Judge Tosses Planned Parenthood Lawsuit Against Texas Sanctuary City

photo credit: Joe Gratz / Flickr

On June 1, an ordinance took effect in Lubbock, Texas, making the city a sanctuary city for the unborn. The enforceable ordinance bans all abortion within city limits. Planned Parenthood filed a lawsuit in an attempt to block the ordinance, but a federal judge has now dismissed it.

District Judge James Wesley Hendrix made the decision, arguing that he does not have the jurisdiction to block the ordinance. “The U.S. Constitution and binding precedent make clear that federal courts do not exist to render advisory opinions on a law’s validity,” he said in his ruling. “Rather, this Court is limited to resolving actual cases and controversies.”

The city of Lubbock applauded Hendrix's decision in a statement.

"Judge Hendrix issued a thorough and well-reasoned opinion in dismissing the case for lack of jurisdiction, which is a threshold consideration for any court to make respecting a lawsuit before it. The City is presently unaware of the plaintiffs’ intentions as to whether an appeal will be filed or whether additional lawsuits will be filed against the City. Nevertheless, the City will continue to vigorously defend the ordinance in any litigation that may be filed."

Planned Parenthood and the ACLU continue to argue that the Lubbock ordinance is unconstitutional, but had not announced an appeal at the time of writing.

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China Announces Continued Population Control Under 3-Child Policy

At the end of May, the Chinese Communist Party announced that it is updating its population-controlling policy by allowing families to have three children, rather than just two. While the policy might be slightly different now, it still violates the human rights of unborn children and their mothers.

In 1979, China instituted its infamous one-child policy with the intent to control the nation's population growth. Under this policy, women were forced into abortion and sterilization if they had more than one child. Additionally, Chinese culture often values male children over female children. Because of this, families often chose to abort girls until they conceived a boy.

When China moved from a one-child policy to a two-child policy, none of these things changed. Women and unborn children continued to receive the same inhumane treatment from the Chinese Communist Party. The government has even gone as far as to send Uyghur Muslims to concentration camps if they violate population-control policies.

Forced and discriminatory abortion has become ingrained in China's culture through propaganda and these tyrannical policies. Many unborn children have already lost their lives to abortion because of this, and the slight change in China's family limit will not make a significant difference.

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Texas Woman Sues Hospital to Save Husband from "10 Day Rule"

A Texas hospital has invoked the state's "10-day rule" against a man who is responsive and doesn't report any pain. The rule allows the hospital to withdraw all care unless a patient's family can find another facility to take the patient within 10 days.

On Tuesday, May 25, Baylor Scott & White Hospital told Eugenia Costea that she had ten days to find a new facility to take her husband, Bill Costea. Bill is on a ventilator, but he is awake and can communicate with others. The hospital argues that he only has weeks to live, and is threatening to remove Bill's ventilator, blood pressure medication, nutrition, and water.

Bill was hospitalized in April 2021 due to heart complications. Now, the hospital has decided that his life is not worth any attempts at care.

“I love my husband,” said Eugenia. “Together we have endured so much. I will fight for his life; I know he would do the same for me.” She has hired an attorney to help defend her husband from the hospital.

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Illinois Passes Bill Requiring Insurance Companies to Cover IVF for LGBT and Single People

On May 27, Illinois legislators passed HB 3709, which redefines infertility in a way that requires insurance companies to cover in vitro fertilization (IVF) costs for single people and those who identify as LGBT.

The state insurance code currently defines infertility as "the inability to conceive after one year of unprotected sexual intercourse or the inability to sustain a successful pregnancy." If signed into law by Gov. Pritzker, the code would force insurance companies to treat LGBT couples and single people as "infertile."

The new definition of infertility describes it as “a person’s inability to reproduce either as a single individual or with a partner without medical intervention,” or “otherwise based on a physician’s opinion.”

IVF creates excess human embryos which are often either destroyed or frozen indefinitely. Just as humans conceived naturally should not be discarded or destroyed by abortion, these human beings do not deserve the treatment they often receive from fertility clinics. Human beings are not products to be bought and sold, with or without insurance coverage. The law should not treat them as such.

