2021 Illinois Compiled Statutes
Chapter 775 - HUMAN RIGHTS
775 ILCS 55/ - Reproductive Health Act.
Article 1 - Reproductive Health Act
(775 ILCS 55/Art. 1 heading)
(775 ILCS 55/1-1)
Sec. 1-1. Short title. This Act may be cited as the Reproductive Health Act.
(Source: P.A. 101-13, eff. 6-12-19.)
(775 ILCS 55/1-5)
Sec. 1-5. Scope. This Act sets forth the fundamental rights of individuals to make autonomous decisions about one's own reproductive health, including the fundamental right to use or refuse reproductive health care. This includes the fundamental right of an individual to use or refuse contraception or sterilization, and to make autonomous decisions about how to exercise that right; and the fundamental right of an individual who becomes pregnant to continue the pregnancy and give birth to a child, or to have an abortion, and to make autonomous decisions about how to exercise that right. This Act restricts the ability of the State to deny, interfere with, or discriminate against these fundamental rights.
The purposes of this Act are:
- (1) To establish laws and policies that protect individual decision-making in the area of reproductive health and that support access to the full scope of quality reproductive health care for all in our State; and
- (2) To permit regulation of reproductive health care, including contraception, abortion, and maternity care, only to the extent that such regulation is narrowly tailored to protect a compelling State interest, which for the purposes of this Act means: consistent with accepted standards of clinical practice, evidence based, and narrowly tailored for the limited purpose of protecting the health of people seeking such care and in the manner that least restricts a person's autonomous decision-making.
(Source: P.A. 101-13, eff. 6-12-19.)
(775 ILCS 55/1-10)
Sec. 1-10. Definitions. As used in this Act:
"Abortion" means the use of any instrument, medicine, drug, or any other substance or device to terminate the pregnancy of an individual known to be pregnant with an intention other than to increase the probability of a live birth, to preserve the life or health of the child after live birth, or to remove a dead fetus.
"Advanced practice registered nurse" has the same meaning as it does in Section 50-10 of the Nurse Practice Act.
"Department" means the Illinois Department of Public Health.
"Fetal viability" means that, in the professional judgment of the attending health care professional, based on the particular facts of the case, there is a significant likelihood of a fetus' sustained survival outside the uterus without the application of extraordinary medical measures.
"Health care professional" means a person who is licensed as a physician, advanced practice registered nurse, or physician assistant.
"Health of the patient" means all factors that are relevant to the patient's health and well-being, including, but not limited to, physical, emotional, psychological, and familial health and age.
"Maternity care" means the health care provided in relation to pregnancy, labor and childbirth, and the postpartum period, and includes prenatal care, care during labor and birthing, and postpartum care extending through one-year postpartum. Maternity care shall, seek to optimize positive outcomes for the patient, and be provided on the basis of the physical and psychosocial needs of the patient. Notwithstanding any of the above, all care shall be subject to the informed and voluntary consent of the patient, or the patient's legal proxy, when the patient is unable to give consent.
"Physician" means any person licensed to practice medicine in all its branches under the Medical Practice Act of 1987.
"Physician assistant" has the same meaning as it does in Section 4 of the Physician Assistant Practice Act of 1987.
"Pregnancy" means the human reproductive process, beginning with the implantation of an embryo.
"Prevailing party" has the same meaning as in the Illinois Civil Rights Act of 2003.
"Reproductive health care" means health care offered, arranged, or furnished for the purpose of preventing pregnancy, terminating a pregnancy, managing pregnancy loss, or improving maternal health and birth outcomes. Reproductive health care includes, but is not limited to: contraception; sterilization; preconception care; maternity care; abortion care; and counseling regarding reproductive health care.
"State" includes any branch, department, agency, instrumentality, and official or other person acting under color of law of this State or a political subdivision of the State, including any unit of local government (including a home rule unit), school district, instrumentality, or public subdivision.
(Source: P.A. 101-13, eff. 6-12-19.)
(775 ILCS 55/1-15)
Sec. 1-15. Fundamental reproductive health rights.
