The repealed legislation had required notification, not consent as in many other states. The Democratic official reportedly said that the previous law had badly affected girls that were "victims of rape and physical abuse in unsafe homes.”
"With reproductive rights under attack across the nation, Illinois is once again establishing itself as a leader in ensuring access to health care services," Pritzker said.
The governor’s action was predictably criticized by Republican lawmakers, who claimed the law would harm relations between parents and children and is not what most Illinois residents want.
"It’s the most basic human relationship that we know and it is a precious bond for a lifetime, most critical during a young girl’s, a minor’s, formative years," said Republican Sen. Jil Tracy of Quincy. "We have enough problems in the state without creating more wedges between children and their parents."
Republican state Representative Avery Bourne said the repeal is "out of touch with a majority of Illinoisans" and claimed it puts girls in "danger,'' according to the Sun-Times.
"Parents deserve the right to know if their minor child is seeking any major medical procedure," he added. "Instead, today the Democrat majority has chosen to recklessly push those rights to the wayside."
The new law envisages the creation of the Safety Advisory Working Group, which would protect the interests of pregnant minors and parents as well as address human trafficking.