Pro-Lifers Moving Ahead Around the Nation

By Dave Andrusko

By almost any index, the 2003 state legislative sessions have been a genuine success for pro-lifers. Having said that, however, it is also true that replicants of very dangerous cloning bills have shown up in a number of state legislatures which "demand our closest attention," said Mary Spaulding Balch, NRLC director of state legislation. (See related story, page 17.)

"All in all, the states have done quite well - - and there are still prospects for more victories," Balch said. "However, in some respects the real long-term story of 2003 may be states such as New Hampshire and Oregon, which have fought entrenched anti-life forces for decades, who have taken that crucial first step forward in passing protective legislation."

For example, New Hampshire's winters may be brutally cold but for 30+ years they have been warm in comparison to the response in the legislature to pro-life initiatives. But on March 18, the House Judiciary Committee passed by one vote a parental notice bill, once thought to be an impossible task. A week later the bill narrowly secured passage in the full House 187-181. (See story, page one.)

In Oregon, "Persistence paid off again when the House passed a Woman's Right to Know bill 34-22," Balch said. "Like New Hampshire, this represents a breakthrough of enormous proportions." The battle in both states now moves to their Senates.

Balch patiently explained to NRL News the length and breadth of pro-life successes. Literally as she was running through the list, a phone call came in about Virginia.

The state had passed three measures. In the Commonwealth of Virginia's system, the legislature comes back after the session is over to deal with gubernatorial vetoes and suggested amendments. Pro-lifers were unable to override a veto by pro-abortion Gov. Mark Warner (D) of a "Choose Life" license plate. However they did turn back his attempts to finesse changes in the newly enacted parental consent bill and a partial-birth bill.

Warner tried to delete the provision that required that a parental statement of consent be notarized. Without that language, a minor could easily write her own statement of permission.

The partial-birth measure makes it a crime to kill a born-alive child, including a child only partially attached to the mother's body. Warner proposed a "health" exception, the result of which would have been to completely negate the effect of the law.

Balch explained that because the governor's amendments in both cases were rejected by more than a two-thirds margin, they cannot be returned to Warner for a potential veto. Both are set to take effect July 1.

Women's Right to Know bills continue to enjoy widespread support. For the most part they require that a woman be given factual information about her child prior to an abortion, exposure to alternatives, and 24 hours to reflect on the information she has been given.

West Virginia, quickly becoming a pro-life powerhouse, passed its bill which became law March 7 when the governor chose to neither sign nor veto it. (Pro-lifers were confident they had the votes to override a veto by Governor Wise.)

Minnesota's Women's Right to Know bill passed the House the last day of March. That proposal really ran the gauntlet: it had to be approved by five different committees. Minnesota's bill adds a provision that the woman be told what is known about fetal pain. That measure is now being debated in the Senate.

A number of other proposals were enacted. In South Dakota, abortionists who use ultrasound to target the unborn now must give the mother the option of seeing that same ultrasound.

A bill to require abortionists to offer women the opportunity to view an ultrasound image of their unborn baby before having an abortion has passed the Arkansas Senate and referred by the House Public Health, Welfare, and Labor Committee to the House floor for a vote.

An interesting and important twist is that the bill creates a state web site which will contain the information in their woman's right to know booklets - - beautiful pictures of the developing unborn child at various stages.

And Arkansas passed a "Choose Life" license plate. Passage increases the number of such state laws to seven.

South Dakota's busy legislative year included a new law that requires that a "permit for disposition" be obtained from the state prior to burial or disposal of an unborn child weighing 500 grams or more. It is a way for the state to know how many later term babies are dying in South Dakota.

Meanwhile both the Kansas House and Senate have passed regulations requiring that abortion clinics meet basic safety requirements.

Other states have passed measures in one house, with the outcome in the other body still uncertain.