Last updated on February 21st, 2024 at 09:19 am
Parents and guardians in Illinois could face child abuse charges if they fail to facilitate abortions for their children or others under their care, according to newly introduced legislation. The proposed bill, HB4876, introduced by Democratic Rep. Anne Stava-Murray, intends to revise the “Abused and Neglected Child Reporting Act” to label those denied “primary care services, abortion services, or gender-affirming services” as abused children.
The legislation has been met with criticism from pro-life advocates who see it as part of a wider strategy by Illinois Democrats to remove protections for preborn babies, minor children seeking abortions, and women. The bill has also drawn concern because it provides protection from civil or criminal liability for medical professionals performing abortions or gender surgeries without parental consent.
This intensification of pro-abortion policy follows the state’s legalization of abortion through all nine months of pregnancy, the repeal of the requirement for parental notification, and direct funding for abortions using taxpayer dollars. Critics of the bill have argued that it constitutes persecution of pro-life individuals and misappropriates child abuse laws by penalizing parents who try to protect their children from undergoing abortions.
The bill stands among a number of recent legislative efforts by Democrat officials to penalize opposition to pro-life and anti-transgender perspectives. These measures include attempts to investigate parents for child abuse if they do not support their minors in gender transition processes, and punishing pro-life views by obligating pregnancy centers to promote abortions.