Villanueva law safeguards and upholds reproductive rights

SPRINGFIELD - New laws from State Senator Celina Villanueva continue to support reproductive health care and ensure health care records are not being improperly disclosed.

"As we navigate the war on reproductive rights, preventative laws like this are essential in counteracting restrictive and overarching laws of other states," said Villanueva (D-Chicago). "As a safe haven state, it is our responsibility to reinforce state-level protections where federal protections have failed us."

Last year Villanueva led House Bill 4664 - a law to shield out-of-state patients and in-state providers from legal action originating from other states regarding abortions performed here. To expand upon that measure and provide further protections, Villanueva championed House Bill 5239 this year.

The law will ensure that location information and health records for reproductive health care performed in Illinois will not be subject to the Freedom of Information Act. Further, it will ensure that units of local governments could not assist in imposing a civil or criminal liability against a person or provider who received reproductive or gender affirming care in Illinois.

Additionally, House Bill 581 protects Illinois patients from another pending Supreme Court rollback of reproductive rights by ensuring Illinois hospitals must provide any medically necessary services-including abortion services-to stabilize a patient at risk of severe injury or death.

Villanueva's House Bill 581 measure came as the Supreme Court heard Moyle v. Idaho. This case questioned whether Idaho's total abortion ban is exempt from the federal Emergency Medical Treatment and Active Labor Act. Idaho argued that it should be exempt, which would have undermined critical patient protections in cases of severe pregnancy complications. The Supreme Court dismissed the case - putting it back in the hands of Idaho's Ninth Circuit Court. However, it is expected the case will once again be heard before SCOTUS in the future - further securing the need for Illinois to ensure these protections remain in place and impose civil penalties on hospitals that refuse to provide lifesaving abortion procedures through House Bill 581.

"Maintaining and reinforcing measures that ensure the well-being and inalienable rights of women in Illinois will always be a priority," said Villanueva. "By strengthening our reproductive health care laws to support the delicate process of bringing life into this world we are able to protect women in a nation that is committed to denying our rights."

House Bill 5239 and House Bill 581 were signed into law Wednesday and are effective immediately.