SPRINGFIELD, Ill. (WCIA) — Starting in 2024, minors in Illinois will not have to bring their parents into the conversation if they want to have an abortion.
Democratic Governor J.B. Pritzker on Friday signed a bill into law, repealing the Parental Notification Act of 1995. That measure required doctors to notify a pregnant minor’s parent within 48 hours before an abortion. Pritzker and other supporters of the change said it protects children who are victims of rape, incest, and domestic abuse.
The move comes as legislatures and courts nationwide are considering or passing anti-abortion measures. Pritzker’s administration said that is driving people to Illinois to have an abortion. The Governor cited data from the Illinois Department of Public Health that said in 2019, 7,534 non-residents got an abortion in Illinois. In 2017, the number was 5,528.
Civil liberties groups praised the Governor’s action Friday, while Republicans again stated their opposition. State Representative Avery Bourne of Morrisonville said parents deserve to know if their daughter is seeking a “major medical procedure.”
