A new law signed Friday will help protect the privacy of out-of-state residents seeking reproductive and gender-affirming health care in Illinois.
The bill restricts the delivery of automatic license plate reader data to out-of-state law enforcement for the purposes of investigating or enforcing a law regarding a person’s reproductive health care, gender-affirming care, or immigration status. Some states have passed legislation allowing them to prosecute their own residents who seek abortion care in other states.
“In Illinois, we will not let this technology be abused and weaponized as a tool to hunt people down based on a lawful decision that took place during an appointment with their doctor,” said Sen. Sara Feigenholtz, D-Chicago.
“We have a long history of welcoming those seeking refuge in our state – and this law will help protect that important aspect of our history….We have witnessed 20 states systematically dismantling the right to choose in this country plank by plank.
As anti-choice zealots around the country continue to look for every nook and cranny to criminalize those seeking reproductive health care, we continue to protect them.”
