(WAND) — In the wake of the U.S. Supreme Court's decision to overturn Roe v. Wade, Illinois has taken steps to protect abortion access. Thursday Governor J.B. Pritzker signed a bill into law, to crack down on certain crisis pregnancy centers.
Planned Parenthood Illinois Action said crisis pregnancy centers are targeting patients.
"People with official looking vests and clipboards, right outside of a Planned Parenthood Health Center, they try to stop patients and redirect them to the crisis pregnancy center nearby," Jennifer Welch, President of PPIA told reporters Thursday.
Attorney General Kwame Raoul said this kind of activity is now banned thanks to a bill signed by Governor Pritzker to amend the Illinois Consumer Fraud and Deceptive Practices Act.
"Its not about preventing counseling against abortion, so long as fraud deception and misleading practices are not employed in those actions or communications," Attorney General Raoul explained.
The bill sponsors said the idea is to crack down on bad actors.
"They deserve to be protected and they deserve to have reproductive health care without governmental interference," Representative Terra Costa Howard, of the 48th District, added.
Related Links
- Illinois Senate approves bill cracking down on pregnancy center deception
- Illinois House committee approves bill banning deceptive practices at crisis pregnancy centers
- Crackdown on crisis pregnancy centers passed out of statehouse
For some lawmakers, this bill was personal
"My sister Tracy, at a young age, was faced with making a very difficult decision when she found out she herself was pregnant. She entered a crisis pregnancy center in search of guidance and medical care. Instead she was manipulated by a group of people with no medical credentials," Representative Gregg Johnson, of the 72nd District, told reporters Thursday.
The Attorney General's Office has already received complaints about centers in Illinois, but said they can't comment on the status of investigations. Violators, who are found guilty by a judge, could face a $50,000 fine.
"This legislation is simply asking crisis pregnancy centers to operate in an open and honest way, the same we ask of any other health care clinic or hospital in our country," Rep. Johnson added.
The National Institute of Family and Life advocates, along with several crisis pregnancy centers, have filed a federal lawsuit in Rockford against the state. They are asking a judge to issue a restraining order and injunction to prevent the state from enforcing this law.
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