May 23, 2023

52nd Annual Right to Life Convention Begins June 23

National Right to Life will hold its 52nd annual convention on June 23rd to help equip pro-life advocates with skills and knowledge they can use to benefit the pro-life cause.

Visit nrlconvention.com to register if you would like to attend the event.

WHAT:

52nd Annual National Right to Life Convention

WHERE:

Hyatt Regency Pittsburgh International Airport Hotel
1111 Airport Blvd.
Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania 15231

WHEN:

Friday, June 23 – Saturday, June 24, 2023

WHO:

Featured speakers include:

Seth Dillon, The Babylon Bee CEO
Erik Rosales, EWTN News Nightly Capitol Hill Correspondent
Benjamin Watson, Former NFL tight end, pro-life speaker and author National Right to Life President Carol Tobias
Olivia Gans Turner, co-founder of Women Exploited by Abortion and former director of American Victims of Abortion (A.V.A.)
Alex Schadenberg, Euthanasia Prevention Coalition President
Writer, author, and bioethics expert Wesley J. Smith, J.D., Discovery Institute & Humanize Podcast Host
Tom Glessner J.D., National Institute of Family and Life Advocates (NIFLA) Founder and President
Lauren Eden, Abortion Survivors Network
Amy Ford, Embrace Grace President

Montana Gov Signs Bill Outlawing Dismemberment Abortions

On May 16, Montana Gov. Greg Gianforte signed another set of pro-life bills designed to regulate abortion businesses and ensure that Medicaid funds are not used to cover elective abortions. One of these bills outlawed dismemberment abortion, and another prohibits abortion at 24 weeks gestation. Both of these laws were blocked by Judge Mike Menahan after Planned Parenthood challenged them.

Abortionists opt for dismemberment abortions (otherwise known as dilation and evacuation abortions) during the second trimester or later. At these stages, the child has developed too much for the abortion pill or vacuum aspiration methods to be effective.

Dismemberment abortions involve an abortionist reaching into a mother's womb through her dilated cervix with metal forceps. The abortionist uses these forceps to tear the arms and legs from the unborn child's body and crush the child's skull.


“Dismemberment abortion for nontherapeutic or elective reasons is a barbaric practice, dangerous for the mother, and demeaning to the medical profession,” Gov. Gianforte said during a bill signing ceremony. “House Bill 721 makes clear that it has no place in Montana.”

The 24-week ban would have required abortion businesses to perform ultrasounds on any women who seek abortions to confirm that the child is not viable. The abortion business would need to keep written documentation confirming the child isn't viable.

May 22, 2023

New York Gov. Signs Legislation Promoting Abortion Pills

On May 2, New Yock Gov Kathy Hochul (D) signed legislation requiring publicly-funded university systems to facilitate access to the abortion pill.

The new law allows campuses to comply either by hiring abortion pill providers or by referring students to providers. In either case, taxpayer dollars would be used to promote abortion to students at publicly funded universities. The law is set to take effect on August 1.

“Our state has, from the beginning, fought this great fight,” Hochul said at a press conference. “Abortion was legal in New York three years before the rest of the nation, before Roe v. Wade was decided. And we’re going to do everything in our power to stop the backslide while expanding reproductive rights here in our state.”

“And I know that there are states where these battles are going to be waged, which is why I’ve taken action as Governor to make sure that New York remains a sanctuary for anyone seeking reproductive care, that abortion remains safe, accessible, and legal in our state.”

In the same press conference, Hochul advocated for the ratification of the long-dead Equal Rights Amendment, stating that it would "enshrine abortion rights in our Constitution."

May 19, 2023

Nevada Legislators Advance Measure to Create Constitutional Right to Abortion

On May 10, Nevada lawmakers voted to advance a proposed constitutional amendment creating a right to abortion.

The description of the proposed amendment says that it,
“guarantees each individual in this State a fundamental right to reproductive freedom; authorizes the State to regulate abortion care after fetal viability with certain exceptions; and prevents the State from penalizing, prosecuting or taking any other adverse action against an individual or entity for exercising the right to reproductive freedom or for aiding or assisting another individual in exercising his or her right to reproductive freedom.”

To amend the state constitution, legislators must pass the proposal again in 2025 for it to appear on the ballot for voters in 2026.

Abortion is already legal through 24 weeks under Nevada law. This amendment would further cement and expand abortion in the state. Nevada Right to Life argues that the vague and broad language in the amendment would do far more than its description states.

