SPRINGFIELD, Ill. (WAND) — States across the country have banned or restricted access to abortion follow the Supreme Court's decision to overturn Roe v. Wade last year. Illinois Democratic leaders are now celebrating a bill they passed to ensure police can't use data from license plate scanners to track people traveling into Illinois for reproductive healthcare.

"We created an island on which every human being is recognized and given the dignity of controlling their own body and their own destiny," Rep. Ann Williams (D-Chicago) said Thursday. "That includes people who are traveling into the state of Illinois to seek legal healthcare services."

Sponsors said some Republican-led states have used automatic license plate readers as a tool to "hunt down" people seeking abortion and other reproductive healthcare. Their bill would prohibit the sharing of data or allowing law enforcement to use this information to criminalize anyone coming into or out of Illinois for healthcare services.

"We will continue to protect women and people not only with essential abortion care and reproductive care, but also gender affirming care," said Sen. Sara Feigenholtz (D-Chicago). 

The legislation also bans the use of data from license plate readers to detain people based on their immigration status. 

Secretary of State Alexi Giannoulias explained police will still be allowed to use these cameras to look for suspects in violent crimes, carjackings, and auto theft. Although, law enforcement will be required to sign an agreement noting that they will only use the license plate readers for those reasons.

"Universities have on-campus license plate readers. Municipalities have license plate readers," Giannoulias said. "Sheriff departments have license plate readers. So because it is such a hodgepodge, part of this will be a work in progress."

The Democrat said no one deserves government intervention when they abide by laws and freedoms guaranteed in Illinois. Giannoulias stressed that the automatic license plate readers need to be regulated to ensure people aren't criminalized for lawful behavior.

"We are not initiating laws simply for ideological purposes," Giannoulias said. "The health and safety of individuals seeking critical reproductive healthcare is real and it's directly at stake."

Alexi Giannoulias

Illinois Secretary of State Alexi Giannoulias spoke alongside Illinois Democratic lawmakers and leaders from Planned Parenthood Illinois during a press conference on June 8, 2023.

House Bill 3326 passed out of the House on a partisan 72-39 vote on May 10. The legislation later passed out of the Senate on a partisan 39-15 vote on May 19. Gov. JB Pritzker is expected to sign the bill into law once it reaches his desk. 

Illinois Right to Life did not respond to multiple requests for comment on this bill.

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