SPRINGFIELD, Ill. (WCIA) -- An Illinois law protecting people against discrimination of reproductive health decisions will go into effect at the start of 2025.

State leaders said no one should face discrimination for the personal decisions they make about their reproductive health, including getting fertility care and an abortion.

"This legislation is more than a law -- it's a declaration of human dignity," Lieutenant Governor Juliana Stratton said. "We're affirming that personal medical decisions belong to individuals, not employers or institutions. Illinois is not just protecting a right; we're championing a fundamental principle of personal autonomy and bodily integrity."

The law protects discrimination from areas like employment, housing, financial credit, and public accommodations. It clarifies and extends the civil rights protections in the Illinois Human Rights Act.

Reproductive health decisions protected under the law include using technologies to assist like in-vitro fertilization, pre-, intra-, and postnatal care, abortion and birth control, fertility or sterilization and miscarriage management.

"The law is a common-sense measure to ensure that personal decisions about reproductive care do not affect a person's livelihood," Illinois Department of Human Rights Director, Jim Bennett, said. "This law protects Illinoisans and visitors from discrimination or retaliation based on the decisions they need to make concerning whether, when, and how to start a family."

The full language of the law can be found here. Officials said anyone with questions on the Illinois Human Rights Act or rules and regulations from IDHR should call (312) 814-6262 or complete the Contact IDHR online form.