme Court, in Illinois we believe that equitable access to safe reproductive health care is a fundamental right,” said House Speaker Emanuel “Chris” Welch.

Pritzker signed HB581, which ensures that pregnant women can access needed emergency medical care, and HB5239, which expands Illinois’ abortion shield laws, ensuring that Illinois abortionists can continue to practice even if federal standards change.

The governor also signed HB4867, which adds “reproductive health decisions” to the Illinois Human Rights Act. “Reproductive healthcare decisions” include abortion, birth control, fertility or sterilization care, and more.

“Since the Supreme Court overturned Roe v. Wade, states around the country have enacted draconian measures to restrict patients’ access to critical reproductive health care – at the expense of patients’ health and lives,” Attorney General Kwame Raoul said. “My office is proud to continue to partner with Gov. Pritzker’s administration to draft legislation and identify new avenues to ensure Illinois is a safe haven for patients to access comprehensive abortion and gender-affirming care. I am committed to using the authority of my office to continue to defend against legal challenges to our laws that preserve Illinois as an oasis of reproductive health care.”

Gender-affirming care includes the administration of “puberty blockers” or sterilization procedures for individuals who identify as a sex other than the one they were assigned at birth.

The Supreme Court overturned Roe v. Wade in June 2022, turning the subject of abortion access over to individual states.

Under Pritzker, Illinois has some of the strongest abortion protection laws in the nation. It is bordered by states that have banned abortions like Wisconsin, Kentucky, and Missouri, making the state an ideal location for relocated abortion clinics.

Under Illinois law, state and local jurisdictions cannot provide any information or expend any resources to help an out-of-state entity investigate legal healthcare, including abortions or gender-affirming care, provided in Illinois.

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