In a legislative alert, Nevada Right to Life argued that the amendment would allow abortion through all nine months of pregnancy, eliminate parental consent, and remove safety regulations.

SJR7 is poorly conceived, poorly written, and is an over-broad word salad that at best will keep Nevada Courts occupied for a decade deciding what it really means and at worst turn Nevada into an abortion industrial complex preying on one of the greatest tragedies a woman faces.

Click here to read more.

May 18, 2023

California Lawsuit Intends to Strike Down Assisted Suicide Laws

A coalition of groups launched a lawsuit challenging California's assisted suicide law on April 25, 2023. The coalition intends to take it all the way to the Supreme Court to strike down assisted suicide laws across the country.

Plaintiffs argue that "California’s assisted suicide law is a violation of the Americans with Disabilities Act, Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act, and the equal protection and substantive due process clauses in the 14th Amendment of the US Constitution." A synopsis of their argument can be found on the coalition's website here.

The Americans with Disabilities Act defines a "terminal disease" as a disability. Thus, the coalition argues that assisted suicide laws discriminate against those with terminal diseases by prescribing them radically different care. These laws steer people towards prescribed death rather than supportive services.

It should be noted that assisted suicide is also prescribed to people with non-terminal diseases and conditions. In some states, HIV, diabetes, or even anorexia are enough for states to allow assisted suicide.

The coalition consists of organizations with disabled members, individual persons with disabilities, and organizations that advocate for the disabled. Members of the coalition include the United Spinal Association, Not Dead Yet, Institute for Patients’ Rights, Communities Actively Living Independent and Free, Lonnie VanHook, and Ingrid Tischer.

Assisted suicide is currently legal in California, Colorado, Hawaii, Maine, New Jersey, New Mexico, Oregon, Vermont, and Washington. Vermont just passed a law legalizing assisted suicide for non-residents, and Oregon currently does not enforce its residency requirement.

North Carolina Legislators Override Veto to Pass 12-Week Abortion Ban

On May 16, North Carolina legislators voted to override Democratic Gov. Roy Cooper's veto of a 12-week abortion ban.

The override votes were strictly along party lines, with Republicans voting as a block in favor of the pro-life law. The House voted 72-48, and the Senate voted 30-20.

The new law, taking effect July 1, will include exceptions for when the mother's life is at risk. In cases of rape or incest, abortion will remain legal until the 20th week of pregnancy. If the child is diagnosed with a life-threatening anomaly, abortion will be legal until 24 weeks.

North Carolina's current law bans abortion at 20 weeks.

The new law also creates a 72-hour waiting period after a mother first visits an abortionist, and it requires the first dose of the abortion pill regimen to be taken in the presence of a physician.

Finally, the law creates several pro-life policies that benefit women. It establishes eight weeks of paid parental leave for teachers and other state employees, and it provides $180 million for initiatives such as child care and foster care.



May 17, 2023

US Supreme Court Upholds Indiana's Law Requiring Humane Treatment of Fetal Remains

A challenge to Indiana's law requiring abortion businesses to bury or cremate the remains of aborted children reached a decision at the US Supreme Court this month.

On May 1, the US Supreme Court ruled that it will not hear the challenge brought by an Indiana abortion business. It upheld a decision by the 7th US Circuit Court of Appeals, which held that the law did not violate the first amendment rights of abortion businesses.

The 7th Circuit wrote in its decision, “A moral objection to one potential implication of the way medical providers handle fetal remains,” the court’s opinion states, “is some distance from a contention that the state compels any woman to violate her own religious tenets.”

This is the second time the Supreme Court has upheld Indiana's fetal remains law. The court held in 2019 that the state had a legitimate interest in regulating the disposal of fetal remains and the law did not inhibit women from obtaining abortions.

Indiana Attorney General Todd Rokita wrote on Twitter, “The Supreme Court’s ruling will allow our state to treat unborn, innocent babies with the dignity they rightly deserve. My office will continue fighting to protect the right to life while the radical left dismisses this invaluable gift.”

May 16, 2023

New Vermont Law Allows Non-Residents to Die by Assisted Suicide

On May 2, Vermont Gov. Phil Scott (R) signed a law making his state the first in the nation to legalize assisted suicide for non-residents.

Vermont's assisted suicide law originally required that any recipients of assisted suicide be residents of Vermont. By removing this requirement, Vermont has opened itself up for "assisted suicide tourism." Vulnerable people from other states will travel to Vermont to be killed by euthanasia.

