Bill Text: IL HB2590 | 2023-2024 | 103rd General Assembly | Introduced

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Bill Title: Creates the Coercive Abuse Against Mothers Prevention Act. Provides that it is illegal to coerce or force a pregnant woman to have an abortion. Provides that whoever coerces or forces a pregnant woman to have an abortion is guilty of a petty offense with a fine of $500 and a business offense with a fine of $1,500. Allows a pregnant woman injured by an abuser's violation of the Act to bring a civil suit to recover damages for such injury regardless of whether the abuser is criminally prosecuted and whether the pregnant woman has an abortion. Requires a reproductive health care facility to conspicuously post signs visible to all who enter its waiting, consultation, and procedure rooms specified notices and information. Requires a mandatory reporter to personally report every instance of alleged or suspected coerced abortion to the Department of Children and Family Services or the local law enforcement authority of the county the facility is in. Requires an attending health care professional to orally ask a pregnant woman, in a private room and without any individual accompanying her, if she is being coerced or forced to have an abortion. Provides that any mandatory reporter who has reason to believe a woman is or has been a victim of coercion and willfully and knowingly does not report such coercion, force, attempted coercion, threatened coercion, or threatened force is guilty of a business offense with a fine of $5,000. Provides that any health care professional who willfully violates the mandatory reporting requirements shall be referred to the Illinois State Medical Board for action on whether to suspend or revoke his or her license. Allows a pregnant woman injured by a facility's violation of the Act to bring a civil suit to recover damages for such injury. Makes other changes. Effective 90 days after becoming law.

Spectrum: Partisan Bill (Republican 2-0)

Status: (Introduced) 2023-03-16 - Added Co-Sponsor Rep. Chris Miller [HB2590 Detail]

Download: Illinois-2023-HB2590-Introduced.html

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103RD GENERAL ASSEMBLY State of Illinois 2023 and 2024 HB2590 Introduced , by Rep. Adam M. Niemerg SYNOPSIS AS INTRODUCED:
New Act
Creates the Coercive Abuse Against Mothers Prevention Act. Provides that it is illegal to coerce or force a pregnant woman to have an abortion. Provides that whoever coerces or forces a pregnant woman to have an abortion is guilty of a petty offense with a fine of $500 and a business offense with a fine of $1,500. Allows a pregnant woman injured by an abuser's violation of the Act to bring a civil suit to recover damages for such injury regardless of whether the abuser is criminally prosecuted and whether the pregnant woman has an abortion. Requires a reproductive health care facility to conspicuously post signs visible to all who enter its waiting, consultation, and procedure rooms specified notices and information. Requires a mandatory reporter to personally report every instance of alleged or suspected coerced abortion to the Department of Children and Family Services or the local law enforcement authority of the county the facility is in. Requires an attending health care professional to orally ask a pregnant woman, in a private room and without any individual accompanying her, if she is being coerced or forced to have an abortion. Provides that any mandatory reporter who has reason to believe a woman is or has been a victim of coercion and willfully and knowingly does not report such coercion, force, attempted coercion, threatened coercion, or threatened force is guilty of a business offense with a fine of $5,000. Provides that any health care professional who willfully violates the mandatory reporting requirements shall be referred to the Illinois State Medical Board for action on whether to suspend or revoke his or her license. Allows a pregnant woman injured by a facility's violation of the Act to bring a civil suit to recover damages for such injury. Makes other changes. Effective 90 days after becoming law.
LRB103 30221 LNS 56649 b
A BILL FOR
HB2590 LRB103 30221 LNS 56649 b
AN ACT concerning civil law.
Be it enacted by the People of the State of Illinois,
represented in the General Assembly:
Section 1. Short title. This Act may be cited as the
Coercive Abuse Against Mothers Prevention Act.
Section 5. Legislative findings; intent.
(a) The General Assembly finds that:
(1) Research indicates that violence against pregnant
women is a serious problem. Many women report that they
were coerced into abortions and have suffered grievous
physical, emotional, psychological, and spiritual harm as
a result.
(2) Reproductive health care facilities are often the
only and last opportunities of hope for victims of
coercive abuse. As such, they are uniquely situated to
help these women.
(3) More cases of coerced or attempted coerced
abortions are reported if women are informed of their
rights and given information concerning treatment and
protection options.
(4) More women may receive treatment for coercive
abuse if clinics inform them of their rights and give them
information concerning treatment and protection options.

