COOK COUNTY STATE'S ATTORNEY EILEEN O'NEILL BURKE ISSUES STATEMENT ON URGENT NEED FOR REPRODUCTIVE HEALTH FACILITIES PROTECTION LEGISLATION
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE:
May 19, 2025
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COOK COUNTY STATE'S ATTORNEY EILEEN O'NEILL BURKE ISSUES STATEMENT ON URGENT NEED FOR REPRODUCTIVE HEALTH FACILITIES PROTECTION LEGISLATION
“The deadly terrorist attack in Palm Springs was a heinous and intentional assault on women’s reproductive freedom and is unfortunately only the latest such example across the country. This is exactly why I worked to introduce legislation (HB2679/SB2026) that ensures any such incident in Illinois is treated as the terrorist act that it is, and it’s a shame certain interest groups and legislators worked behind the scenes to put a brick on it. I encourage its reconsideration and swift passage.” — Cook County State's Attorney Eileen O'Neill Burke
In addition to working with legislative partners to introduce statewide legislation, Burke last week announced the formation within her office of the Choice Protection Unit (CPU), the first of its kind across the country. The CPU, which is led by a courthouse supervisor and consists of attorneys, investigators, and administrative personnel from across the office with expertise in criminal and civil law, will handle cases that involve violence against abortion providers or patients seeking abortion care. As more women visit Illinois for these services after the demise of Roe V. Wade, the CPU ensures women’s access to reproductive services will not be harmed and serves as a model for other prosecutors’ offices to follow. There’s a record of increasing violence against Illinois abortion providers: Clinics in Peoria and Danville have been targeted by arsonists, while a facility right in Chicago’s West Loop has become a magnet for escalating acts of intimidation. In Cook County, the CPU will be a legal bulwark against threatening tactics and brings together a resourced team to study and stay on top of activities and trends in this emerging area of jurisprudence.
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