Will County Gazette

Veteran state Sen. Sue Rezin (R-Morris) views her position against the repeal of the Parental Notice of Abortion Act (PNA) as taking a stand for parents everywhere.

“There's been strong indication that some Illinois legislators plan to use the veto session to advance legislation that would repeal the parental notice of abortion act,” Rezin said at a press conference on the issue earlier this month. “Today I'm joined by my colleagues, and not just any colleagues. Those of us standing here today are mothers and fathers, mothers of daughters, and once-young girls ourselves. We're standing up for the rights of parents all across the state of Illinois so that we can provide the support that our daughters need.”

The GOP Senate Deputy leader argues she finds it illogical that Democrats would be pushing legislation that would strip parents of their right to be notified at least 48-hours in advance of their minor daughter undergoing an abortion.

“To be clear the act doesn't require consent, just notification,” she said. “So, what we're talking about is repealing the law that requires parents to be notified when their young 13- or 14-year-old daughter decides to have a medical procedure. This issue goes beyond the typical pro-life vs. pro-choice debate. We're way past just discussing our views on abortion. We are literally now discussing if a parent has a right to know about their child's pregnancy and abortion.”

Despite Democrats’ arguments, Rezin said it all equates to an assault on the rights of parents that is totally unwarranted.

“They know that what is happening in Texas has no effect on what's happening in our state,” Rezin said of a recently enacted law in the Lone Star State that prohibits most abortions.

While the Texas law bans most abortion procedures at the point cardiac activity is detected, which typically comes as early as about six weeks, the U.S. Supreme Court is also poised to hear arguments on the merits of a Mississippi law that bans most abortions after 15 weeks.

Rezin argues none of that serves as an indicator of what’s happening here in Illinois.

“The reality is that Illinois has the most progressive abortion laws on record in the nation,” she said. “Now whether you agree with that or not that's not changing because of what happens in a different state or federally. If Roe v Wade would be overturned tomorrow abortion would still be legal in our state. Everyone who chooses to have an abortion would still be able to access it because of legislation that was passed just a few years ago. This is an issue about parental rights, whether we believe it is OK to keep parents in the dark about serious health care decisions made by a minor. As mothers, we strongly believe it's a parent's right to be made aware of their daughter's health.”