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(5) Coercive abuse is a serious women's health issue
because it violates a woman's rights to physical and
emotional health, her freedom of conscience, and to freely
choose either to continue her pregnancy or to have an
abortion where it is legal.
(b) Based on the findings in subsection (a), it is the
intent of the General Assembly to:
(1) prohibit actions intended to coerce or otherwise
force a woman to abort her unborn child; and
(2) empower all mothers in the State to exercise their
freedom of conscience in choosing life for their unborn
children, free of violent and abusive coercion.
Section 10. Definitions. As used in this Act:
"Abortion" has the same meaning as used in Section 1-10 of
the Reproductive Health Act.
"Abuser" means any person who attempts to, conspires to,
or successfully coerces, forces a woman to have an abortion.
"Advanced practice registered nurse" has the same meaning
as used in Section 50-10 of the Nurse Practice Act.
"Coercion" means when any person, with purpose to restrict
a pregnant woman's freedom of action to her detriment, engages
in conduct where the person coerces or forces an abortion on
the pregnant woman.
"Coerce an abortion" or "force an abortion" means when a
person:

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(1) knows of or suspects the pregnancy of a woman;
(2) engages or conspires with another to engage in any
of the following conduct:
(A) committing, attempting to commit, or
threatening to commit physical harm to the woman,
unborn child, or another person;
(B) holding, attempting to hold, or threatening to
hold in confinement the woman or unborn child;
(C) committing, attempting to commit, or
threatening to commit any act prohibited by any
statute of this State;
(D) revoking, attempting to revoke, or threatening
to revoke a scholarship awarded to the woman by a
public or private institution of higher education;
(E) discharging, attempting to discharge, or
threatening to discharge the woman or another person
or changing, attempting to change, or threatening to
change her or the other person's compensation, terms,
conditions, or privileges of employment;
(F) denying, attempting to deny, or threatening to
deny any social assistance for which a pregnant woman
or another person has applied, has been approved for,
or has been receiving and for which she or the other
person is otherwise eligible; or
(G) denying, removing, or threatening to deny or
remove financial support or housing from a dependent;

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(3) that is intentionally or purposely aimed at
causing or directing the pregnant woman to have an
abortion; and
(4) solely conditioned upon the pregnant woman
disregarding or refusing the person's demand that she seek
an abortion, regardless of whether the abortion has been
attempted or completed.
"Coerce an abortion" or "force an abortion" does not
include constitutionally protected speech, conduct, or
expressions of conscience.
"Course of conduct" means a pattern of conduct composed of
a series of 2 or more separate acts evincing a continuity of
purpose.
"Dependent" has the same meaning as "child" as used in
Section 3 of the Abused and Neglected Child Reporting Act, or
has the same meaning as "intellectual disability" as used in
Section 1-116 of the Mental Health and Developmental
Disabilities Code.
"Health care professional" means a person who is a
licensed physician, advanced practice registered nurse, or
physician assistant.
"Mandatory reporter" means any individual who provides
health care services, including:
(1) a physician;
(2) a surgeon;
(3) a physician assistant;

