Pritzker Calls Special Session in Response to Roe v. Wade Ruling
Governor JB Pritzker is calling a special session of the General Assembly in response to the Supreme Court ruling on Roe vs. Wade, though it isn’t clear what lawmakers will act on as nearly all forms of abortion are and will remain legal in Illinois.
Governor JB Pritzker is calling the General Assembly back to Springfield.
In response to today’s Roe vs. Wade ruling, Pritzker will call a special session, likely in early July. From the Governor’s office:
In Illinois, we trust women. Despite the action of the Supreme Court today overturning Roe v. Wade, the right to safe, accessible reproductive health care is in full force in Illinois – and will remain so.
In Illinois, we’ve planned for this terrible day, an enormous step backward and a shattering loss of rights. We passed the Reproductive Health Act, enshrining choice as the law of the land in Illinois. We removed the trigger law that would have prohibited abortion in Illinois with the overturning of Roe v Wade. We expanded health care so that finances are not a barrier to receiving reproductive care.
In Illinois, we are a state committed to expanding access to reproductive health care including abortion care, contraception access, fertility treatment and gender affirming care. We’ve made it clear that we trust people to make the best decisions for themselves about their own reproductive health.
In Illinois, we will hold firm to these rights and continue to work with stakeholders to expand them. To that end, I am calling the General Assembly into special session in the coming weeks, with the support and consultation of House Speaker Emanuel “Chris” Welch and Senate President Don Harmon. Together, we are committed to taking swift action to further enshrine our commitment to reproductive health care rights and protections.
It isn’t clear what the General Assembly would actually do as nearly all forms of abortion will remain legal in the state. Some progressives want an advisory referendum on the ballot in November, though we don’t know if that’s in the cards.
Other reaction:
Speaker Chris Welch:
“Today is a dark day in our nation’s history. Today, this Supreme Court told half of Americans they don’t have the right to make deeply personal health decisions without government interference. Today, half of Americans are losing their basic human rights and bodily autonomy.
I’m grateful that in Illinois we’ve prepared for this day. Thanks to strong women and fierce advocates we have codified reproductive health care into law, and we will always trust women to make their own health decisions.
Today our nation is taking an enormous step backward but, regardless of what any conservative judges say, in Illinois we will never waver in our fight to ensure every person has the right to safe, accessible reproductive care.”
Senate President Don Harmon:
“Today’s ruling is a distressing departure from five decades of precedent and a devastating blow to women around the country.
This decision turns the clock back to a time when women did not have autonomy over their own bodies and died trying to access health care.
Over the past few years, we took many steps in Illinois to affirm a woman’s right to make decisions about her own body.
As long as there is a Democratic majority in the Illinois State Senate, we will continue to protect those rights.”
Senate Republican Leader Dan McConchie (R-Hawthorn Woods):
“Let me be clear, Governor Pritzker and many Illinois Democrats want to push Illinois to the utter extreme on abortion policy. Right now, Illinoisans can already get an abortion in all nine months of pregnancy for any reason and use taxpayer dollars to pay for it. But that's not enough. Now, they want us to help pay for out-of-state residents to travel to Illinois to receive abortions and even allow non-physicians here to perform them.
“This is clearly not what mainstream Illinoisans want. While the Governor is calling a special session to act on these and potentially other extreme measures, Illinoisans are trying to deal with soaring gas prices and massive grocery bills that are leaving families hopeless. Instead of dealing with these vital issues, Pritzker is embracing an extreme agenda that will make Illinois an outlier even amongst the most liberal states.”
GOP candidate for Governor Sen. Darren Bailey (R-Xenia):
"Today's Supreme Court decision is a historic and welcomed moment. Unfortunately, billionaire J.B. Pritzker is an abortion extremist — out of touch with the overwhelming majority of Illinoisans. He continues to push a radical agenda from taxpayer-funded abortion, late-term elective abortions and removing parental notification. The fact J.B. Pritzker advocated for and signed legislation to allow a 12-year-old to get an abortion without their parents knowing is egregious. As I have consistently stated for several months, as Governor, I will work to remove taxpayer-funded abortion and restore parental notification in Illinois. I will also work with the legislature, civic groups, and nonprofits to support women during and after pregnancy, to make adoption easier, and abortion unnecessary."
