Illinois Capitol
Illinois Capitol
A group of Republican state legislators is seeking to repeal Illinois' recently signed Reproductive Health Act (RHA).
The state law, signed in June by Gov. J.B. Pritzker, enshrines a fundamental right to make decisions regarding personal reproductive health while also requiring private insurance companies to cover abortion-related services. Critics of the bill say the legislation, meant to preserve the state's existing abortion laws, actually makes significant changes to those laws.
Some of those critics have responded by introducing their own bill, known as the Heartbeat Bill, that would undo many of the provisions of the Reproductive Health Act. Illinois state Rep. Allen Skillicorn (R-East Dundee) is pushing the new bill and is joined by Reps. Brad Halbrook (R-Shelbyville), Amy Grant (R-Wheaton) and Chris Miller (R-Oakland).
Illinois state Rep. Allen Skillicorn (R-East Dundee)
Rep. Mark Batinick has not made a decision yet on whether he will support the Heartbeat Bill, but he does believe changes are necessary.
"I haven't reviewed their legislation, but I voted No on the original bill," Batinick said in a statement. "If the citizens of Illinois really understood what was in that poorly named legislation (RHA), they would be repulsed."
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