102nd General Assembly works into final hours

Lame Duck Session

1/18/23

Gun Violence Prevention

Ban Assault Weapons and High Capacity Magazines

In an emotionally-charged ceremony Tuesday, January 9, Governor Pritzker signed the Protect Illinois Communities Act (HB5855) into law, making Illinois the ninth state in the nation to ban assault weapons. 

Introduced in the ILGA House during the December Veto Session, the bill made its way into the Senate during Lame Duck session, where it passed by a 34-20 vote after a few changes were made, changes that the House quickly approved in a 68-41 vote on Tuesday. 

Illinois’ new law bans the manufacture, sales, and possession of assault weapons, as well as the sale of “switches” that enable handguns to fire more rapidly. People who currently own semi-automatic weapons do not have to turn them in, although they must register as owners. The law also expands the scope of Firearms Restraining Orders (FROs) so that courts can remove guns for up to one year (instead of six months) from owners who might harm themselves or others.

The new law is a big step in a positive direction, but there is more work to be done to keep people safe from guns. More Americans are killed every day by handguns than by assault weapons. Guns are the leading cause of death for children and teens in the United States, according to the most recent data available.

The LWV of Illinois continues to support organizations working in communities to promote trauma-informed solutions to gun violence. Learn more about the work of organizations like Institute for Nonviolence Chicago, Chicago CRED, and Communities Partnering 4 Peace.

 
 

Reproductive Health

Protections for patients and health care providers

On the final day of the 102nd Illinois General Assembly, legislators passed the Patient and Provider Protection Act (HB4664), which Governor Pritzker signed into law on January 13. The act protects abortion and gender-affirming healthcare seekers and providers from out-of-state legal action and expands access to reproductive healthcare in Illinois.

In a state with some of the strongest reproductive healthcare protections in the country, the new legislation addresses issues stemming from the influx of care seekers coming to Illinois from states with more restrictive abortion legislation. 

The omnibus reproductive healthcare bill:   

  • Permits physician assistants and nurse practitioners to perform certain abortions which do not require general anesthesia

  • Speeds up the process for obtaining temporary permits for healthcare workers

  • Protects the privacy of patients and healthcare providers to prevent other states from obtaining abortion information for court cases

  • Permits medical professionals whose licenses have been revoked in other states to have their cases investigated by Illinois’ licensure authority, which can grant them permission to practice here

  • Affords liability insurance protections for doctors charged with breaking reproductive health laws in other states—unless they have actually committed malpractice

  • Requires state insurance plans to cover abortion and gender-affirming medications

  • Expands the reproductive healthcare services birth centers are allowed to provide

Learn more from organizations leading the the work in reproductive health: ACLU Illinois, Planned Parenthood Illinois, Illinois Now, Midwest Access Coalition, Chicago Abortion Fund.

Guest UserGun Violence Prevention, Reproductive Rights