Illinois poised to mandate public universities provide abortion pills on campus
Illinois lawmakers have approved a measure aimed at forcing public universities to make abortion pills more accessible on campus.
Illinois Right to Life blasted the bill for potentially turning ‘institutions of higher learning into abortion facilities.’
Illinois lawmakers have approved a measure aimed at forcing public universities to make abortion pills accessible on campus.
House Bill 3709 aims to force public state universities with pharmacies to “make medication abortion available at a physical location on campus,” beginning next year.
The legislation has already passed both the Illinois House and Senate. It was sent to the governor’s office for his signature on June 24.
“Enrolled students shall be able to access medication abortion at either a pharmacy on campus, the student health center via a health care professional licensed to dispense medication abortion, or another physical location on campus where students access other similar medications,” the legislation reads.
Public universities would also be required to provide “emergency contraception,” which is administered after sexual intercourse to prevent pregnancy.
Illinois is poised to become the fourth state to implement such a measure.
California, Massachusetts, and New York already require public universities to provide abortion pills on campus.
Opponents to the act argue that abortion pills harm the women who take them, isolating them from community and support.
“No educational reason exists to expose women to injury, infertility, and death, while at school, or to empower abusers using Chemical Abortion Pills against mothers without their knowledge or consent,” Students for Life of America Vice President Kristi Hamrick told Campus Reform.
“It defies common sense for schools to be asked to prioritize ending the lives of future students or to believe that parents send their children to school, hoping that the lives of their grandchildren are ended in the womb,” she continued.
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Illinois Right to Life accused the bill of converting “institutions of higher learning into abortion facilities.”
Supporters of the legislation assert that abortion access is a critical service that college-age women desperately need.
“Our job as legislators is to listen and act—and students have been clear: they need care that meets them where they are,” bill sponsor Celina Villanueva, says on her website. “This proposal ensures they can get the care they need where they are—on campus and on their terms.”
A spokesman for Illinois State University told Campus Reform that the school “did not take a position on the legislation and plans to be in compliance when the bill becomes law.”
Campus Reform contacted all of Illinois’ 12 four-year public universities for comment. This article will be updated accordingly.
