Will County Gazette

Senate Bill 1909 was designed to prevent pregnancy crisis centers in the state from using deceptive practices to entice pregnant individuals to avoid going to abortion clinics and to go to the crisis center instead. On Aug. 4, Rep. Jed Davis spoke out about the stay issued by a federal judge, which will bar the law from taking effect.

"In a win for free speech, a Federal Judge has blocked a new state law aimed at censoring crisis pregnancy centers. "

Davis, 43, is board president at Parkview Christian Academy in Yorkville. He's regional manager with National Oilwell Varco and has been a Newark village trustee since 2013. He graduated from Valparaiso University in 2000.

A WTTW report described the oral ruling issued on Aug. 3 and the 14 page order filed on Aug. 4, against the bill, by Judge Iain Johnston. The news outlet wrote: “After a lengthy hearing in his Rockford courtroom, Judge Iain Johnston issued a brief oral ruling on Thursday evening, saying the law violated the First Amendment. Nearly 24 hours later, Johnston on Friday filed a 14-page order explaining the preliminary injunction, which began by recalling a joke told by the late conservative U.S. Supreme Court Justice Antonin Scalia. “Justice Scalia once said that he wished all federal judges were given a stamp that read ‘stupid but constitutional,’” Johnston wrote. “SB 1909 is both stupid and very likely unconstitutional.” Johnston, who was appointed by former president Donald Trump in 2020, went on to characterize the law as “likely classic content and viewpoint discrimination prohibited by the First Amendment.”

On Aug. 3, Fox News reported that U.S. District Judge Iain Johnston ruled in favor of anti-abortion groups that challenged Senate Bill 1909, which was passed by the House and Senate on June 9. According to Fox News, Johnston said the law was “painfully and blatantly a violation of the First Amendment.” Advocates for pregnancy centers testified for several hours that the law infringed on their free speech.

In April, 2023, Davis spoke to 93.5 Jack FM about the Senate bill. 

“The Democrat side of the aisle is screaming it from the rooftops – that we are protecting the state of Illinois, protecting the right for women to choose, so I mean, women know they have that right in Illinois. It’s not like this is a secret," he said. "To label those centers, to say that they’re not telling you you have that right, that’s like talking out of both sides of your mouth when that’s a loud and clear message in every election I’ve been involved in.”

Davis was endorsed by Illinois Family Action in the 2022 primary race. The organization, which calls itself the state's "only full-time Christian pro-life/pro-family organization," wrote about Davis: “As a husband, father, and school board president of Parkview Christian Academy in Yorkville, Jed Davis resoundingly gets our endorsement. Jed is been focused on putting Kendall County and America first and helping rebuild the 75th District by reducing taxes, supporting families and parental rights, eliminating CRT, and championing local police. Jed is a man of integrity, has a strong Christian faith, and unwavering principles. We need statesmen like him in Springfield because we know that he will boldly speak for our values, defended religious liberty, honor our veterans and first responders, called out harmful transgender policies, and destructive K-12 sex education mandates.”