Jun 1, 2019

Illinois moves to establish abortion access as a "fundamental right"

Protestors n Evanston, Illinois on May 21, 2019. Photo: Xinhua/Wang Ping/Getty Images

An Illinois bill that establishes the "fundamental right" for women to have abortion access passed in the state Senate on Friday evening, the Chicago Tribune reports.

Why it matters: Illinois joins a growing list of states that are rushing to protect abortion access as restrictions ramp up — in some instances without exceptions for rape or incest — in a number of other states.

Details: The Illinois bill, or Reproductive Health Act, states that a “fertilized egg, embryo or fetus does not have independent rights" and repeals Illinois's 1975 abortion law, thereby eliminating criminal penalties for physicians who perform abortions and other restrictions on facilities where abortions are performed and provisions for waiting periods or spousal consent.

The bottom line: Illinois Gov. J.B. Pritzker is expected to sign the bill, which outlines some of the strongest abortion protections in the country.

Go deeper: State-by-state chart of where things stand if Roe v. Wade falls

Go deeper

Axios

Updated 17 mins ago - Politics & Policy

Coronavirus dashboard

Illustration: Sarah Grillo/Axios

Global: Total confirmed cases as of 8 a.m. ET: 6,294,222 — Total deaths: 376,077 — Total recoveries — 2,711,241 — Map.
U.S.: Total confirmed cases as of 8 a.m. ET: 1,811,277 — Total deaths: 105,147 — Total recoveries: 458,231 — Total tested: 17,340,682 — Map.
Public health: Nearly 26,000 coronavirus deaths in nursing homes have been reported to federal health officials —Coronavirus looms over George Floyd protests across the country.
Federal government: Trump lashes out at governors, calls for National Guard to "dominate" streets.
World: Former FDA commissioner says "this is not the time" to cut ties with WHO.
🎧 Podcast: The virus didn't go away.

Other resources (<1 min. read)

Dion Rabouin

22 mins ago - Economy & Business

More than 1 in 6 black workers lost jobs between February and April

Adapted from EPI analysis of Bureau of Labor Statistics data; Chart: Andrew Witherspoon/Axios

As is often the case, the staggering job losses in the coronavirus-driven recession have been worse for black workers.

By the numbers: According to a report from the Economic Policy Institute, titled "Racism and economic inequality have predisposed black workers to be most hurt by coronavirus pandemic," more than 1 in 6 black workers lost their jobs between February and April.

Go deeper (<1 min. read)

Dion Rabouin

30 mins ago - Economy & Business

Coronavirus could lower GDP by $15.7 trillion

Reproduced from Congressional Budget Office; Chart: Axios Visuals

The CBO released projections on Monday for U.S. nominal GDP to be lower by $15.7 trillion over the next decade than its estimate in January as a result of the coronavirus pandemic.

What they're saying: It predicts that when adjusted for inflation GDP will be $7.9 trillion lower over the next decade and down by $790 billion in the second quarter of this year — a 37.7% quarterly contraction.

Go deeper (1 min. read)