NW Illinois News

Northwest Families for Life co-founder Laura Vandercar is adamant that nothing good can come from the proposed repeal of the state’s parental notification law for abortions.

“This bill comes between that special relationship that a parent has with their child, and it actually impedes our ability to care for our children,” Vandercar told the North Cook News of the building effort to eliminate the law that requires a minor to alert her parents if she plans to have an abortion within two days of the procedure and punishes any physician who does not comply.

“It’s actually harming our ability to parent,” Vandercar said. “If my daughter becomes pregnant, obviously she is embarrassed, but there’s a conversation that should ensue when a child is in trouble. She should be coming to the parents for care and guidance. When we take away parental notification and if your daughter has an abortion, it’s not that the abortion is suddenly over. She then has to deal with the physical aftermath of an abortion, which can include symptoms of PTSD, anxiety, depression, and she also may have physical issues.”

Northwest Families for Life co-founders Maria Goldstein and Laura Vandercar | https://northwestfamiliesforlife.weebly.com

The push to repeal parental notification comes on the heels of Gov. J.B. Pritzker signing into law the Reproductive Health Act that establishes abortion as a “fundamental right” in Illinois.

“The extreme legislation has come about because our president is coming out stronger and stronger in favor of life and protecting innocent life from conception,” Vandercar added. “His language is stronger. I think we are seeing the abortion arm trying to protect their industry and their industry is blood money. They are seeing their income threatened. You can’t not deny that abortion equals big money for certain politicians.”

Currently, at least 15 states, including neighboring Iowa, have laws that require parental notice prior to a minor being able to have an abortion. Vandercar said the fight to keep Illinois on the list must go on.

“Pro-life advocates need to be aware of how each of their legislators are voting, and they need to be aware of what bills are being brought forward,” she said.