SPRINGFIELD – State Senator Ann Gillespie supported legislation that passed the Illinois Senate which establishes broad protections for patients and providers of reproductive health care in Illinois.

“Rights to our bodily autonomy are under attack across the nation,” said Gillespie (D-Arlington Heights). “In Illinois, we will protect reproductive rights and ensure that care is available to all who need it.”

House Bill 4664 protects legal and practical access to reproductive care in Illinois following the U.S. Supreme Court’s overturning of Roe v. Wade. The bill establishes a legal counterclaim for out-of-state patients who seek care in Illinois, shields Illinois residents from extradition to other states in cases regarding reproductive health care, and protects the licenses of care providers who offer services to out-of-state patients.

In June 2022, the U.S. Supreme Court ruled on Dobbs v. Jackson Women’s Health Organization that the Constitution does not offer a right to an abortion, reversing decades of legal precedent established in Roe v. Wade and Planned Parenthood of Southeastern Pennsylvania v. Casey. Since the decision, wait times for abortion appointments have increased to 2-3 weeks due to a rise in out-of-state patients, most of whom are from Missouri.

House Bill 4664 passed the Illinois Senate and awaits further consideration in the Illinois House.