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Bill Funds 20 New Elementary School Health Clinics Offering Condoms and Birth Control for Students

Would also provide abortion referrals without parental notification or consent

By Peter J. Smith

SPRINGFIELD, Illinois, May 23, 2007 (LifeSiteNews.com) – Condoms and contraception for elementary students are among the services of 20 new school proposed health clinics in a bill under consideration by Illinois’ House of Representatives.

SB 715 passed 32-22 by the state Senate faces a second reading in the House, which if approved would go to the governor for signing.

While the state’s Administrative Code specifically allows the current 48 school-based clinics in Illinois to offer "family planning" by "prescribing, dispensing, or referring for birth control," the Illinois Family Institute reports SB 715 intends to introduce the programs to elementary school students, who would also receive condoms and birth control along with band aids, ice, and routine medicinal care.

Under SB 715, $5 million would be used to create 20 new school health centers, which could then dispense birth control and condoms to students, and then provide abortion referrals without parental notification or consent.

By encouraging condom and birth control in elementary schools, the bill would implicitly contradict Illinois' long time public policy and statutory language requiring that "course material and instruction shall stress that pupils should abstain from sexual intercourse until they are ready for marriage."

Although advocates of SB 715 say parents need to sign a consent form, IFI points out that parents cannot pick and choose which services they want for their child at current “school based clinics.” Unless they sign the form allowing their child to receive all the services, their children will receive no services if injured.

The IFI has urged its supporters to contact their state representatives. SB 715 was opposed by Republicans in the Senate. Democrats control both houses of the Legislature and for the bill to fail, a number of Democrats would have to join Republicans in opposing the measure.

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