Will County Gazette

Gov. J.B. Pritzker has joined forces with governors from at least 19 other states to form the Reproductive Freedom Alliance (RFA), a nonpartisan group of state governors focused on working to identify best practices for legislative and executive action to protect reproductive rights.

"As Illinois remains a beacon for reproductive healthcare in a region increasingly plagued by inhumane restrictions, I'm proud to join my fellow governors to help fulfill the promise I made when Roe v. Wade was overturned: we will not go backward," Pritzker said in a Feb. 21 press release. "That's why I've committed to expanding funding for reproductive healthcare in my proposed FY24 budget and why I recently signed legislation protecting the rights of providers across Illinois, and why I'll continue to work with partners in Illinois and across the country to protect these important rights."

According to the press release, the Reproductive Freedom Alliance will work in partnership with the Raben Group to facilitate conversations and share information on successes and risks in the fight for reproductive justice.

So far, 20 states representing more than 167 million Americans have signed on to the alliance. Members of the RFA will share strategies on advancing legislative and executive action to protect reproductive rights, as 11 states now have full bans on abortion in place, and many more have restrictions to access that can prevent patients receiving care.

Pritzker signed the Reproductive Health Act in 2019 that repeals anti-abortion legislation and expands insurance coverage for reproductive health services.