Let me begin by sharing Pastor Jeff Durbin’s call to Springfield:
You have a bill, Church. A bill to end it and bring justice to these children. The fight in your State is HUGE and difficult. The powers that be are already working very hard against it. Very hard. I need your help. Please, join me at your Capitol for our Press Conference. Next Tuesday the 17th. 12pm. Show your representatives that this is the will of God and the Church in Illinois. This is your State. Your home. Come and join me in this fight. Let’s fill the Capitol up and shine the light of the Gospel on this issue.
Abortion in Illinois – Getting Back to 1867
Did you know that the first law banning abortion in the state of Illinois dates back to February 28, 1867? I did not know that until doing some research on the subject.
“If any person shall, by means of any instrument or instruments, or any other means whatever, cause any pregnant woman to miscarry, or shall attempt to procure or produce such miscarriage, the person so offending shall be deemed guilty of a high misdemeanor, and, upon conviction thereof, shall be confined in the penitentiary.”
The law wisely recognized the only proper exception:
“The provisions of this act shall not apply to any person who procures or attempts to produce the miscarriage of any pregnant woman for bona fide medical or surgical purposes (i.e. the life of the mother).”
The horrible Roe v. Wade decision of 1973 changed the legal situation in Illinois. We can be thankful that our legislature in 1975 passed legislation that would return to the 1867 law if Roe were ever overturned.
“The General Assembly of the State of Illinois do solemnly declare and find in reaffirmation of the long-standing policy of this State, that the unborn child is a human being from the time of conception and is, therefore, a legal person for purposes of the unborn child’s right to life and is entitled to the right to life from conception under the laws and Constitution of this State.”
“…if those decisions of the United States Supreme Court [referring to Roe] are ever reversed or modified… the former policy of this State to prohibit abortions unless necessary for the preservation of the mother’s life shall be reinstated.”
Praise the Lord that the Roe decision was overturned in 2022. However, before that happened, two laws were passed by our bloodthirsty state legislature.
HB 40 in 2017 was signed by Governor Bruce Rauner. The Reproductive Health Act of 2019 was signed by Governor J. B. Pritzker. This later draconian legislation declared that abortion is a “fundamental right” and that a “fertilized egg, embryo, or fetus does not have independent rights.” The personhood of the preborn baby was completely ignored.
The statistics for abortion in Illinois are especially grim. Illinois now leads the death toll in out-of-state abortions – 35,000 in 2024. According to the Guttmacher Institute, in a 20-month period from January 2023 to August 2024, Illinois was third in the number of abortions.
- California— 303,010 abortions
- New York— 207,420 abortions
- Illinois— 152,890 abortions
- Florida— 140,910 abortions
- New Jersey— 100,580 abortions
Now 159 years after the 1867 law, Illinois State Senator Neil Anderson (R-Aledo) has introduced Senate Bill 3572 – Abolish Abortion Illinois Act. After the title page with summary description, the bill is only 7 pages in length.
Here are six key points about this bill.
1] It amends the Illinois Criminal Code to define “person,” “individual,” and “another” as any living human being from the moment of fertilization until natural death.
2] It seeks to repeal existing provisions that currently exempt abortion from being classified as prenatal homicide or battery.
3] The bill argues that providing statutory exemptions for abortion is incompatible with the Illinois Constitution’s guarantees of equal protection and due process. It asserts that the State has a duty to protect all human life equally, regardless of the stage of development.
4] Like the 1867 legislation, it includes a specific exception for the unintentional death of a preborn child resulting from life-saving medical procedures performed on a pregnant woman. These procedures must be accompanied by “reasonable steps” to save the life of the preborn child if such steps are available.
5] The bill explicitly states that its criminal definitions and penalties do not apply to a spontaneous miscarriage (natural loss of a pregnancy).
6] In addition to criminal changes, the bill amends the Wrongful Death Act to include a preborn child within the definition of a “person,” allowing for civil lawsuits and damages (including punitive damages in certain cases) in the event of a wrongful act leading to the death of a preborn child.
On average, 10 babies are killed each hour of the day in Illinois, 365 days each year. Statistics are overwhelming and sometimes even lead to paralysis in terms of action.
What can you be doing to help stem the killing?
In light of the staggering reality that ten lives are lost every hour in our state, we cannot remain silent or indifferent; rather, we must respond with a multifaceted commitment to action. Your first step should be one of direct advocacy by contacting your state senator to urge their full support for SB 3572, while simultaneously lifting up Senator Neil Anderson and his family in prayer as he navigates the immense pressure of championing such bold legislation.
Beyond these individual efforts, consider lending your physical presence to the upcoming rally in Springfield this Tuesday, February 17, where your visible support can serve as a profound encouragement to those on the front lines of this battle. Ultimately, we are called to be a consistent witness for life, not only through political engagement but by actively supporting local pregnancy centers that provide the practical and biblical care necessary to help mothers choose life.
Take ACTION: Click HERE to send your state senator an email asking him/her to co-sponsor SB 3572, legislation that would protect the human rights of preborn babies. Remind your senator that the right to life is endowed by God and that the U.S. Constitution exists to secure and protect that God-given right.
Deliver those who are drawn toward death,
And hold back those stumbling to the slaughter.
If you say, “Surely we did not know this,”
Does not He who weighs the hearts consider it?
He who keeps your soul, does He not know it?
And will He not render to each man according to his deeds?
Proverbs 24:11
P.S. Here is a script you can use in contacting your elected officials.
“Hello, my name is [Your Name], and I am a constituent living in [Your City/Zip Code]. I am calling today to strongly urge Senator [Senator’s Last Name] to support and co-sponsor Senate Bill 3572, the Abolish Abortion Illinois Act. I believe that our state should recognize the inherent right to life for all human beings from the moment of fertilization, and I want my senator to know that this issue is a high priority for me. Thank you for making sure the senator receives my message.”
