Christian crisis pregnancy centers sue Illinois over new abortion notice law

Phony "health" centers prefer their own lies & dangerous disinformation to the fruit of the tree of knowledge.


Christian crisis pregnancy centers sue Illinois over new abortion notice law

By Steve SchmadekeContact Reporter
Chicago Tribune


Christian crisis pregnancy centers in the south and far western suburbs are challenging a change in the state's right-of-conscience law that since January requires physicians and nurses to notify pregnant patients of all their available options, including abortion.

The lawsuit, filed against state officials including Gov. Bruce Rauner, claims their constitutional free-speech rights are violated by the changes to the law because they have to offer advice they find morally wrong. The clinics also allege the new law violates federal laws banning discrimination against doctors and other health care workers who do not provide or refer patients for abortions.

Supporters of the law say the changes only require health care providers to inform patients of all their options — a standard practice of care in the medical field.

The law was originally passed — after the Supreme Court's 1973 Roe v. Wade ruling legalizing abortion — to shield physicians opposed to performing the procedure. Modifications to that law, designed to protect patients who didn't know all their options, were signed into law by Rauner last year after an emotional Illinois Senate subcommittee hearing that drew testimony from patients.

Providers must offer a "standard of care" that includes informing patients of their medical options, such as abortion or contraception, even if the physician is opposed to it for religious or moral reasons, under the new law, which went into effect Jan. 1. If the patient is seeking a particular treatment, the physician or nurse must at least provide a list of providers.

"A pro-life physician cannot in good conscience do that," said Thomas Olp, an attorney for the Thomas More Society, a nonprofit religious liberty law firm. Olp said providing a referral to an abortion provider would be considered by pro-life physicians "material involvement in something that's inherently evil."

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