Mary Hahn Beerworth, executive director of the Vermont Right to Life Committee, testified before a legislative committee in March.

“To be clear, Vermont Right to Life opposed the underlying concept behind assisted suicide and opposes the move to remove the residency requirement as there are still no safeguards that protect vulnerable patients from coercion,” Beerworth said.

May 15, 2023

DeSantis Signs Bill Protecting Conscience Rights

On May 11, Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis (R) signed a bill protecting medical professionals and organizations from being forced to participate in abortions or other controversial procedures.

The law prohibits employers from taking adverse actions against employees who refuse to participate in certain services due to a conscience-based objection. The law defines a conscience-based objection as an objection “based on a sincerely held religious, moral, or ethical belief.” Laws requiring healthcare professionals to provide emergency medical treatment still apply.

Employers break the law if they fire, suspend, or discipline employees due to a conscientious objection.

In addition to medical professionals, the law protects individuals and organizations who provide payments for others' health care services.

“It is the intent of the Legislature to provide the right of medical conscience for health care providers and payors to ensure they can care for patients in a manner consistent with their moral, ethical, and religious convictions,” the legislation states. “Further, it is the intent of the Legislature that licensed health care providers and payors be free from threat of discrimination for providing conscience-based health care.”

The law also forbids the Department of Health and medical licensing boards from taking disciplinary action against medical professionals for taking public stances about healthcare services or public policy.

May 12, 2023

Ohio Legislature Approves Amendment to Increase Majority Needed to Amend Constitution

On May 10, the Ohio House of Representatives voted to approve a resolution that would make it harder to amend the state's constitution. The change would require a sixty percent majority rather than the currently required simple majority. Voters will have the opportunity to vote on this change during a special election in August.

The Ohio Senate had already approved the resolution. The House made some changes, but the Senate quickly approved them after the House voted on May 10.

The resolution would also require citizen-driven ballot initiatives that would amend the Ohio constitution to collect signatures from all 88 counties.

Pro-abortion groups argue that it is not legal for the Ohio legislature to create an August special election by way of joint resolution rather than state law. If the resolution is challenged in court, it may prevent the August special election from taking place.

Pro-life advocates pushed for the resolution after pro-abortion groups submitted a ballot measure for an amendment that would create a constitutional right to abortion in the state. Pro-abortion groups are still gathering the signatures required to place that amendment on the state's November ballot. They face a deadline of July 5 to collect the necessary signatures.

The proposed pro-abortion amendment is also facing a lawsuit from pro-life groups who argue that it should be split into several separate proposals. As written, the amendment would create rights to contraception, fertility treatment, continuing one's own pregnancy, miscarriage care, and abortion.

May 11, 2023

Maryland Gov Signs Pro-Abortion Bills

Maryland Gov Wes Moore (D)
On May 3, Maryland Gov Wes Moore (D) signed a slew of pro-abortion bills into law. One of these advanced a proposed state constitutional amendment creating a right to abortion at all stages of pregnancy.

House Bill 705 will put a proposed constitutional amendment on the ballot. If voters approve it, it would create a “fundamental right to reproductive freedom.” This right would apply through all stages of pregnancy.

Senate Bill 859 protects abortionists from penalties imposed by states with pro-life laws. If an abortionist flees to Maryland after breaking pro-life laws in another state, Maryland officials are prohibited from cooperating with the other state's investigation. Illinois passed a similar law during the lame-duck session in January.

Senate Bill 341 requires public universities to develop and implement a “reproductive health services plan.” This will likely involve taxpayer-funded abortion.

Senate Bill 786 prevents information about an abortion from entering public health records, health information exchanges, and electronic health networks. This legislation could put women's health at risk. Doctors may need medical history to help diagnose current health issues and determine what care to provide. That becomes difficult if information related to a prior abortion and any complications are withheld from medical records.

“It is clear that the public policy in Maryland views abortion as the only possible response to an unplanned pregnancy,” said Assistant House Minority Leader Delegate April Rose. “...There are many women who carry unplanned pregnancies to term, and they should get as much support from the state to access perinatal care, childcare, and even adoption services if they so desire. The types of policies this state is adopting not only support abortion but encourage it. As someone who was fortunate enough to be adopted by a loving family, I truly hope Maryland can focus on ways to support these mothers and the lives of their unborn babies.”

May 10, 2023

Judge Blocks Utah Law Banning Abortion Businesses

On May 2, a state judge in Utah granted an injunction blocking a new law that would ban abortion facilities in the state. His injunction came one day before the law was set to go into effect.

