SPRINGFIELD, Illinois (CWNews.com) - A proposed law under consideration by Illinois' Senate could require all hospitals in the state, including the 50 Catholic hospitals, to provide abortifacient "emergency contraception" to rape victims.

    The Becket Fund for Religious Liberty said in an open letter to Senate President James Philip last week that it would challenge the law in court if passed as a violation of the constitutional right to freedom of religion. The bill, HB3201, would require all hospitals to provide "oral and written information concerning ... postcoital emergency contraception," and "medication ... for use as postcoital emergency contraception."

    "These requirements would force medical professionals in the 50 Illinois hospitals sponsored by the Catholic Church to violate fundamental teachings of the Catholic faith under penalty of law," the Becket Fund said.

    So-called emergency contraception uses drugs to prevent a fertilized ovum, an unborn child, from implanting in his mother's womb and causing a spontaneous abortion. "The use of 'postcoital emergency contraception' once ovulation has occurred serves only to prevent implantation of a fertilized ovum," the group said. "That, under long standing Catholic moral teaching, is an abortion. Needless to say, Catholic hospitals and their personnel cannot perform abortions or refer patients to others for abortions."