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(4) a physical therapist;
(5) a psychiatrist;
(6) a psychologist;
(7) a medical resident;
(8) a medical intern;
(9) a hospital staff member;
(10) an advanced practice registered nurse;
(11) a licensed nurse;
(12) a nurse's aide;
(13) an emergency medical technician;
(14) a paramedic; and
(15) any employee, staff member, or volunteer at a
reproductive health care facility.
"Physician" means any person licensed to practice medicine
in all its branches under the Medical Practice Act of 1987.
"Physician assistant" has the same meaning as used in
Section 4 of the Physician Assistant Practice Act of 1987.
"Pregnant woman" means any biological female of any age
who is in the reproductive condition of having an unborn child
in her uterus.
"Reproductive health care facility" or "facility" means
any office, clinic, or other physical location licensed by the
State to provide:
(1) surgical or medical abortions;
(2) abortion counseling;
(3) abortion referrals; or

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(4) gynecological care and services.
"Solely" means the conduct described in Section 15 must be
such that it would not have occurred but for the woman's
pregnancy, including the possibility that an actor may have
multiple motives for engaging in the conduct described in
Section 15.
"Threat" means a statement or a course of conduct by an
individual that would cause a reasonable person to believe
that the individual is likely to act in accordance with the
statements or as implied by a course of conduct. "Threat" does
not exclude constitutionally protected speech or any
generalized statement regarding a lawful pregnancy option,
such as an emotional expression by a family or household
member of the pregnant woman.
"Unborn child" or "preborn child" means the offspring of
human beings from conception to birth.
Section 15. Coerced or forced abortion prohibited; civil
remedies.
(a) It is illegal to coerce or force a pregnant woman to
have an abortion.
(b) Whoever is guilty of engaging in conduct described in
and proscribed by this Section is, in addition to any other
crimes described in the Criminal Code of 2012, guilty of a
petty offense with a fine of $500 and a business offense with a
fine of $1,500 for each subsequent violation.

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(c) If the father or putative father of the unborn child
commits a violation of this Section against a pregnant woman
who is less than 18 years of age, and the father or putative
father is 18 years of age or older, he is guilty of a petty
offense with a fine of $500 and a business offense with a fine
of $1,500 for each subsequent violation.
(d) A pregnant woman injured by an abuser's violation of
this Act may bring a civil suit to recover damages for such
injury, including wrongful death on behalf of an aborted child
under the Wrongful Death Act, regardless of whether the abuser
is criminally prosecuted and whether the pregnant woman has an
abortion. In such civil suit, the pregnant woman shall be
entitled to recover, in addition to any other damages, her
reasonable attorney's fees and costs if she is the prevailing
party.
(e) Any dependent or woman who is threatened with
coercion, as defined in Section 10, may apply to a court of
competent jurisdiction for relief. The court shall provide the
dependent or woman with counsel, give the matter expedited
consideration, and grant such relief as may be necessary to
prevent such coercion.
(f) If a dependent's parent, guardian, or custodian denies
financial support to a dependent because of the dependent's
refusal to have an abortion, the dependent is considered an
emancipated minor for the purposes of public assistance
benefits eligibility. Any public assistance benefits may not

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be used to obtain an abortion.
Section 20. Reproductive health care facility
requirements; civil remedies; professional sanctions.
(a) A facility shall conspicuously post signs visible to
all who enter in its waiting, consultation, and procedure
rooms to be clearly readable, which state the following
notices and information:
(1) "It is against the law for anyone, regardless of
his or her relationship to you, to force you to have an
abortion."
(2) "You have the right to contact any local or State
law enforcement or social service agency to receive
protection from any actual or threatened physical,
emotional, or psychological abuse."
(3) "It is against the law to perform, induce,
prescribe for, or provide you with the means for an
abortion without your voluntary consent."
(4) Local and State law enforcement and social service
agency telephone numbers.
The continued posting of such signs shall be a condition
of licensure of any reproductive health care facility under
the Department of Public Health.
The display of such signs does not discharge the duty of a
reproductive health care facility to have a health care
professional orally inform the pregnant woman of information

