The Illinois Department of Public Aid will continue to pay for abortions for poor women whose health is endangered by pregnancy because of Gov. Jim Edgar’s decision Tuesday to veto a strict anti-abortion bill.
The bill, sent to Edgar by the legislature in May, enraged abortion rights advocates because it would have prohibited the state welfare agency from paying for abortions except when necessary to save a woman’s life and in certain rape and incest cases. Critics feared it would cut poor women off from abortion options.
Edgar sent a letter to lawmakers Tuesday informing them of his decision.
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“Abortion is a very private and emotionally charged issue,” Edgar wrote. “It is not a decision that should be dictated by whether or not (a woman) can afford to pay.”
Abortion rights proponents described the veto as Edgar’s most favorable action on an abortion bill during his two terms in office. While Edgar supports a woman’s right to an abortion, he has also given approval to legislation curbing its use by minors.
But even as abortion rights groups chalked up a victory, those on the other side said they feel the situation in the state Capitol will be more favorable for them in the future. Both candidates for governor in November’s election describe themselves as “pro-life.”
Abortion opponents did not rule out the possibility of seeking an override of Edgar’s veto during the fall post-election veto session but conceded it would be hard to accomplish. The bill passed the legislature with the support of a majority of each chamber; a veto override would require that three-fifths of each chamber support it.
“Obviously, those chances are not good,” said Ralph Rivera, lobbyist for Illinois Citizens for Life.
The measure had been considered one of the strongest anti-abortion bills in Illinois in recent years. It would have eliminated all public funding of abortions except when needed to save a woman’s life.
The measure also stipulated that victims of rape or incest could only get Medicaid funding for abortions when federal law required payment and if victims first reported the sexual assault or abuse to police. That provision in particular outraged critics of the proposal.
“It would have meant a young girl would have to report abuse by a family member before she could get Medicaid to pay for an abortion,” said Luellen Laurenti, the National Organization for Women’s lobbyist in Springfield. “This is a scary scenario. This just shows you the importance of having a governor who understands this issue.”
A spokesman for Secretary of State George Ryan, the Republican nominee for governor, said Ryan shares that concern.
“He was troubled by the provision that requires women who have just undergone the trauma of rape or incest to get a police report before seeking medical attention,” Ryan spokesman Dave Urbanek said.
Ryan is against abortions except in cases of rape and incest or when the life of the mother is in danger and doesn’t object to public funding in those cases, Urbanek said.
Joshua Silverman, campaign manager for U.S. Rep. Glenn Poshard, the Democratic nominee for governor, said Poshard has voted to allow public funding for abortion in cases of rape, incest and when the life of the mother is endangered.
As a result of the governor’s veto, the current law stands. Public Aid can pay for abortions when needed to preserve a woman’s health and does not require victims to report sex crimes to police first.
In the 1997 fiscal year, the state paid for 16 abortions in cases of rape, 12 to save the life of the mother and 30 to preserve the health of the mother, according a department spokesman.