Lawmakers send Rauner controversial bill to expand abortion coverage

Sept. 25--A Democratic state senator lifted his procedural hold on a bill that would expand taxpayer-subsidized abortions for women who have Medicaid or state employee health insurance coverage, sending the measure to a Republican governor who's offered mixed signals on the issue.

Sen. Don Harmon's move Monday means Gov. Bruce Rauner will have 60 days to decide what to do with House Bill 40. The legislation has become the focus of abortion rights groups that contend the re-election-seeking Rauner won his first term by saying he had no social agenda and noting his prior financial support of organizations that back women's reproductive health rights.

Harmon said he had not received any assurances that Rauner would sign the measure after the governor's prior veto pledge, but said he believed it was time to officially send the measure to Rauner's desk.

"I believe the work that the advocates have been doing over the last several months has had an effect on the governor," said Harmon, of Oak Park. "I would like to focus on the substance of the bill and not the political gamesmanship. I'm hopeful the governor will sign the bill as it has passed the General Assembly."

Abortion rights advocacy groups had said they did not want to see the measure go to Rauner's desk until the governor had committed to sign it as is. Harmon said he expected the groups would strengthen their current campaign pushing the governor to sign the bill after it reaches his desk.

As lawmakers in the Democratic-controlled General Assembly considered the legislation in April, Rauner threatened a veto, contending the concept of taxpayer-funded abortions was too divisive in Illinois. The bill received final passage in the Senate on May 10, but Harmon put a hold on it.

Rauner's veto threat came despite his response to an April 2014 governor candidate questionnaire from the abortion rights political action committee Personal PAC in which he pledged to support the goals of the legislation.

"I dislike the Illinois law that restricts abortion coverage under the state Medicaid plan and state employees' health insurance because I believe it unfairly restricts access based on income," Rauner's response on that survey said. "I would support a legislative effort to reverse that law."

For months, the field of Democrats angling to take on Rauner in next year's general election repeatedly attacked Rauner over his veto threat.

Last week, Rauner declined to take a position on the bill when reporters asked him about it. That contrasted with Rauner's veto pledge, which had been considered a key demand for the loyalty from some conservative Republican lawmakers going into the 2018 election campaign.

Rauner said he had been meeting with those on both sides of the issue and "listening to their points of view."

Harmon said he was "encouraged the governor has moved (on the legislation) from supporting, to threatening to veto, to now moving to an undecided position. I think he's coming back in the right direction."

The legislation also would prevent a trigger in current Illinois law that abortion rights supporters contend would make the procedure illegal in the state if the U.S. Supreme Court overturned its landmark 1973 Roe v. Wade ruling. Rauner previously had indicated he would support lifting the "trigger" provision while opposing expansion of taxpayer-subsidized abortions.

Harmon, however, said if Rauner decides to do anything beyond signing the bill in its original form, it would be dead. A veto override or a vote on accepting written changes in an amendatory veto would not be considered by lawmakers.

Holding onto the bill had allowed Democrats to use it as a political tool to put the governor in a tricky position as he seeks re-election. Rauner needs to appeal to his conservative base, which opposes the bill, especially in the run-up to the March primary. So far, Rauner does not have a primary opponent, but signing the abortion bill means he could draw one.

Vetoing the bill, however, risks angering suburban moderates, a crucial voting bloc for the fall 2018 general election.

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