Springfield….State Representative Patrick Windhorst (R-Metropolis) says he is disappointed by the process that lead to passage of a sweeping overhaul and expansion of abortion access bill late Sunday night. Windhorst, a member of the House Human Services Appropriations Committee says Amendment 1 to SB 25 was posted at 6:08 p.m. on Sunday night with a scheduled Committee time of 7:08 p.m, allowing just one hour for legislators to read the bill and for the public to view it and offer witness slips on the record.
“My constituents live a minimum of three hours from Springfield,” Windhorst
said. “For the majority party to post this massive expansion of taxpayer
funding of late-term abortions bill with just one hour’s notice is
unconscionable and does not serve the best interests of the taxpayers of
Illinois. I am as disturbed the policy provisions outlined in this legislation
as I am by the process that we have taken to be debating this bill tonight.”
Windhorst’s line of questions for the bill’s sponsor and Committee hearing witnesses focused on specific provisions in the proposed bill that change the definition of viability of a fetus.
“This bill takes direct aim at basic human rights,” Windhorst said. “SB 25 Amendment 1 changes the definition of viability and allows an unborn child no independent rights. I’m voting no on this bill because process matters and so do the far reaching implications for taxpayers and for innocent, unborn children that the passage of this law would have.”
The bill passed the House Human Services Appropriations Committee on a straight party line vote with 12 democrats voting yes and 7 republicans voting no. The bill now heads for House Floor action with just 5 days to go in the remaining legislative Session.
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