Abortion-bill veto saves money, supports life
Lake County Right to Life applauds Gov. Bruce Rauner's decision to veto HB 40.
This pernicious bill would have expanded taxpayer funding of Medicaid abortions. Presently, Illinois' Medicaid program pays only for abortions to cover rape, incest and life of the mother.
If HB 40 passed, Illinois taxpayers would be paying for any abortion, for any reason, during all nine months of pregnancy.
In addition, the passage of HB 40 would cause Illinois taxpayers to pay for the inclusion of abortion coverage in state employee insurance plans.
HB 40 is a moral and fiscal disaster for Illinois. Estimates on the increase in Medicaid abortions run from 12,000 to 15,000 a year.
If the average cost of abortion is $600, times a conservative 12,000, the cost is roughly a million dollars a year. Illinois cannot pay its bills now, so the governor's veto is very good news.
We at Lake County Right to Life hope that the governor's veto is both a moral and fiscal decision. Either way, thank you, Gov. Bruce Rauner, for your promise to veto this pernicious bill.
Bonnie Quirke, President
Lake County Right to Life
Libertyville