SPRINGFIELD — In response to the federal administration’s plan to collect private medical information, Governor JB Pritzker issued an executive order to restrict autism-related data collection and sharing.

State Senator Julie Morrison (D-Lake Forest), who has served as co-chair of the bipartisan and bicameral Disability and Accessibly Caucus, commended the state’s response, releasing the following statement:

“The federal administration has depicted individuals with autism as those who do not lead fulfilling lives or contribute to their communities, and that can’t be further from the truth. Tracking individuals with autism — what Health and Human Services Secretary Kennedy has declared ‘a tragedy’ and ‘an epidemic’ — will reduce them to a data point without clarity on how this information will be used.

“People across the country are rightfully concerned about what this means for their rights, safety and future. Illinois will not stand by while the autism community is misrepresented and tracked without informed consent. We remain committed to protecting the privacy and autonomy of every resident. Health data is personal and will remain that way for all Illinoisans.

“My nephew and thousands of our friends, colleagues and neighbors deserve the same privacy that we all expect. Governor Pritzker has my complete support on this order.”