Illinois State Rep. Kelly Cassidy introduced HB4146, known as “The EXpanding Abortion Services” (Texas) Act on Sept. 14. The law would penalize anyone who causes an unintended pregnancy, regardless of consent. The law mimics the enforcement mechanism of Texas's Heartbeat Act by empowering individuals to file lawsuits against anyone who “commits an act of sexual assault or domestic abuse or causes an unintended pregnancy, regardless of circumstances; knowingly engages in conduct that aids or abets a sexual assault or domestic abuse or causes an unintended pregnancy, regardless of circumstances; or intends to engage in that act or conduct.”
HB4146 would require violators to pay $10,000 fines. Half of that amount would be awarded to the individual who filed the lawsuit, and the other half would be put in a state-managed fund to assist women traveling to Illinois for abortions.
Pro-abortion legislators will have the opportunity to pass this bill this week on the final days of the fall veto session: Oct. 26-28. Make sure to call your legislators and tell them to oppose HB4146. To find your legislators and their contact information, enter your address at the link below:
https://elections.il.gov/ElectionOperations/DistrictLocator/AddressFinder.aspx?T=637521112697456199
