A new law in Illinois establishes sweeping abortion rights legislation that establishes the procedure as a “fundamental right” for women in Illinois.
Entitled the Reproductive Health Act, the law repeals the Illinois Abortion Law of 1975. It eliminates felony penalties for doctors that perform abortions, removes waiting periods and removes the requirement that a married woman get consent from her husband.
The bill establishes the “fundamental right” of a woman to have an abortion and states that a “fertilized egg, embryo or fetus does not have independent rights.” The law also requires that the cost of an abortion be treated like any other medical procedure for insurance purposes.
