ROCKFORD—On April 24, at the busy intersection of Mulford Road and Riverside Blvd. in Rockford, about 30 people gathered in support of life and against the possible repeal of Illinois’ current parental notification act.

 

In February 2021, a bill titled “Parental Notice Abortion-Repeal” (HB 1797) was introduced into the Illinois legislature and is currently in committee. 

 

If passed, this legislation would repeal the Parental Notice of Abortion Act of 1995, which requires that when a minor girl seeks to have an abortion, a parent or guardian be notified 48 hours before the procedure. The act was written to protect girls in special circumstances.

 

“The Act provides essential safeguards against the evils of sexual abuse and human trafficking,” said Kevin Rilott, president of Rockford Family Initiative. 

 

“If the law is repealed, when a young girl is raped or sexually abused, abortion could be used to cover-up the abuse and crime,” he said. “A teenage girl could be taken to any (abortuary) in Illinois to have her child killed, and then the young girl taken home to possibly be abused again — with the abortion industry and abuser hiding all of this from the intimidated girl’s family.”

 

Several local media outlets reported on the event, including the Rockford Register Star newspaper and WTVO Channel 17 television. The event was organized by the Rockford Family Initiative.