(a) Every individual has a fundamental right to make autonomous decisions about the individual's own reproductive health, including the fundamental right to use or refuse reproductive health care.
(b) Every individual who becomes pregnant has a fundamental right to continue the pregnancy and give birth or to have an abortion, and to make autonomous decisions about how to exercise that right.
(c) A fertilized egg, embryo, or fetus does not have independent rights under the laws of this State.
(Source: P.A. 101-13, eff. 6-12-19.)
(775 ILCS 55/1-20)
Sec. 1-20. Prohibited State actions; causes of action.
(a) The State shall not:
- (1) deny, restrict, interfere with, or discriminate against an individual's exercise of the fundamental rights set forth in this Act, including individuals under State custody, control, or supervision; or
- (2) prosecute, punish, or otherwise deprive any individual of the individual's rights for any act or failure to act during the individual's own pregnancy, if the predominant basis for such prosecution, punishment, or deprivation of rights is the potential, actual, or perceived impact on the pregnancy or its outcomes or on the pregnant individual's own health.
(b) Any party aggrieved by conduct or regulation in violation of this Act may bring a civil lawsuit, in a federal district court or State circuit court, against the offending unit of government. Any State claim brought in federal district court shall be a supplemental claim to a federal claim.
(c) Upon motion, a court shall award reasonable attorney's fees and costs, including expert witness fees and other litigation expenses, to a plaintiff who is a prevailing party in any action brought pursuant to this Section. In awarding reasonable attorney's fees, the court shall consider the degree to which the relief obtained relates to the relief sought.
(Source: P.A. 101-13, eff. 6-12-19.)
(775 ILCS 55/1-25)
Sec. 1-25. Reporting of abortions performed by health care professionals.
(a) A health care professional may provide abortion care in accordance with the health care professional's professional judgment and training and based on accepted standards of clinical practice consistent with the scope of his or her practice under the Medical Practice Act of 1987, the Nurse Practice Act, or the Physician Assistant Practice Act of 1987. If the health care professional determines that there is fetal viability, the health care professional may provide abortion care only if, in the professional judgment of the health care professional, the abortion is necessary to protect the life or health of the patient.
(b) A report of each abortion performed by a health care professional shall be made to the Department on forms prescribed by it. Such reports shall be transmitted to the Department not later than 10 days following the end of the month in which the abortion is performed.
(c) The abortion reporting forms prescribed by the Department shall not request or require information that identifies a patient by name or any other identifying information, and the Department shall secure anonymity of all patients and health care professionals.
(d) All reports received by the Department pursuant to this Section shall be treated as confidential and exempt from the Freedom of Information Act. Access to such reports shall be limited to authorized Department staff who shall use the reports for statistical purposes only. Such reports must be destroyed within 2 years after date of receipt.
(Source: P.A. 101-13, eff. 6-12-19.)
(775 ILCS 55/1-30)
Sec. 1-30. Application.
(a) This Act applies to all State laws, ordinances, policies, procedures, practices, and governmental actions and their implementation, whether statutory or otherwise and whether adopted before or after the effective date of this Act.
(b) Nothing in this Act shall be construed to authorize the State to burden any individual's fundamental rights relating to reproductive health care.
(Source: P.A. 101-13, eff. 6-12-19.)
(775 ILCS 55/1-35)
Sec. 1-35. Home rule powers limitation. A unit of local government may enact ordinances, standards, rules, or regulations that protect an individual's ability to freely exercise the fundamental rights set forth in this Act in a manner or to an extent equal to or greater than the protection provided in this Act. A unit of local government may not regulate an individual's ability to freely exercise the fundamental rights set forth in this Act in a manner more restrictive than that set forth in this Act. This Section is a limitation under subsection (i) of Section 6 of Article VII of the Illinois Constitution on the concurrent exercise by home rule units of powers and functions exercised by the State.
(Source: P.A. 101-13, eff. 6-12-19.)
(775 ILCS 55/1-97)
Sec. 1-97. Severability. The provisions of this Act are severable under Section 1.31 of the Statute on Statutes.
(Source: P.A. 101-13, eff. 6-12-19.)