The new law would prohibit the licensing of new abortion facilities, and it would force existing abortion clinics to close once their licenses expire. The ACLU and Planned Parenthood filed a lawsuit challenging the law; arguing that it violates the state constitution's rights to privacy and bodily integrity.

Judge Andrew Stone wrote in his ruling that the law "singles out" abortion clinics and that abortions performed by outpatient clinics are "equally as safe as those performed in a hospital."

Assistant Attorney General Lance Sorenson argued otherwise. “(Hospitals) operate under higher standards of care pursuant to the regulations,” Sorenson said. “They have better emergency care — that’s why (Planned Parenthood) transfers cases to hospitals annually for emergency care.”

Abortion businesses don't have the resources to treat women during medical emergencies caused by abortion. Hospital transfers are a common occurrence. Over the last month, Operation Rescue has reported on seven medical emergencies caused by abortion clinics in Illinois.

Stone's injunction will allow Utah's four abortion businesses to remain open for the time being.

May 9, 2023

Granite City Abortion Clinic Hospitalizes Four Women in Two Months

patient being wheeled into an ambulance outside
Hope Clinic for Women on March 16, 2023
This year during March and April alone, pro-life advocates have documented four medical emergencies at Hope Clinic for Women (HCW) in Granite City, Illinois.

Sidewalk advocates outside the clinic reported these emergencies to Operation Rescue, a pro-life organization that documents hospitalizations caused by abortion businesses. Operation Rescue was able to retrieve 911 recordings through information requests in three of these cases.



On March 10 at about 10am, an HCW employee called 911 to request an ambulance for a patient that was "having some bleeding" and was "currently stable." Except to confirm that the patient had "a procedure," the 911 operator did not ask any other questions about the patient's condition. This is out of character for calls of this nature. In other calls obtained by Operation Rescue, dispatchers often ask whether the patient is conscious, whether she is on blood thinners, or how long she has been bleeding.

On March 16, an employee called 911 shortly after noon to request an ambulance for a 22-year-old patient. Again, the dispatcher asked very few questions. The HCW employee requested that the patient be transferred to Barnes-Jewish Hospital in St. Louis, Missouri. HCW is located directly across the street from a hospital, so requesting transport to St. Louis would cause a significant delay in care.

This is not the first time HCW has requested that patients facing medical emergencies be transported to Barnes. Operation Rescue suggested that Barnes's status as a level 1 trauma care center with a surgeon on duty 24/7 may have something to do with the request. 

On March 29, an employee from HCW called 911 just before 4pm to request an ambulance for a 26-year-old woman with "more bleeding than we would like her to." HCW again requested that the patient be transported to Barnes. The 911 dispatcher followed up with several questions, but she complained and apologized to the HCW employee several times. The dispatcher described the "new system" as "a pain." The dispatcher asked whether the patient was conscious or on blood thinners before the recording ends.

Operation Rescue asked for the full recording of each call, but Granite City cut this particular recording short. Additionally, the city refused to provide dispatch reports for any of these emergencies. Operation Rescue is usually able to retrieve these reports from other cities.

On April 28, pro-life onlookers witnessed a patient on a gurney being wheeled into a private ambulance with RuralMed EMS. Operation Rescue pointed out that RuralMed is based in Farina, Illinois, a 1.5-hour drive from HCW. The clinic would have called the private ambulance company directly, so Operation Rescue is unlikely to find any 911 records related to this emergency.

“Of all the abortion clinics currently operating, this is certainly one of the most deplorable,” said Troy Newman, President of Operation Rescue. “We are working hard, doing all that is within our power, to close the doors of this death trap once and for all.”

May 8, 2023

Montana Gov. Signs Pro-Life Bills

Montana Gov. Greg Gianforte (R)
On May 3, Montana Gov Greg Gianforte signed several pro-life bills into law. He promised to sign five more when they reach his desk.

The legislation signed by Gianforte includes:
  • the Infant Care and Safety Act, which provides legal protections for children born alive during attempted abortions. The law reinforces protections for children born during attempted abortions by requiring medical professionals to provide the same level of care that would be provided to other children born at the same gestational age. This legislation protects abortion survivors from being left to die if they are born alive during attempted abortions.
  • legislation prohibiting abortion after 24 weeks gestation. It contains an exception for instances when the mother's life is in danger.
  • legislation requiring abortion businesses to report adverse events that occur during the use of abortion pills. The federal government only requires abortion businesses to report fatal adverse events.
  • legislation reinforcing conscience protections for medical professionals. These protections make sure medical professionals have the right to refuse to perform abortions or prescribe certain kinds of drugs.
  • legislation preventing state tax dollars from being used to fund elective abortions.
“This package of pro-family, pro-child, pro-life bills will make a lasting difference in Montana,” Gianforte said. “We couldn’t have done it alone, and I just want to thank the thousands of Montanans throughout the state who made their voices heard and made today possible.”

