Bills in state house push pro-abortion agenda

Two new bills proposed in the Illinois state legislature would make the state, already a haven for abortion extremism, even more pro-abortion.

Feb 23, 2024

A pair of bills working their way through the Illinois state legislature could move the state even further toward pro-abortion extremism, quite a feat in a state that is already far along that path.

The first bill, from Kelly Cassidy (D-14th Dist.) would amend the Illinois Income Tax Act to offer tax credits to attract abortion clinics.

Individuals who are abortion providers moving to Illinois from states with more restrictive abortion laws would receive tax benefits under the proposed amendment.

The tax benefit could also apply to patients or parents of patients who relocate to Illinois for the purpose of obtaining an abortion.

The tax credit would amount to $500.

The second bill, House Bill 4876, introduced on Feb. 6 by Anne Stava-Murray, a Democratic representative from Naperville, would amend the definition of “abused child” in the Abused and Neglected Child Reporting Act to mean a child whose parent or immediate family member, or any individual who lives in the same home as the child, who is denied access to abortion or “gender-affirming” services.

The Department of Children and Family Services is required to step in under the act.

Child abuse is considered a criminal offense in Illinois and can result in a year in prison and a $2,500 fine under misdemeanor guidelines. A felony child abuse charge can result in 15 years in prison and a $25,000 fine.

In opposition, a group called the Parents Matter Coalition is circulating a petition to get a referendum on the November ballot that would require parental consent for any “non-emergency” medical procedure.

Both the proposed bills still require the approval of both houses of the state legislature, so there is still time to make your voice heard.

To find and contact your state representative and state senator on this or any other issue of concern, enter your home address at the Illinois State Board of Elections website.

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The Round Up

Here are the stories that caught our eyes this week and what they mean for the weeks ahead.

Chicago closes four migrant shelters amid lull in new arrivals

Chicago has closed four migrant shelters in the past week and a half as the number of migrants arriving in the city slows.

The shelters were located in the Loop, North Lawndale, Lake View and North Park and at their busiest held around 400 people in total. The biggest was the North Park Village Nature Center shelter center, which the city closed to be used as a polling place, according to a city statement.

Two of the shelters - the Harold Washington Library and the New Life Community Church in Lake View - have closed before and reopened. The Harold Washington shelter could reopen again if needed, a city spokeswoman said.

The Rev. Chad Bacon predicted the church would reopen if the city were to “get a bunch of buses leading up to the DNC.”

Chicago sues five Big Oil companies for ‘catastrophic impacts’ of climate change

Mayor Brandon Johnson has the world’s largest oil and gas companies in his crosshairs.

The city of Chicago filed a lawsuit in Cook County Circuit Court Tuesday against BP, Chevron, ConocoPhillips, Exxon Mobil and Shell, accusing the companies of “deceiving Chicago consumers about the climate dangers associated with their products,” according to a news release. Also named in the lawsuit is trade group American Petroleum Institute.

The 185-page complaint outlines “damages Chicago has incurred” from the companies’ exacerbation of climate change, according to the news release.

Pritzker budget calls for elimination of Illinois' grocery tax

Illinois temporarily suspended its grocery tax during the COVID-19 pandemic, but Gov. J.B. Pritzker is calling for that tax to be permanently repealed.

The announcement was made during Pritzker’s budget address in Springfield on Wednesday, with the governor calling it a boost for families still hit hard by increasing prices. Pritzker blasted the 1 percent tax as a “regressive tax” that the state doesn’t need.

At least 15 states, including Illinois, have some sort of sales tax on groceries. Some of these states don’t have statewide taxes, but do allow local governments to assess sales taxes on grocery items. That is the case in Illinois.