Parental Notice of Abortion Law

Parental Notice of Abortion Law

12 Oct 2021 | Posted by: chadmin

The following letter was received from the Catholic Conference of Illinois. 

It’s back.

For the past three years, we have fought legislation repealing the state’s Parental Notice of Abortion law.  This past spring, we prevented a vote, but the pressure is ramping up again.

In the upcoming Veto session that begins on October 19, the legislature could consider a bill nearly identical to last spring’s House Bill 1797 and Senate Bill 2190.  The bill number will likely be different, but the issue will be the same: dismantling the current law requiring an adult family member to be notified when a minor girl seeks an abortion.

It should be noted that the existing law does not call for parental consent and offers exemptions, including when a girl states in writing that she is a victim of sexual abuse, neglect or physical abuse by an adult family member.

The time to act is now. Read the letter from all six bishops in Illinois urging action. 

The existing law makes common sense. Consider the following:

• Under current law, it is illegal for minors to use an indoor tanning bed.  Before that prohibition was implemented on Jan. 1, 2014, minors between the ages of 14 and 17 had to have parental consent. 
• Under current law, it is illegal for a minor to get a tattoo or body piercing without parental consent.
• Minors cannot vote, buy cigarettes, serve in the military or purchase lottery tickets, but they will be able to get an abortion at any time, for any reason, without their parents’ knowledge. 
• Medical studies show brain development in minors is not complete.  This is why so many of our laws require parental involvement in the decisions of their minor children.

See our fact sheet.

Email or call your state representative and state senator by visiting our Action Center, and urge them to oppose repealing the Parental Notice of Abortion.