Court upholds dismissal of lawsuit against abortion funding

SPRINGFIELD, Ill. (AP) - An Illinois appellate court has upheld the dismissal of a lawsuit filed to stop a law that'll expand Medicaid and state-employee group health insurance to cover abortions.

A three-judge panel of the Fourth District Appellate Court ruled unanimously that a Sangamon County judge correctly dismissed the lawsuit filed by anti-abortion groups. The judge ruled in January that courts shouldn't intervene in General Assembly "political questions."

The Catholic Thomas More Society appealed the decision, saying lawmakers passed the measure too late in 2017 for it to take effect Jan. 1 and didn't appropriate funding.

Republican state Rep. Peter Breen of Lombard was a lead attorney representing the pro-life organizations. He said the case will be appealed to the Illinois Supreme Court.

Illinois Gov. Bruce Rauner antagonized prolife groups by signing House Bill 40 in the fall of 2017.