Rock Island Today

Rep. Jeanne Ives (R-Wheaton) says she warned Gov. Bruce Rauner that he was making a mistake by signing controversial abortion legislation this fall.

"It's mystifying and very discouraging to have our Republican governor sign it when he said he had no social agenda," Ives (R-Wheaton) said at a Rock Island appearance in October. "It's legislation that has never been enacted across the United States ever before, Democrat or Republican. Gov. Rauner called me prior, and I said, 'Sir, disregarding the moral issue, I'm telling you right now, we will be the laughingstock of the United States if you sign that bill as a Republican. 

"You just started a brand new, open-ended entitlement program – for whatever reason, it is morally reprehensible by many of us, but for whatever reason – when the state is dead broke.'"

Illinois State House Rep. Jeanne Ives (R-Wheaton) on the House floor this past summer, criticizing then proposed tax increases that later passed the Democrat-controlled House

Ives, a mother of five who served in the U.S. Army after graduating from West Point Military Academy and who has been in the House for approximately four years, made her remarks at a Lower Rock Island County Adventure Barbeque.

Ives recently announced her possible run against Rauner because of the bill, which forces state health insurance and Medicaid to cover abortions. So far, she has begun circulating a nomination petition.

HB40 passed the Democrat-controlled General Assembly in May, and although Rauner had been counted on to veto it, he signed the legislation on Sept. 28, saying that he has always supported abortion rights and "no woman should be forced to make a different decision than another woman would make purely based on her income."

Implementation of HB40 is set for Jan. 1.

Ives has been joined by other GOP members in attacking Rauner over the law. Rep. Barb Wheeler (R-Crystal Lake) declared in early October that "it makes us all free agents in regards to what happens in the veto session."

"This veto session is going to be very different than what he probably could have expected had he stayed with us when we asked him to," Wheeler said.

Ives also has been a vocal proponent of property tax reform, has taken to the House floor to criticize the tax increases that have passed there, and generally worked to promote conservative policies and values in the General Assembly.

"We've got to be honest," she said. "This next election is really going to be about who's being honest with you and who is being honest with the people of Illinois. That's the only way we're going to get out of this."

Ives also said Illinois would be "kicking butt" if not for its overwhelming burden of debt and other financial issues.

 "It's killing many of our small towns," she said. "So, it's time for honest conversations with people out there, so that we can figure out how to get out of this in the future."