Assisted Suicide Defeated in Hawaii
State Legislative Sessions Coming to an End

By Dave Andrusko

An already solid session in state legislatures around the country became a "10" on May 2 when an Oregon-like assisted suicide proposal was defeated after three Hawaiian state senators switched their votes.

The 13-12 vote in favor of the measure became 11-14 against when state senators Rod Tam, Donna Mercado Kim, and Bob Hogue, who had earlier voted for the bill, changed their votes to oppose the measure. (One senator changed from opposing the bill to supporting it.)

Strongly supported by Gov. Ben Cayetano, the bill had already been approved by the state House. (For complete coverage of the new Hawaiian law, see story, page one.)

Meanwhile, on the very last day of the Alabama legislative session, Gov. Don Siegelman signed what Mary Spaulding Balch, NRL director of state legislation, called "Casey plus."

"In the Casey decision, the Supreme Court gave its okay to what we call 'Woman's Right to Know' legislation," Balch said. Such laws include a 24-hour waiting period after a woman requests an abortion for her to consider the comparative risks of abortion and childbirth, along with alternatives, and, if she wishes, an explanation of her child's development to that point.

"Alabama included an additional backup protection for women: the abortionist must have an ultrasound available if the mother wishes to see her unborn child," Balch said.

And while pro-lifers in West Virginia and Iowa were unable to pass their Women's Right to Know laws, they did make significant progress. For example, only a last-minute veto by Gov. Robert Wise could derail the West Virginia law, which passed both houses easily and enjoyed widespread popular and media support. Seventeen states now have passed such laws.

Meanwhile, in Iowa, pro-lifers worked the session down to its final hours and passed a genuine ban on human cloning. The measure "experienced smooth sailing" in the House, Balch said, but "ran into stormy weather in the Senate." In the end, however, pro- lifers prevailed and Gov. Tom Vilsack signed the measure. Passage in Iowa raises to six the number of states with bans on human cloning.

Another pro-life initiative--Unborn Victims of Violence legislation--passed in Utah, Idaho, and Nebraska. As of May 2002, 27 states recognize that there is a second victim when a pregnant women is assaulted and her child injured or killed. Fourteen states include the child throughout pregnancy, another 13 for part of the pregnancy.

In addition, Wisconsin passed a "Safe Haven" measure. These laws encourage mothers of newborns who are unable to care for them to anonymously and safely leave their babies at designated locations rather than abandon or kill them. Thirty-eight states now have passed versions of safe haven legislation.

Mississippi and Oklahoma passed laws authorizing "Choose Life" license plates. In addition, Alabama, Florida, Louisiana, and South Carolina have such laws, which provide for a portion of the revenues to go to crisis pregnancy centers. Kansas passed its law only to have it vetoed by Gov. Bill Graves.

But as pro-lifers make gains, Balch warned, pro-abortionists are becoming more adroit at undermining and subverting pro-life initiatives.

"To give you some idea how far we've come, it's very instructive to see the extent to which pro-abortionists are using various parliamentary tricks to sabotage pro-life legislation," she said. "They used to rely on sending legislation to hostile committees," Balch noted, "but nowadays they are more 'creative.'"

In one state, a very popular measure passed in the House. The rules provide that the actual piece of paper on which the law is written be physically transported over to the other house.

"This one got 'lost' for just long enough that when it was 'found' in the Senate there wasn't time to get it passed," Balch said. "Pro- lifers must be diligent until the very last second."