Abortion opponents see an opening in Illinois

Thousands of abortion-rights activists gather in front of the U.S. Supreme Court after the Court announced a ruling in the Dobbs v Jackson Women's Health Organization case on June 24, 2022 in Washington, DC. The Court's decision in Dobbs v Jackson Women's Health overturns the landmark 50-year-old Roe v Wade case and erases a federal right to an abortion. Photo credit (Photo by Chip Somodevilla/Getty Images)

By WBBM Newsradio Staff

(WBBM NEWSRADIO) — Organized opponents of abortion met Friday in Chicago to celebrate the U.S. Supreme Court’s reversal of Roe v Wade -- and strategize.

The high court decision sends abortion laws back to individual states, many of which have moved to restrict or ban abortion.

Right to Life Executive Director Amy Gehrke said changing laws here is more likely if abortion opponents can convince Illinois voters that the statutes are “radical.”

Another goal is to prevent abortion expansion.

“Right now, Illinois has supermajorities of pro-abortion legislators in both our House and our Senate, and our focus is going to be on stopping some of the pro-abortion legislation that we’ve heard rumored is going to be coming,” Gehrke said.

Illinois Gov. JB Pritzker on Friday stressed that abortion remains legal in this state.