The Illinois Attorney General has written a letter to the Mayor of Danville urging the city not to approve a proposed ordinance.  The proposal seeks to ban abortion in the city by not allowing the delivery or use of medicine or equipment that can be used in abortions.
 

The measure is on the agenda for Tuesday's city council meeting.
 

Attorney General Kwame Raoul reminds Danville that the Reproductive Health Act recognizes a fundamental right to abortion in Illinois and prohibits government from infringing on that right. The law specifically limits home rule municipality powers: a municipality may not regulate an individual’s ability to freely exercise the fundamental right to an abortion in a manner more restrictive than that set forth in the Reproductive Health Act. Raoul says state law expressly preempts Danville’s home rule authority to enact the proposed ordinance. He says enacting the proposed ordinance risks considerable legal liability and expenses for Danville. Legal action can be brought against any governmental official or entity  that attempts to deny, restrict, interfere with, or discriminate against an individual’s exercise of the fundamental rights set forth in the Act, according to Raoul,
 

The Illinois Attorney General’s Office will continue to closely monitor the status of the proposed ordinance and stands ready to take appropriate action to ensure that Illinois law, including the Reproductive Health Act, is adhered to by Danville and its elected officials.

Those making the proposal say that federal laws could be adhered to instead of state laws. An organization and attorney from Texas says it will provide legal serves to defend the proposal.
 

A large crowd of supporters of both sides of the proposal are expected at tonight’s city council meeting.  The regular meeting starts at 6 p.m. After that meeting there will be a reorganization meeting to swear in recently elected city officials and make committee assignments.