New Illinois abortion laws could be trouble for churches, ministries

 By Lisa Misner - Posted at Baptist Press:

Published August 26, 2024

SPRINGFIELD, Ill. (BP) – The Illinois General Assembly continues to find new ways to further enshrine abortion into law. Within the last month, Gov. J.B. Pritzker signed one bill requiring insurance companies to provide full coverage for abortions and another making abortions a protected human rights issue. The actions came just ahead of the Democratic National Convention in Chicago where the party emphasized its commitment to “reproductive rights” and a mobile Planned Parenthood unit performed vasectomies and provided abortion services nearby.

The Birth Equity Act requires both private and Medicaid insurance in the state to cover the cost of abortion procedures without requiring any copays or deductibles. The coverage also includes medication abortions. Meanwhile, House Bill 4867 (HB 4867) amended the state’s Human Rights Act to “prohibit discrimination based on reproductive health decisions,” according to a media release from the governor’s office.

Since the U.S. Supreme Court’s decision to overturn Roe v. Wade, pro-choice Illinois lawmakers have promoted abortion access in the state which saw nearly 91,000 abortions reported in the calendar year 2023 – a 60 percent increase over 2022.

“Forcing people or organizations to violate their religious beliefs is unconstitutional and has no place in our society,” said Greg Baylor, Alliance Defending Freedom (ADF) senior counsel. “We are disappointed to see this dangerous legislation signed into law, as it plainly violates the First Amendment freedoms of pro-life employers in Illinois.”

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