May 5, 2023

Danville, IL Passes Sanctuary City for the Unborn Ordinance

photo credit: Mark Lee Dickson / Facebook
On the evening of May 2, the city council of Danville, Illinois voted 8-7 to approve a "sanctuary city for the unborn" ordinance. This makes Danville the 67th city in the US (and the first in Illinois) to approve such an ordinance.

Danville Mayor Rickey Williams, Jr. was the tie-breaking vote.

The new ordinance requires compliance with federal statutes known as the Comstock Act. These statutes prohibit the mailing or receiving of abortion-inducing drugs or abortion paraphernalia. The ordinance finds that the 1873 Comstock Act “imposes felony criminal liability on every person who ships or receives abortion pills or abortion-related paraphernalia in interstate or foreign commerce” and that all such acts are “offenses under the federal Racketeer Influenced and Corrupt Organizations (RICO) Act.”

Because abortion clinics don't manufacture their own drugs or equipment, this interpretation of the Comstock Act could effectively ban abortion in the United States. Clinics and manufacturers could be subject to criminal liability for mailing drugs and equipment intended to cause abortion.

Danville citizens pushed for the ordinance in response to the Indianapolis abortion business "Clinic for Women" purchasing property there. The business likely intends to flout pro-life Indiana laws by directing women across the Illinois border.

Before the meeting, Illinois Attorney General Kwame Raoul and the ACLU of Illinois sent letters to the city council arguing that the ordinance is unlawful under Illinois's 2019 Reproductive Health Act. Additionally, the Illinois Pharmacy Association attended the meeting to argue that the ordinance violates the Illinois Pharmacy Practice Act.

The ordinance argues that Illinois law cannot supersede federal law. Therefore, Illinois law cannot create a right for citizens to perform activities that are considered criminal under the Comstock Act.

Arguments by the Illinois Pharmacy Association caused several council members to fear that the ordinance would negatively impact the health of community members who might need mifepristone, misoprostol, or methotrexate to treat health conditions unrelated to pregnancy or abortion. These concerns were addressed after the meeting by Attorney Jonathan Mitchell.

“This ordinance does nothing to restrict the shipment or receipt of drugs that are used for non-abortion purposes,” Mitchell said. “It remains legal to ship and receive mifepristone and misoprostol if the intended use does not involve abortion.” 

Mitchell is credited as being one of the minds behind Texas's Heartbeat Act, and he has agreed to represent the city and its taxpayers at no cost if the ordinance causes the city to face litigation.

May 4, 2023

Kansas Legislators Override Pro-Abortion Governor's Vetoes

Three pro-life bills in Kansas were passed into law last week after legislators voted to override pro-abortion Gov. Laura Kelly's vetoes.

Kansas House Bill 2313, House Bill 2325, and House Bill 2264 will protect abortion survivors from medical neglect, prevent taxpayer dollars from supporting abortion, and require abortionists to inform women about abortion pill reversal.

House Bill 2313 requires medical professionals to treat children born alive after attempted abortions the same as any other children born at the same gestational age.

House Bill 2325 prohibits abortion businesses from buying liability insurance from a state fund.

House Bill 2264 requires abortion businesses to inform women about abortion pill reversal as part of the process for prescribing abortion pills. If a pregnant mother changes her mind after taking the abortion drug mifepristone, abortion pill reversal can save her child's life.

May 3, 2023

Vermont and Washington Pass Bills to Allow Mifepristone if FDA Approval Ends

Vermont and Washington state both passed bills that would legalize the distribution of mifepristone in those states, regardless of whether the drug is approved by the FDA.

On April 27, Vermont's House and Senate passed House Bill 89. The bill would legalize any abortion drugs approved by the FDA before Jan 1, 2023 (regardless of their current approval status), and characterize them as "reproductive health care services."

On the same day, Washington Gov. Jay Inslee signed Senate Bill 5768. The Washington law authorizes the Department of Corrections (DOC) to acquire and dispense mifepristone. The DOC would be empowered to sell these pills to abortion businesses.

