Illinois Law Forces Pro-Lifers to Violate Religious Beliefs

Illinois Gov. Bruce Rauner has signed legislation that forces pro-life medical professionals and crisis pregnancy clinics to violate their religious beliefs by referring patients for abortions and counseling patients on the "benefits" of the procedure.

"We are extremely disappointed in Gov. Rauner for siding with pro-abortion Democrats by signing SB 1564 and expanding abortions in Illinois," Emily Zender, the Illinois Right to Life executive director, said in a news release.

"This radical bill is a direct assault on the consciences of medical professionals and the missions of community supported pregnancy help centers."

"Science tells us that abortion ends the life of a preborn child, and for Illinoisans to be forced to participate in any way in abortion is a tremendous injustice," she continued.

SB 1564 amends the Illinois' Health Care Right of Conscience Act, which was once viewed as a top-notch First Amendment protection law at the state level, LifeNews.com reports. It goes into effect in 2017.

Illinois Right to Life handed more than 6,000 signatures to the governor's desk in opposition to the measure. It's expected that Alliance Defending Freedom and Thomas More Society will challenge the bill in court, calling it unconstitutional.

"This is sad and tragic news," Ann Scheidler, vice president of the Pro-Life Action League based in Illinois, said in a news release. "The medical professionals in the state of Illinois deserve to practice their healing art within the freedom of conscience."

"The pro-life pregnancy centers should be protected from giving exactly the advice that goes against everything they stand for. They will not do it," she continued.

Lorie Chaiten, director of the ACLU of Illinois Reproductive Rights Project, urged Gov. Rauner to sign SB 1564.

"Senate Bill 1564 ensures that each patient in Illinois now can be assured that they will have complete information, so that they can make the best medical decision for themselves and their families," Chaiten said in a statement. "In short, this bill protects patients when health care providers exercise religious refusals."