Stuart-Backed Resolution Opposes Extreme Anti-Choice Senate Bill

SPRINGFIELD, Ill. – State Rep. Katie Stuart, D-Edwardsville, helped pass a formal resolution opposing a Republican bill introduced last week to the Illinois State Senate, seeking to classify reproductive healthcare services—including in vitro fertilization (IVF) treatments—as capital murder. 

“Every single step of this bill is illogical and reprehensible,” said Stuart. “Criminalizing a conception method is nonsensical, and taking things a step further to make the punishment for that crime death is unimaginable. I will continue to work to pass legislation that protects women and their right to choose—not sentence women to death for seeking healthcare.” 

Senate Bill 3572 severely punishes women seeking reproductive healthcare, specifically abortion services, with no exceptions for rape or incest. The legislation states that all embryos and fertilized eggs are considered human beings in the eyes of the law. Thus, under this bill, abortion and IVF treatments would be labeled as murder, and the subsequent penalties for women and medical professionals would be harsher than the penalties for rapists and abusers. 

House Resolution 695 vehemently opposes Senate Bill 3572, reaffirming support for survivors of rape and incest, parents trying to start a family, and any and all women seeking legal reproductive healthcare, for any reason, in Illinois. The resolution also highlights similar legislation made legal in Alabama in 2024, where anti-choice Republicans nationwide remarked that IVF would be protected—indicating that extremist bills like Senate Bill 3572 would never be supported within their party. 

“While Republicans claim to represent family values, this legislation does the opposite,” said Stuart. “It’s oxymoronic that the proposed consequence for terminating a pregnancy—or, according to this bill, receiving any kind of reproductive care—is death. Unlike my colleagues across the aisle, I will continue to protect our women and families.”