On Nov. 30, a petition against HB40, which will provide state health care insurance and Medicaid coverage for abortions, was signed by multiple Illinois pro-life organizations.
One of the groups joining the complaint against the legislation is the Pro-Life Action League.
Eric J. Scheidler, the executive director of the PRAL, gave statements to Chicago City Wire regarding the organizations decision to join the lawsuit.
“The Pro-Life Action League joined this lawsuit for two reasons,” Scheidler said. “First, we want to do anything we can to stop the state of Illinois from expanding taxpayer funding of abortion. ... Second, this lawsuit can help to cut through the haze of propaganda that led to this bill being passed and signed into law.”
According to Scheidler, the public was misled into believe that HB40 was about protecting the right to have an abortion.
“Illinoisans were told that this bill was about protecting a basic right to abortion. ...” Scheidler said in his statement. “In reality, it's a taxpayer abortion funding measure, and this lawsuit will help to make that clear to voters, who overwhelmingly to not support taxpayer funding of abortion.”
The executive director believes that the bill will lead to an increase in abortions as well, something that his organization is dedicated to stop from happening.
"We know that taxpayer funding of abortion always leads to an increase in the abortion rate,” Scheidler said. “We also know that the vast majority of Illinois voters do not want to pay for abortion, even if they identify as pro-choice. Members of the Pro-Life Action League believe that every human life is precious, including every child in the womb, and that we have a responsibility to defend the right to life of those children.”
Scheidler also feels that HB40 will have a great effect on taxpayers, both financially and morally.
“The law affects Illinois taxpayers two ways,” Scheidler said. “First, it increases the Illinois deficit by requiring the state to shell out millions of dollars a year for abortion when the state is already in financial crisis. Second, it requires every Illinois taxpayer to take part in abortion through funding abortions for state employees and welfare recipients. No matter where you stand on the moral and political question of abortion, no taxpayer should be forced to provide abortions in this way.”
HB40 is scheduled to become effective on Jan. 1, 2018.
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