Bill forces docs to participate in abortion

Illinoisans are deeply divided on abortion. But up to this point, we’ve all been able to agree that no one should be forced to participate in abortion. If the abortion decision should be between a woman and her doctor, then the government has no business inserting itself into that conversation. A truly “pro-choice” person supports the right of a woman to choose a pro-life doctor.

Senate Bill 1564 violates all these principles: it forces doctors to discuss abortion whenever it’s a “legal treatment option” (which it is in every pregnancy). Even worse, it requires health care workers and facilities to provide lists of local abortion clinics upon request. The activists pushing this bill claim that forcing people of faith to provide lists of abortion clinics is morally acceptable, so long as they aren’t forced to refer to a specific abortion clinic. This is a distinction without a difference, as both are “participation” in abortion.

Let’s say someone asks you to drive for a bank robbery, and you respond, “I won’t do it, but here’s a list of three guys who may.” Under law, you’re as responsible for the bank robbery as the trigger man and the driver — you aided and encouraged the crime.

The Christian faith teaches that murder is crime against Almighty God himself, in part because humans are made in the image of God. Pro-life Christians consider the abortion of unborn children as equal to the murder of born children, both are a rejection of God. They would sooner lose their jobs, their homes, or even their lives rather than participate in abortion.

The other side wants you to believe that these new protocols are “no big deal.” They neglect that federal law forbids governments from discriminating based on abortion beliefs. They refuse to address the cost of compliance and enforcement of this new mandate on the thousands of doctor’s offices, pregnancy help centers, pharmacies, and hospitals in Illinois. They’re silent when asked how we’ll pay to help pregnant women in need and their kids when Christian pregnancy help centers are shut down.

This measure isn’t pro-choice, it’s pro-abortion. Truly “pro-choice” people will reject government coercion—and Senate Bill 1564.

State Rep. Peter Breen is a Republican from Lombard.