DuPage County Female Democrats Praise Reproductive Health Bill

DUPAGE COUNTY, IL — As the Illinois Senate prepares to vote on the controversial Reproductive Health Act (Senate Bill 25), the majority of female Democrats on the DuPage County Board have expressed their support. District 2 Board Member Liz Chaplain shared the statement, signed by Ashley Selmon (District 1), Julie Renehan (District 3), Mary Ozog (District 4), Dawn Desart (District 5), and Sheila Rutledge (District 6). The statement says "As women, mothers, sisters, aunts, daughters, and elected officials in DuPage County, we embrace and fully support passage of SB 25."

The statement begins by calling attention to the current laws restricting reproductive health throughout the country. It reads, "All over the country we are witnessing legislative bodies infringing upon health decisions made between doctors and patients with restrictive laws regarding reproductive rights with no regard as to whether a procedure is medically necessary or the patient’s choice."

The Illinois Reproductive Health Act was passed in the state House of Representatives by a vote of 64-50. Senate Bill 25 seeks to repeal the Partial Birth Abortion Ban Act and the 1975 Illinois Abortion Law, which is not currently in effect due to court injunctions.

The 1975 Illinois Abortion Law includes such measures as requiring spousal consent, imposing a waiting period on abortions, and imposing criminal penalties on doctors who perform abortions.

The statement issued by DuPage County female Democrats addresses these potential consequences and the emotional difficulty behind making the decision to have an abortion:

"SB 25 Illinois Reproductive Health Act provides for the fundamental right of a woman to make her own decisions about her form of health care, which includes whether or not to use birth control, and values the woman’s ability to make seminal life decisions regarding having a child. It is a difficult decision, and not one that should carry criminal consequences; and this bill speaks to that."

The DuPage County board members who signed the statement also posted on social media to show their support of SB 25.

Illinois Governor J.B. Pritzker (D) issued a statement Tuesday showing his support for Senate Bill 25. Pritzker said, "Today was a major step forward for every woman in this state and I look forward continuing my work as an ally by signing the Reproductive Healthcare Act into law."

The bill now goes to a vote in the Illinois Senate, with the close of the General Assembly's spring session looming on Friday.

Read more:

Illinois House Passes Abortion Rights Bill