Index
Illinois Reproductive Health Act (RHA)
Summary
The Illinois RHA establishes the fundamental right of an individual to make autonomous decisions regarding their reproductive health, explicitly treating abortion care like any other medical procedure.
Rights & Rules
- 01.Every individual has a fundamental right to make their own decisions about contraception, sterilization, and abortion.
- 02.A fertilized egg, embryo, or fetus does NOT have independent rights under the laws of Illinois.
- 03.The state government, including local cities and counties, is explicitly prohibited from denying, restricting, or interfering with a person's right to an abortion.
- 04.Private health insurance plans in Illinois that cover pregnancy-related care MUST also cover abortion services without imposing extra deductibles or copays.
Penalties
- 01.The law acts as a shield against criminalization. Anyone whose rights under the RHA are violated by a government entity can sue the state or local government for damages and an injunction.
Verified Citations
Illinois Compiled Statutes 775 ILCS 55/
Source"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. Every individual who becomes pregnant has a fundamental right to continue the pregnancy and give birth or to have an abortion..."