A Sangamon County Circuit Court hearing has determined that a taxpayer lawsuit against State of Illinois officials can proceed. This case results from the enactment of the controversial HB 40 abortion funding bill.

Thomas More Society Special Counsel Peter Breen presented initial arguments before Associate Judge Jennifer M. Ascher of the Seventh Judicial Circuit Court, Sangamon County on December 6, 2017.

Petitioners, including multiple state legislators, pro-life organizations, and the Diocese of Springfield in Illinois, were granted leave to file their complaint in HB-40-Petition-Complaint-FINAL-as-filed. The Attorney General’s office did not oppose that decision.

Peter Breen remarked: “What happened in Springfield is the first step in what we are hopeful and confident will be the successful vindication of the rights of Illinois taxpayers against the misuse of government funds.”

Judge Ascher set a date of December 28, 2017, to hear a motion to dismiss from the Illinois officials being sued.

The next steps by the Thomas More Society attorneys will depend on a response from the state agency directors who are responsible for implementing HB 40, as to whether they intend to put the law’s directives into practice on January 1, 2018. If that is the case, the plaintiffs may be back in court prior to December 28 to request a temporary restraining order and preliminary injunction.

Breen continued: “What happened in Springfield is the first step in what we are hopeful and confident will be the successful vindication of the rights of Illinois taxpayers against the misuse of government funds.”