Legislative session was partisan assault on individuals' rights

When Illinoisans go to the polls, they select individuals who will serve as their legislative voices when public policy decisions are made.

Unfortunately, the voices and opinions of constituents were cast aside during the recent veto session, as statehouse Democrats used supermajority muscle to push through an aggressive agenda. From attacks on parental rights, to allowances for discrimination in the workplace, to another gerrymandered map, to the blocking of Republican bills that address the statewide surge in violent crime, Illinoisans witnessed new levels of partisan politics in October.

The Parental Notice of Abortion Act (PNA) and Healthcare Right of Conscience Act (HCRCA) are two statutes that came under attack during veto session. Both laws were put in place to protect Illinoisans against government interference and overreach, yet both were dismantled in ways that diminish the parent-child relationship and reduce protections for Illinois workers.

I believe parents have no more important role than to protect their children's medical and emotional health as kids navigate life's most difficult decisions. In fact, the legislature has put a multitude of laws in place that dictate at what age children can engage in a variety of activities, taking into account their maturity and judgment.

Placed into context, a minor child cannot get a tattoo, go to a tanning bed or get their ears pierced, but under the repeal of the PNA, a young girl can undergo a major medical procedure without even informing her parent or guardian.

Thousands of Illinoisans objected to the repeal of PNA. They were ignored. Now Illinois is one of just a few states that believes it is OK for girls as young as 11 to get an abortion without a parent or guardian knowing about it.

The HCRCA prohibits discrimination against individuals who refuse to take part in any healthcare service or procedure that is contrary to their religious or personal beliefs. But when Gov. Pritzker unilaterally put vaccine mandates in place for many Illinois businesses and fields, Illinoisans pushed back and pointed to protections guaranteed in the HCRCA. Rather than adjust his mandate to fit within the confines of existing law, the governor decided to create a carve-out within the HCRCA for COVID-19.

On the larger scale, this is not about vaccines. I'm fully vaccinated. It's about a dangerous precedent that allows the stripping away of protections against workplace discrimination.

We saw an unprecedented level of public engagement when the HCRCA amendment moved through the legislative process. More than 54,000 everyday Illinoisans filed witness slips in opposition to the bill. Never before have so many individual Illinoisans felt so strongly that they placed their opposition into the official record. Illinoisans were clear in their message to lawmakers: Don't go down the path of carving out exceptions that diminish protections for workers. Don't infringe on our rights to make decisions that align with our beliefs and convictions. Democrats ignored this public mandate, and instead decided it's OK for people to be discriminated against in the workplace and even to lose their jobs if they do not submit to the heavy hand of state government.

While parents' and people's rights were diminished in a matter of days, the legislature failed to address the surge in violent crime that makes people across the state feel unsafe in their communities. Republicans filed comprehensive, statewide public safety legislation weeks ago that would get illegal guns off the street and put violent criminals behind bars. But at the same time the majority party was bending to the governor's wishes, legislative initiatives that would address the root causes of the spike in crime were denied hearings. Efforts to strengthen criminal penalties and improve public safety were blocked.

All of this brazen action (and inaction) is made possible through a legislative map-drawing process that allows Democrats to choose the constituents they want to represent. This makes elections less competitive and all but eliminates the need for accountability. With accountability unnecessary, Illinoisans' voices become irrelevant. Legislators don't listen to people's opinions because they don't have to.

• Illinois Sen. Don DeWitte is a Republican from St. Charles.