Public Act 102-0685
 
HB0370 EnrolledLRB102 02739 LNS 12742 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 Youth 
Health and Safety Act.
 
    Section 5. Findings and declaration of policy.  The General 
Assembly finds, determines, and declares the following:


        (1)   In 2019, the State of Illinois enacted the 
    Reproductive Health Act to establish and affirm the 
    fundamental right of all individuals in our State to make 
    their own decisions about their reproductive health care 
    without government interference.


        (2)   Illinois' support of reproductive health care 
    stood in stark contrast to actions in other states aimed 
    at limiting,  and even banning,  access to reproductive 
    health care, including abortion care. The Reproductive 
    Health Act further established Illinois as a bulwark in 
    the protection of access to reproductive health care in 
    the Midwest.  The pace of attacks on the fundamental right 
    of individuals to make autonomous decisions about their 
    lives has accelerated dangerously since 2019.


        (3)   So far in calendar year 2021, 47 states considered 
    severe abortion restrictions, including 10 bans in direct 
    conflict with the basic guarantees contained in Roe v. 
    Wade and the protections codified under the Reproductive 
    Health Act. Additionally, the Supreme Court of the United 
    States is being asked to overturn the holding in Roe v. 
    Wade in a case concerning an abortion ban in Mississippi, 
    a development threatening to leave millions of Americans 
    without access to abortion care.


        (4)   These attacks reached their zenith with the 
    passage of an abortion ban in Texas that deputized 
    individuals across the country to act as "bounty hunters" 
    allowing for lawsuits against physicians providing 
    abortion care to people who are pregnant and others 
    helping those seeking that care.


        (5)   Illinois again is called to be an example for the 
    nation in the protection of reproductive health care while 
    also working to establish healthy family communications, 
    protecting the health and safety of youth including those 
    who are pregnant and parenting, and investing in 
    individuals throughout their lives.


        (6)   It is in the public policy interest of the State to 
    ensure that Illinois residents, and individuals coming to 
    the State of Illinois to access reproductive health care, 
    are safe and free from barriers to access, including, but 
    not limited to, medically unnecessary waiting periods, 
    bans on particular reproductive health procedures, and 
    restrictions or legal threats when accessing reproductive 
    health care. The State of Illinois recognizes it is not 
    the role of government to deny access to reproductive 
    health care for its residents and those traveling to the 
    State to access healthcare, especially those who are 
    traveling to the State of Illinois because of the 
    implementation of severe abortion restrictions in their 
    home states.  It is also in the public policy interest of 
    the State to protect and support providers of reproductive 
    health care and ensure that there are no penalties 
    targeting providers, and individuals who support or aide 
    those seeking reproductive health care in Illinois. The 
    State of Illinois also opposes criminal litigation 
    directed at those who provide healthcare or support to 
    individuals traveling from states with such laws.


        (7)   The Youth Health and Safety Act seeks to restate 
    Illinois' commitment to full and equitable access to 
    reproductive health care for all persons across the State, 
    without barriers based on race or ethnicity, immigration 
    status, age, geographic location, economic means, 
    education level, or other categories of identity. The Act 
    confirms that Illinois will not move backwards and will 
    continue to assure that reproductive rights are protected 
    and recognized.

 
    Section 10. The Youth Health and Safety Advisory Working 
Group; duties and responsibilities.
 
    (a) The Youth Health and Safety Advisory Working Group is 
created for the purpose of identifying and reviewing laws and 
regulations that impact pregnant and parenting youth and youth 
that may become pregnant or a parent. The working group shall 
identify existing and needed resources for pregnant and 
parenting youth, and youth seeking reproductive healthcare. In 
this Act, "youth" means an individual under 18 years of age.

    The working group shall prepare and make public a report 
that details available information and makes recommendations 
as necessary.

    (b) The working group shall identify laws and regulations 
that impact pregnant and parenting youth, or that may impact a 
pregnant or parenting youth, and provide information and 
resources on topics related to healthcare, including, but not 
limited to the following:

        (1)   consent to medical care, including what healthcare 
    and treatments are available, and access to confidential 
    treatment and care;

        (2)   pregnancy, abortion, adoption, and parenting;

        (3)   counseling services, including, but not limited 
    to, reproduction and sexual health, pregnancy and 
    post-pregnancy, mental health, family, and parenting;

        (4)   emancipation; and

        (5)   insurance coverage.


    (c)   The working group shall identify and provide 
information and resources that encourage and support open 
communication and conversation between youth and their 
families and other trusted people in their lives, including, 
but not limited to, counseling services, classes and 
workshops, talk and text-lines, online and social media 
options, tools targeted to parents and adults, and tools 
targeted to youth.

    (d)   The working group shall identify and provide 
information and resources for pregnant and parenting youth 
related to education, employment, housing, food access, child 
care, and human trafficking, including the prevention of 
trafficking.

 
    Section 15. Membership; meetings.
    
    (a)     The members of the working group shall include and 
represent the diversity of the people of Illinois, and shall 
be composed of the following:
        
        (1)   Four members appointed by the Senate President, 
    with at least 2 youth.
        
        (2)   Two members appointed by the Minority Leader of 
    the Senate, with at least one youth.
        
        (3)  Four members appointed by the Speaker of the House 
    of Representatives, with at least 2 youth.
        
        (4)   Two members appointed by the Minority Leader of 
    the Speaker of the House of Representatives, with at least 
    one youth.
        
        (5) One State Representative appointed by the Speaker 
    of the House of Representatives.
        (6) One State Representative appointed by the Minority 
    Leader of the House of
Representatives.
        (7) One State Senator appointed by the President of 
    the Senate.
        (8) One State Senator appointed by the Minority Leader 
    of the Senate.
        (9) Four members appointed by the Governor, with at 
    least 2 youth.
    (b)     Appointments for the working group shall be made on or 
before August 31, 2022.

    (c)     Members shall serve without compensation.

    (d)     The Department of Public Health shall provide 
administrative support to the working group.

 
    Section 20. Report; dissolution.  The working group shall 
issue a report based upon its findings. The report shall be 
submitted to the Governor and General Assembly no later than 
July 1, 2023.
 
    Section 25. Repeal.  This Act is repealed on January 1, 
2024.
 
    Section 90. Public Act 89-18, approved June 1, 1995, as 
amended,  is repealed.