Kendall County Times

State Sen. Sue Rezin (R-Morris) is warning her constituents that Democratic lawmakers are working to repeal the Parental Notification of Abortion Act (PNA).

“Parents could soon be left in the dark about their child's abortion,” Rezin recently posted on Twitter. “There is strong indication that some Illinois lawmakers plan to advance legislation repealing the Parental Notification of Abortion Act during the upcoming Veto Session.”

Illinois Democrats have been pushing repeal legislation since 2019 when Sen. Elgie Sims Jr. (D-Chicago) sponsored a bill that passed out of a Senate committee.

“This bill is not an anti-family bill, it is a pro-family bill,” Sims told The State Journal-Register. “We cannot have and force inauthentic conversations between families. The state of Illinois has no place.”

Sims’ bill seeks to do away with state law that requires a minor to inform her parent or guardian of her intention to get an abortion. The law took effect only about five years ago after having been tied up in the courts.

In advocating for repeal of the law, Illinois Caucus for Adolescent Health youth organizer Hannah Baity told lawmakers the state “cannot legislate healthy parent-child communications.”

State Sen. Jason Plummer argues that the parental notification law serves a purpose.

“We’re talking about the termination of a life, right?” he said. “And so, for there to be maybe a hurdle or two there, I don’t think as a society is necessarily the worst thing because ... we’re talking about the termination of a heartbeat, and that’s a significant concern of mine.”

Senate Bill 1594 is the first of several measures proposed by Democrats across Springfield to receive a hearing in front of lawmakers. Its twin version is House Bill 2467.

Republican lawmakers aren’t the only ones opposing a possible repeal, with The Catholic Conference of Illinois calling the vote “tragic” while pointing to state Department of Public Health data that shows the number of abortion procedures on minors has dipped since the PNA went into effect.

The Conference represents the six Catholic bishops in the state, with the group releasing a statement asserting “current law makes it illegal for minors in Illinois to use an indoor tanning bed; buy cigarettes, alcohol or lottery tickets; or vote in an election. Are we to believe abortion is somehow less consequential than getting a tan?”