The Illinois House on Tuesday voted for a measure expanding access to abortions, The Hill reported.
The bill, which would lessen restrictions on abortions later in pregnancy and remove criminal penalties for physicians who perform them, passed by a margin of 64 to 50, according to local ABC News affiliate, News Channel 20.
The new bill would also mandate insurance coverage for procedures and contraception.
Democratic Rep. Kelly Cassidy, who sponsored the bill, said it merely codifies current abortion practices in Illinois, but is necessary due to Republican-controlled legislatures in other states passing measures to restrict abortion.
Illinois Republican Party Chairman Tim Schneider harshly criticized the vote, saying “In just a few short years, the Democrat Party in Illinois went from advocating ‘safe, legal and rare’ to abortion on-demand, at any time, for any reason, and funded by taxpayers."
NARAL Pro-Choice America’s Illinois chapter sent out a tweet praising the bill.
“The Reproductive Health Act protects the right to safe and legal abortion, removes outdated and dangerous restrictions, and will ensure abortion is treated like any other form of healthcare. To the Senate it goes!”
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