Illinois bill would eliminate all abortion restrictions in state

An Illinois bill enshrining abortion as a "right" and introducing explicit sex education was approved by the Illinois House Human Services Committee yesterday in a 5-2 vote, reports Kathleen Gilbert, LifeSiteNews.com.

HB 2354, proposed by state House Majority Leader Barbara Flynn Currie, D-Chicago, states that the government shall not "deny or interfere with an individual's right" to abortion and contraception. The bill would nullify or prevent all common-sense legal restrictions on abortion, including health and safety regulations for abortion facilities, informed consent, and parental notification laws.

Dubbed "Illinois' FOCA (Freedom of Choice Act)" by pro-life advocates, the bill calls for taxpayer funding of abortion and contraception, and hamstrings the conscience rights of medical personnel who object to abortion or contraception.

In addition, the bill revamps sex education in Illinois public schools, which until now has been abstinence-based. Under the new law, "all Illinois public schools shall offer medically accurate, age appropriate, comprehensive sexual health education." Sex-ed course material and instruction must be "free of bias" regarding sexual orientation, gender identity, and religion, among other issues.

The bill will now move to the House floor for a second reading. A third reading will take place before legislators vote on the bill.

Americans United for Life attorney Clarke Forsythe, who argued against the bill at yesterday's hearing, told LifeSiteNews.com that H.B. 2354 "follows the federal FOCA in some of its critical language and would eliminate all existing regulations on abortion in Illinois - including the physician only law, the law that limits abortion practice to physicians.

"If it's enacted, it would authorize any school nurse in any public school to do an abortion without parental knowledge," said Forsythe.

The Illinois Family Institute is calling on constituents to urge House legislators to oppose the bill.

"If this bill is signed into law, Illinois would become a bloody abortion free-for-all," stated the group on its website.

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TAGS: USA Illinois bill abortion restrictions sex education Freedom of Choice Act

[03/14/2009]

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