New Illinois law protects abortion seekers from other states

CHICAGO - Illinois recently passed House Bill 3326, a significant legislative measure aimed at safeguarding individuals seeking abortions from other states.

The bill, now law, specifically addresses the use of license plate surveillance and restricts its application in relation to abortion seekers.

Under the new legislation, the use of automated license plate readers for accessing or sharing information related to investigating or enforcing laws that deny or interfere with a person's right to choose or obtain reproductive health care services is strictly prohibited. Additionally, it also forbids the use of such technology for detaining or investigating individuals based on their immigration status.

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Advocates of the bill, including Planned Parenthood Illinois Action and Secretary of State Alexi Giannoulias, strongly supported its passage, citing concerns over other states criminalizing individuals seeking necessary care.

"Texas is offering cash rewards – cash rewards – for turning in individuals that are seeking reproductive health care. In Idaho just recently they passed a law that makes it a felony – that makes it a felony – to assist a person seeking an abortion in another state," Giannoulias said.

In response to the increasingly aggressive anti-abortion laws being enacted in various states, Illinois has taken further steps to bolster protections for those seeking reproductive health care services.