I am writing to express my deep concern about the harm caused by anti-abortion centers (also known as crisis pregnancy centers) in Illinois and to urge my support for Senate Bill 1909, which would hold these centers accountable for their deception and harmful misinformation toward patients seeking abortion care.
Anti-abortion centers often masquerade as healthcare facilities, but in reality they are anti-abortion organizations that aim to deter people from accessing abortion services. These centers use deceptive tactics such as providing false information about abortion, exaggerating the risks associated with the procedure and even delaying patient appointments until it is too late to receive an abortion in the state.
These practices not only violate a pregnant person’s bodily autonomy to make informed decisions about their own bodies, but it also puts their health and wellbeing at risk. SB1909 would require anti-abortion centers to disclose their true purpose and services offered, as well as provide accurate and unbiased information to their clients.
This legislation is essential to ensuring that everyone in our state and those traveling to Illinois for abortion care from states that have banned abortion have access to honest and factual information about their reproductive healthcare options.
I urge House Rep. Abdelnasser Rashid (21st District) and House Representative Elizabeth Hernandez (2nd District) to support SB1909 and take a stand against the deceptive and harmful practices of anti-abortion centers if we want Illinois to remain a safe state for abortion access.
Everyone deserves to be able to make informed decisions about their bodies and their futures, and this legislation is a crucial step towards ensuring that right.
Eleanor Grano, Riverside
