© 2024 NPR Illinois
The Capital's Community & News Service
Play Live Radio
Next Up:
0:00
0:00
0:00 0:00
Available On Air Stations

Senate Panel OKs Repeal Of Parental Notification Prior To Abortion

Democratic House Caucus
Sen. Elgie Sims is sponsor of a bill that would repeal the Parental Notification of Abortion Act.

Illinois lawmakers  forwarded a proposal that would allow minors to get an abortion, without telling their parents.

The measure would repeal the Parental Notification of Abortion Act – a law passed in 1995, but not enforced until 5 years ago.  The law allows for minors to go before a judge instead of notifying a parent.

Democratic Senator Elgie Sims of Chicago is sponsoring the proposal that would get rid of any notification requirement.

“Healthy family communication can't be legislated, and if a young woman makes the decision to have a child she doesn't have notify her parents. She only has to notify her  parents if she plans to have an abortion. There’s something fundamentally wrong with that.”

Anti-abortion advocates expressed outrage after a Senate Committee today senators approved the bill to go to the full Senate.

Dawn Fitzpatrick of the Catholic Conference of Illinois says parents should always be involved with such decisions as terminating a pregnancy.

She said she was frustrated that the committee didn’t take the time to hear more from abortion opponents.

A similar bill is under consideration in the House.

Maureen Foertsch McKinney is news editor and equity and justice beat reporter for NPR Illinois, where she has been on the staff since 2014 after Illinois Issues magazine’s merger with the station. She joined the magazine’s staff in 1998 as projects editor and became managing editor in 2003. Prior to coming to the University of Illinois Springfield, she was an education reporter and copy editor at three local newspapers, including the suburban Chicago Daily Herald, She has a bachelor’s degree in journalism from Eastern Illinois University and a master’s degree in English from UIS.