The bills are a response to the ongoing legal challenge against the FDA's approval of the abortion pill. Alliance for Hippocratic Medicine v. U.S. Food and Drug Administration, which originates from a 20-year-old petition that the FDA did not respond to in the 180 days required. It alleges that the approval process didn't follow legal requirements and was based on faulty science.

May 2, 2023

ERA Revival Resolution Defeated Again in US Senate

On April 25, a measure claiming to revive the long-dead Equal Rights Amendment (ERA) by retroactively removing its ratification deadline failed in the Senate. While this may not have been the intent of its writers, the 1972 ERA is now interpreted by many to create a constitutional right to abortion. 

The Senate voted 51-47 in favor of the amendment, but 60 votes were required to end debate and bring the measure to a floor vote. Even if the resolution passed in the Senate, it was almost certainly doomed in the House.

The vote was mainly along party lines. Republicans Lisa Murkowski (AK) and Susan Collins (ME) sided with Democrats in favor of the resolution.

To ratify an amendment, it must be approved by three-quarters of the states. The ERA contained a ratification deadline of June 30, 1982, but several states decided to hold sham votes claiming to approve the amendment after this deadline. Between 2017 and 2020, the state legislatures of Illinois, Nevada, and Virginia voted to approve the amendment. These states then claimed that the two-thirds majority had been reached, and the amendment should be added to the US Constitution.

Judges appointed by Obama, Trump, and Biden have all ruled against the legality of such ratification efforts. The most recent ruling was in February by the US Court of Appeals for the District of Columbia. The case was unanimously decided by a panel of judges appointed by all three presidents.

Additionally, six states have voted to rescind their ratifications. Five did so before the original ratification deadline, and North Dakota voted to do so in 2021.

May 1, 2023

Des Plaines Abortion Clinic Waits Five Hours to Call 911 for Hemorrhaging Patient

American Women's Medical Center in Des Plaines, IL
911 records obtained by Operation Rescue revealed yet another medical emergency caused by American Women's Medical Center in Des Plaines, Illinois. On October 7, 2022, the facility waited five hours to call for an ambulance after an abortion caused a 30-year-old patient to hemorrhage.

This is the same abortion clinic that nearly killed a patient by overdosing her on Fentanyl two months ago.

In the October 7 emergency, a clinic employee called 911 shortly before 3pm to request an ambulance. She told the 911 dispatcher that the hemorrhaging patient started bleeding after having an abortion at 10am, nearly five hours earlier.

Hemorrhaging is a common complication of both surgical and drug-induced abortions. If left untreated, blood loss from hemorrhaging can result in death.



When the dispatcher asked the employee if there was any medical staff with the patient, she responded, "She doesn't have any medical issue but, she is uh, her ninth pregnancy."

The dispatch report says that the first ambulance experienced a mechanical failure before it reached the patient. Emergency personnel had to dispatch a second ambulance before they could retrieve the bleeding patient.

“The odds seemed to have been stacked against this woman,” said Operation Rescue President Troy Newman. “First, the abortionist delayed calling 911 for emergency medical assistance for five long hours as this woman lay there hemorrhaging – a condition that could be life-threatening. Then, the ambulance stalled on the way.

“We pray she survived the events of that terrible day and that the experience will open her eyes to the truth of what she has done – perhaps multiple times. May she call on God’s mercy and forgiveness and begin to live a life that honors Him.”

April 28, 2023

Update on SB1909

Despite an overwhelming number of slips being filed in opposition to SB1909, the Illinois House Health Care Availability & Accessibility Committee on April 25 voted 5-3 to advance the anti-PRC bill for a vote before the full House of Representatives.

The committee vote was along party lines.

Pro-life advocates filed a total of 18,028 witness slips opposing the legislation. Only 3,927 people filed slips in support of the legislation.

Pro-life advocates should reach out to their representatives and urge them to oppose SB1909.


Known as the "Deceptive Practices of Limited Services Pregnancy Centers Act," SB1909 threatens legal action against PRCs that allegedly use "deception, fraud, false pretense, false promise, or misrepresentation, or the concealment, suppression, or omission of any material fact" to persuade women against abortion or offer pregnancy-related services.

Pro-life groups take particular issue with the vague "omission of any material fact" language. "Material fact" is not defined by the bill. If a judge decides that information regarding where a pregnant mother can have an abortion constitutes a "material fact," then a PRC could be convicted for refusing to refer a mother to an abortion business.
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