Peoria Standard

State Sen. Sally Turner (R-Beason) is warning lawmakers pushing for the repeal of the Parental Notice of Abortion Act (PNA) such action only stands to leave the group they insist its designed to help more vulnerable.

“By repealing this act we're going to make it easier for sexual predators and sex traffickers to abuse our children,” Turner said at an Oct. 19 press conference on the PNA and the legislation that would repeal it. “Sex trafficking experts have already noted that traffickers seek out states with no parental involvement. They know that if their victim is a minor and they want to force them into an abortion they have to prove a parent was informed and if we vote to repeal this law we will help make the daughters of our state a target for them.”

Turner wonders what good supporters of the repeal effort think can come from parents not having a legal right to be made aware of their minor daughter undergoing an abortion at least 48 hours prior to any such procedure.  

“The facility just merely has to tell the parent or the guardian that they're going to get one,” she said. “Our state government has a history of telling minors and even young adults that they aren't prepared to make important decisions, yet we're trying to pass this legislation that makes it possible for a minor to make a very important health decision that could have both physical and mental consequences while parents are left in the dark.”

Turner dismisses arguments by supporters of the legislation who say such measures are now needed in light of recently passed legislation in Texas that bans most abortions.

“Without notification, there will be children in our state that will needlessly continue to suffer because no one knows what's happening,” she said. “On behalf of parents in Illinois, I beg the majority party not to repeal the parental notice of abortion act.”