Chicagoland

Ill. Freedom of Choice Act returns

By Robert Gilligan | Illinois Catholic Conference
Sunday, February 28, 2010

For the second consecutive year, Planned Parenthood and the American Civil Liberties Union are advocating for legislation in Springfield that, among other things, seeks to nullify existing regulations of abortion, publicly fund abortions and threaten healthcare worker’s right of conscience. The legislation is House Bill 6205.

Their efforts may seem familiar. Last year, similar legislation was proposed. House Bill 2354 — which became known as “Illinois’ Freedom of Choice Act (FOCA)” — sought many of the same outcomes, but was shelved after an unprecedented grassroots mobilization, led by Illinois’ bishops, opposed the measure. Some thought that after such widespread public opposition, the bill would be regarded as too toxic to be attempted again. Unfortunately, that has not proven to be the case.

House Bill 6205, which has been labeled Illinois FOCA 2.0, includes many terrible provisions. In addition to the nullification of current abortion regulations (most notably parental notice), the use of public funds for abortions and the threat to health care right of conscience, the legislation also hopes to:

■ expand taxpayer funding for “reproductive health services” — such as in-vitro fertilization — for all Medicaid recipients and people on state-sponsored health insurance plans;

■ rescind local control of sex-education programs from school boards and mandate contraceptive sex education in all secondary and elementary schools; and

■ establish a broad liability shield for health care workers performing abortions.

The proposed law seeks these ends by stating the state, county, municipality or any other political subdivision cannot “interfere with or deny” a woman’s right to terminate a pregnancy.

If this bill is passed, important laws such as health care right of conscience and parental notification will be instantly labeled as “interference,” be legally undermined and made subject to judicial intervention. In this way, the legislation could make it impossible for Catholic hospitals to continue to be places where life is always respected and no one is deliberately killed.

As Cardinal George noted in his letter to parishes last year: “In our country, we recognize conscientious objection to war, even though defending one’s country is a noble and moral act. We recognize the conscientious objection of those doctors who will not cooperate in administering the death penalty, even for terrible crimes. Why do some Illinois legislators want to take away conscientious objection to abortion?”

House Bill 6205 wants us all to accept abortion as a fundamental human right, beyond regulation, and financed with public money. We do not believe abortion is health care. No one should be coerced into participating in abortion due to their chosen profession or through their tax dollars.

Accordingly, we again ask you to contact your elected representatives and urge them to oppose House Bill 6205. To find out the identity and contact information of your state representative, go to “Legislator Lookup” at www.ilga.gov or call the Catholic Conference of Illinois at (312) 368-1066.

Catholics and all people of good will should work to ensure the defeat of this bill. We are certain that there will be amendments so please track developments at www. catholicconferenceofillinois.org or follow the legislation with the help of the archdiocesan Respect Life Office at (312) 534-5355.

Gilligan is the executive director of the Illinois Catholic Conference.

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