A pregnant minor seeking an abortion in Illinois will no longer need their parent or guardian to be notified before obtaining the procedure.
The law, signed off by Democratic pro-abortion Gov. J.B. Pritzker, repealed the 1995 Parental Notification of Abortion Law. The law wasn’t enforced until 2013.
Local outlet ABC7 noted that in that time frame, the ACLU of Illinois “assisted hundreds of minors seeking abortion who didn’t want to or couldn’t notify their parent or guardian” of an abortion.
"It was emotionally challenging for young people to have to share the most intimate details of their lives and their family situations with a judge," ACLU of Illinois staff attorney Emily Werth told ABC7.
"The young people who were harmed by the old law that was on the books were those that were not coming from those safe and supportive and stable home situations where they could involve an adult family member," Werth added.
I covered for Townhall in October how Illinois’ state Senate voted to amend the law requiring parental notification if a minor is going to have an abortion. Democratic pro-abortion state lawmakers primarily pushed the legislation.
The ACLU of Illinois shared a tweet this week marking the end of the Parental Notice of Abortion law.
Today is the last day Illinois’ harmful Parental Notice of Abortion law will be enforced. During the past nearly 9 years more than 625 young people have had a judge decide if they can access abortion. Starting tomorrow this will no longer be the case.
— ACLU of Illinois (@ACLUofIL) May 31, 2022
“It’s an unfortunate sad day for parents in the State of Illinois,” Robert Gilligan, the executive director of the Catholic Conference of Illinois said to ABC7.
“Illinois law allows for the sale of cigarettes over age 21. You have to be 21 to purchase cigarettes in Illinois and now a minor child could have an abortion. I think to most people that doesn't make any sense," he added.