NW Illinois News

St. Anne Catholic School is warning Illinoisans against a bill that would open up abortion access by allowing unlicensed out-of-state doctors and other medical professionals to provide abortions. 

The bill also allows for gender reassignment treatment for children without parental consent. 

“There is an urgent need for prayer and for contacting our state legislator in opposition to HB 4664 Senate Amendment #3. We need to protect ALL our children. To voice your opposition to this anti-life bill, please contact: State Senator Brian W. Stewart (R) 815.284.0045,” St. Anne Catholic School, located in Dixon, said on Facebook. “The above legislation: Allows Advanced Practice Registered Nurses and Physician Assistants to perform aspiration abortions not requiring general anesthesia; Provides there is no cause of action against a health care professional, medical institution, or pregnant person for the wrongful death of a person caused by an abortion where abortion is permitted by law and consent was given; Birth centers, which have been places where mothers can give birth, would now be able also to provide abortions under this bill.” 

The school also noted that "For insurance plans not otherwise exempt from state insurance law mandates, it requires abortifacients and hormonal therapy medication to be covered at no cost.” The bill would also make it difficult to obtain information about abortion required by subpoenas and orders for testimony issued in other states. 

“The Catholic Church in Illinois, through its Project Rachel, Elizabeth Ministries and Walking with Moms in Need program as well as through Catholic Charities and Catholic hospitals, provides care to help pregnant women in need," the school added. "Because of this, we know the stories of the women who come to us for assistance. While it is unfortunately true that not every unplanned pregnancy is welcomed with joy, there are better policies for women and their unborn child than what is being put forth with this legislation. The legislation being considered here does nothing to address the real problems pregnant women in need face.” 

State Rep. Dan Caulkins (R-Decatur) said he stands against the bill. “Under this bill, minors could receive a surgical abortion from a non-doctor, paid for by the taxpayer, in a clinic that is not held to the same standards as other medical facilities, and their parents never have to know,” Caulkins said in a statement. He added the bill strips parents of their right to lead their children’s healthcare decisions. “The bill sets standards for gender-affirming care that will mean doctors can provide hormonal therapy or surgical gender reassignment surgery without requiring parental involvement and with no age limit,” Caulkins added. “This bill will require Illinois insurance plans to cover gender-affirming medication to be covered without copay or deductible to any person without age restrictions and no requirement for parental notification.”

Abortion clinics in Illinois have expanded their capacity in preparation for an increase in demand for abortions. Along the state's border with states controlled by Republicans, Planned Parenthood has opened a number of additional abortion clinics. Abortion advocates anticipate a five-fold increase in the number of abortions, Prairie State Wire reported.

The bill also allows for “sanctuary” status for minors seeking gender reassignment. “Illinois too is plagued with Democrats who are as hell-bent on destroying the bodies, minds, and hearts of children as they are in destroying the nuclear family, publicly subsidized schools, and urban communities,” The Illinois Family Institute wrote. “While Kelly Cassidy has a long history of using the government to normalize disordered eroticism, somehow another homosexual lawmaker got the jump on her with regard to a 'trans'-sanctuary bill for Illinois. That lawmaker is State Senator Michael Simmons (D-Chicago) who was appointed to the office in February 2021 when another disastrous leftist lawmaker—Heather Steans—retired.” The institute underscored that “On November 29,2022 Simmons—who has no children—introduced SB 4245, the ‘Gender-Affirming Health Care Protection Act,’ which prohibits the ‘State,’ ‘law enforcement,’ and the ‘Governor’ from complying with statutes and subpoenas issued by other states regarding experimental and ghoulish medical ‘interventions’ with which leftists like to maim minors’ bodies.”

Gov. J.B. Pritzker is directly involved with funding gender reassignment at Lurie Hospital in Chicago. The Pritzker Foundation gave Lurie’s Children’s Hospital $6.45 million in January last year and the hospital lauded the 'new gift from members of the Pritzker Family.' That was on top of a previous $15 million in 2019.