'Illinois FOCA' Up for Vote; Pro-Life Action League Rallies Grassroots Opposition

CHICAGO, Mar. 12 /Christian Newswire/ -- Chicago-based Pro-Life Action League is calling on both sides of the abortion debate to oppose a bill that passed the Illinois House of Representatives Human Services Committee on March 11. PLAL views the bill, HB-2354, or the Reproductive Health and Access Act, as Illinois' version of the Freedom of Choice Act (FOCA).

"This 'Illinois FOCA' would overturn the modest restrictions on abortion in our state that the vast majority of Illinoisans support, like the Parental Notification Act of 1995. Even the state ban on partial- birth abortion -- a practice nearly everyone abhors -- would be overturned by HB-2354," said Eric Scheidler, PLAL communications director.

Scheidler and PLAL are collaborating with key pro-life leaders across the state to make a coordinated plan to stop HB-2354 when it moves on to the full Illinois House.

PLAL says the bill, introduced by Representatives Barbara Flynn Currie (D-Chicago) and Rosemary Mulligan (R-Des Plaines) would:

· Kill all restrictions on abortion in the state, including parental notification and the partial birth abortion ban.

· Force pro-life health care professionals to cooperate in abortion by making abortion referrals.

· Mandate so-called "comprehensive" sex-ed programs, which promote promiscuity and undermine the family, for all public schools.

· Require taxpayers to fund abortions through Medicaid.

· Keep abortion 100 percent legal in Illinois if Roe v. Wade is ever overturned in the Supreme Court.

"Even pro-choice Illinoisans will recognize how radical HB-2354 really is. Illinois has already become the abortion capital of the Midwest," said Scheidler. "The last thing we need is an expansion of the abortion license in our state."

Illinois residents who oppose the bill should call their state representatives and tell them to vote "no" on HB- 2354.

Additional resources:

Full text of HB-2354 (RHAA) -- http://tinyurl.com/hb2354 About the Pro-Life Action League -- www.prolifeaction.org