More than a dozen groups and lawmakers who oppose abortion have filed a lawsuit challenging a new law providing taxpayer-funded abortions.

The Thomas More Society filed the action Thursday. It says including abortion among procedures covered by state employee health insurance and Medicaid beginning Jan. 1, 2018 is illegal.

GOP state Rep. Peter Breen is Thomas More’s lawyer. He says taxpayers morally object to financing up to 30,000 abortions annually.

He adds it’s illegal because there’s no state budget to cover them and because lawmakers held onto the legislation so long that the Constitution bars it from taking effect earlier than June 1, 2018. State Senators Dale Fowler and Paul Schimpf are among the eight lawmakers who bringing the lawsuit. Ten anti-abortion groups and the Catholic Diocese of Springfield are also on-board.