Jacksonville State Representative C.D. Davidsmeyer blasted Governor J.B. Pritzker for calling a special session of the General Assembly to work on codifying abortion rights into state law. Pritzker called for the special session in the wake of the U.S. Supreme Court’s repeal of the 1973 Roe v. Wade decision. Pritzker hasn’t talked about exact specifics of what he wants lawmakers to put into law after the repeal.
Davidsmeyer says the State of Illinois needs to work on issues that aren’t already settled: “Illinois is a destination for abortion already. The Democrats have already legalized everything that they can possibly do with abortion including: taxpayer-funded elective abortions, as well as a 12-year old being able to go into their doctor and get an abortion without even notifying their parents. Illinois is going to waste money – hundreds of thousands of dollars – to come back [to session] for something like this when Downstate communities are talking about having rolling brown outs because of lack of energy; we’ve got $5 gasoline; we’ve got inflation going through the roof…and we’re going to bring back a special session so that the governor and the Democrats can make a special point about an issue that the State of Illinois has already decided. I think it’s absolutely ridiculous that we are wasting this time and money.”
Davidsmeyer also blasted the state for failing to maintain the Jacksonville Developmental Center grounds: “The State of Illinois can’t even afford to mow the yard. We’re going to spend hundreds of thousands of dollars to bring the General Assembly back for something the state has already decided. It’s absolutely ridiculous and the governor should be ashamed of himself.”
Democratic leaders are talking about the special session coming to fruition after the 4th of July holiday.