Kane County Reporter

Governor J.B. Pritzker signed SB 1169 into law this week after facing opposition from Illinoisans residents that State Senator Donald DeWitte called “unprecedented.” 

The law is an amendment to the Healthcare Right of Conscience Act (HCRC), which was originally designed to allow medical professionals the right to refuse participation in medical practices that violated their personal beliefs, such as abortions, according to WSILTV.  The new amendment makes it so that COVID-19 mitigations, such as mask mandates and vaccine requirements, are not covered under the HCRC.

“I voted against SB 1169 and believe the issue is bigger than vaccines. I believe the legislation sets a dangerous precedent that says it’s OK to discriminate against or even fire someone who stands firm in their religious or personal convictions," said DeWitte, according to a press release from his office. 

In the wake of the amendment's proposal and passing, over 50,000 witness slips had been filed in opposition to the bill throughout the state of Illinois, according to Capitol News Illinois. Those who opposed the legislation claimed that the changes would infringe on an individual's right to make their own health care decisions regarding COVID 19. 

"Democrats ignored these residents, and together with the governor instead said it is OK for people to be discriminated against in the workplace and even to lose their jobs if they do not submit to the heavy hand of state government," said DeWitte in the release. 

With the amendment in place, Pritzker hopes that vaccine requirements in places like schools, businesses, state and local governments will help mitigate the spread of deadly, communicable diseases like COVID-19 without the possibility of legislative circumvention, according to WSILTV. 

DeWitte had been particularly outspoken regarding his disapproval and called the opposition to SB 1169 “unprecedented" in a press release.  

The legislation is set to go into effect on June 1, 2022.