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required by subsections (b) and (c).
(b) A mandatory reporter shall personally report every
instance of alleged or suspected coerced abortion as defined
in and proscribed by Section 15 to the Department of Children
and Family Services or the local law enforcement authority of
the county the facility is in. The mandatory reporter may not
decide what cases should or should not be reported to the
appropriate law enforcement or the Department of Children and
Family Services, nor may he or she delegate the duties
described in this Section to another person.
The standard to be applied to a mandatory reporter in
determining a reportable suspicion is reasonability in good
faith.
If a mandatory reporter has cause to believe that a
pregnant woman is or was a victim of conduct defined in and
proscribed by Section 15, the mandatory reporter shall make a
report no later than 48 hours after such coercion, force,
attempted coercion, attempted force, threatened coercion, or
threatened force has been brought to his or her attention or
suspicion.
A mandatory reporter shall identify the pregnant woman's
name and address, and, in the case of a dependent, the name and
address of the person who is responsible for the care or
custody of the minor. The mandatory reporter shall also report
any pertinent information he or she may have relating to the
alleged or suspected coercion, force, attempted coercion,

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attempted force, threatened coercion, or threatened force.
The attending health care professional shall orally inform
the pregnant woman that no one can force her to have an
abortion.
(c) In a private room, the attending health care
professional shall orally ask the pregnant woman, without any
individual accompanying her, if she is being coerced or forced
to have an abortion.
(1) If it is reasonably suspected that the woman is
being coerced or forced into having an abortion, the
health care professional shall inform the woman that:
(A) such coercion is illegal;
(B) the woman may have legal remedies;
(C) a request or demand by the father to have an
abortion does not relieve his financial support
responsibilities.
(2) The attending health care professional shall also
provide the pregnant woman with:
(A) information about assistance, counseling, and
protective services offered by:
(i) social programs; or
(ii) local or State law enforcement agencies;
(B) access to a telephone where she can make a
private call; and
(C) an alternate exit from the facility so that,
if necessary, she can exit the abortion facility

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without being seen or confronted.
(d) Any mandatory reporter who has reason to believe a
woman is or has been a victim of conduct defined in and
proscribed by Section 15, and willfully and knowingly does not
report such coercion, force, attempted coercion, attempted
force, threatened coercion, or threatened force as required by
this Act is guilty of a business offense with a fine of $5,000.
Any person who performs an abortion which is inconsistent
with this subsection is guilty of a business offense with a
fine of $5,000.
Any health care professional who willfully violates this
subsection or subsection (b) or (c) shall be referred to the
Illinois State Medical Board for action on whether to suspend
or revoke his or her license.
A pregnant woman injured by a facility's violation of this
Act may bring a civil suit to recover damages for such injury,
including wrongful death on behalf of an aborted child as
provided for under the Wrongful Death Act, regardless of
whether the attending health care professional or the facility
is criminally prosecuted and whether the pregnant woman had an
abortion. In such a civil suit, the pregnant woman, if she is
the prevailing party, is entitled to recover, in addition to
any other damages, her reasonable attorney's fees and costs.
Initial and continuing adherence to the requirements of
this Section shall be a condition of licensure for any
reproductive health care facility under the Department of

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Public Health.
A woman receiving an abortion inconsistent with any
provision of this Act cannot be prosecuted or held civilly
liable.
Section 25. Construction.
(a) This Act does not create, recognize, endorse, or
condone a right to an abortion.
(b) This Act does not make lawful an abortion that is
currently unlawful.
Section 30. Severability. Any provision of this Act held
to be invalid or unenforceable by its terms, or as applied to
any person or circumstance, is construed so as to give it the
maximum effect permitted by law. If such holdings wholly
invalidates or renders the provision unenforceable, the
provision is severable from and does not affect the remainder
of this Act or to other persons not similarly situated or to
other, dissimilar circumstances.
Section 99. Effective date. This Act takes effect 90 days
after becoming law.