Governor J.B. Pritzker said at a press conference today that Illinois will remain a safe haven for those seeking an abortion.
“Here, we trust you to make your own decisions about your reproductive health,” he said. “We will defend your right to bodily autonomy.”
He made the remarks in response to the U.S. Supreme Court ruling earlier today overturning Roe v. Wade. That puts the decision about whether to allow abortions back into the hands of the states.
“Abhorrent Decision”
Pritzker called the ruling an “abhorrent decision” which will result in abortions now being more dangerous, and characterized it as “an attack on freedom and liberty our constitution is supposed to guarantee.”
He predicted that this decision is the precursor of more restrictive rulings to come. “Privacy rights are being eviscerated right before our very eyes. If they can take away your ability to control your own body, there’s not much that stops them from making marriage equality illegal and taking away employment protections for your beliefs or your orientation.”
Special Session
Pritzer said he is calling a special session of the General Assembly in the coming weeks to solidify women’s reproductive rights in Illinois and address any challenges that the Supreme Court ruling may create.
The Decision
Today’s ruling by the Supreme Court had been anticipated, after a leaked draft opinion by Justice Samuel Alito was released by Politico in May. It overturns the Roe v. Wade decision made in 1973 which had established the constitutional right to abortion.
The ruling was a 5-4 decision, with Justice Alito writing the majority opinion. It sprang from the Dobbs v. Jackson Women’s Health Organization case, which focused on a Mississippi law banning abortion after 15 weeks of pregnancy. Today’s ruling also overturned Planned Parenthood v. Casey, which had protected many of the same rights of Roe v. Wade
“We hold that Roe and Casey must be overruled. The Constitution makes no reference to abortion, and no such right is implicitly protected by any constitutional provision, “ Alito wrote.
Naperville News 17’s Kim Pirc reports.
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