FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
January 10th, 2023
Statement from Equality Illinois Deputy Director Mony Ruiz-Velasco on passage by the Illinois General Assembly of essential legislation to protect patients, providers, and families seeking and providing reproductive healthcare and gender-affirming healthcare:
We are excited House Bill 4664 passed the General Assembly tonight and is on its way to the desk of Governor Pritzker. Illinois is making history as one of the first states to further protections for patients, providers, and families who access reproductive healthcare and gender-affirming healthcare.
LGBTQ+ communities across the country are under attack. Trans people in particular are in urgent need of protection and access to the health care they need and deserve, including abortion and gender-affirming care. This legislation ensures essential protections and access.
We applaud Senator Villanueva, Representative Cassidy, President Harmon, Speaker Welch, and Governor Pritzker for their leadership and perseverance to protect providers, patients, and families in Illinois and those who may come to our great state seeking reproductive healthcare and gender-affirming care and protection from anti-equality, anti-choice states. Thank you for ensuring that Illinois keeps moving forward.
We also appreciate our deep partnership with the providers who care for patients and families and who we advocated with for this important legislation, including Planned Parenthood Illinois Action and Planned Parenthood of the St. Louis Region and Southwest Missouri. We are humbled to be in this ongoing fight with you to advance human rights and access to affirming healthcare.
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