Illinois Gov. JB Pritzker signs law shielding abortion patients' medical records

Governor JB Pritzker signed the Reproductive Health Records Privacy Act into law in Illinois. The legislation bars the sharing of abortion‑related and gender‑dysphoria information with out‑of‑state entities, requiring that such data be separated from a patient’s digital medical record and disclosed only with the patient’s consent. The law takes effect on July 1, 2027.

Pritzker said the measure protects patients from retaliation and prevents states from weaponizing health data. State Senator Celina Villanueva, a sponsor of the bill, emphasized that residents and out‑of‑state seekers should not live in fear of their private health information being used against them. House sponsor Mary Beth Canty added that Illinois will not follow other states that treat essential health care as a crime.

Illinois has become a major destination for abortion services since the 2022 Dobbs decision, with about 32,000 people seeking abortions in 2025—roughly a quarter of the 142,000 who traveled from other states. The new act joins other Illinois statutes designed to shield patients and providers from out‑of‑state investigations and prosecutions.