The House voted 68-43 in favor of HB 3709, and the Senate voted 49-6.

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Biden Budget Request Removes Hyde Amendment Protections

photo credit: Gage Skidmore / Flickr

On Friday, May 28, President Joe Biden submitted his final budget request to Congress for the 2022 fiscal year. His proposal removes 45-year-old Hyde Amendment language from the federal budget, allowing even more federal tax dollars to fund abortions.

The Hyde Amendment is language that has been attached to all budget bills since 1976. The language bans federal funds from being used to pay for elective abortions except in cases of rape, incest, or when the life of the mother is at risk.

“By eliminating the Hyde Amendment from his proposed budget, President Biden has once again shown his allegiance to the extremism of pro-abortion groups and their allies,” said Carol Tobias, president of National Right to Life.

“The Hyde Amendment has proven to be the greatest domestic abortion-reduction measure ever enacted by Congress,” said Jennifer Popik, J.D., legislative director of National Right to Life. “The Hyde Amendment is widely recognized as having saved over two million American lives since it was first adopted in 1976.”

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Chicago OB/GYN Writes Column In Support of Parental Notification

In an opinion piece for the Chicago Sun-Times, obstetrician and gynecologist Robert Lawler voiced his support for Illinois's Parental Notice of Abortion Act.

The Chicago doctor wrote about a time when he cared for a 14-year old patient who had a botched abortion. The girl developed a severe infection since the abortion clinic had left some body parts of the aborted child inside of her. Lawler performed surgery and removed the remaining body parts, and onlooking doctors cried upon seeing Lawler remove body parts belonging to the deceased baby.

The abortion clinic never returned Lawler's calls asking for information about the botched abortion.

Lawler pointed out that the 14-year old patient he helped might have died if her mother was not made aware of the abortion.

"The Illinois Parental Notification Act is a necessary protection for minor girls," he wrote.

"Keeping the Parental Notice requirement intact in no way affects the ability of a woman in Illinois — of any age — to obtain an abortion, at any point in her pregnancy. To repeal the current law would be reckless and irresponsible. Illinois lawmakers need to understand they will be putting young girls at risk and driving a wedge between parents and children at a time when they may need them the most."

Click here to read Dr. Lawler's article.

URGENT! Call Your Legislators to Protect Parental Notification!

As the spring legislative session comes to a close, pro-abortion legislators are working to push through a bill repealing Illinois's Parental Notice of Abortion Act. Pro-abortion legislators will have until the end of Memorial Day—the final day of this session—to call bills to a vote.

Pro-life advocates need to call their legislators and tell them to VOTE NO and save parental notification!

The Parental Notice of Abortion Act requires abortion businesses to contact a minor girl's parents if she schedules an abortion. The legislation does not require girls to obtain their parents' consent to have an abortion — it merely requires abortion businesses to notify parents or guardians. The law even allows young girls to get a judicial bypass to avoid notifying their parents altogether. Somehow, even this one pro-life protection in Illinois is too much for the abortion lobby.

Parental Notification is important because it allows parents to be involved in the life-changing decision of abortion. Additionally, it protects girls by serving as a warning sign for sex trafficking. Young girls who are trafficked and forced into abortion can be saved by parental notification laws. If parents aren't made aware of the situation, they can't help.

Please call your legislators and tell them not to repeal the Parental Notice of Abortion Act!

To find your legislators and their phone numbers, visit the Illinois State Board of Elections website here and type your address. Please call your state senator and representative to protect parental notification!

Iowa Legislature Approves Amendment Declaring its Constitution Contains No Right to Abortion

Iowa State Capitol
photo credit: Dan Brekke / Flickr

On May 19, the Iowa Senate followed the Iowa House in approving a constitutional amendment declaring that the Iowa constitution does not contain a right to abortion.

The House voted 54-38 and the Senate voted 30-18 to pass the "Protect Life Amendment". The amendment, if approved again by the 2023-2024 legislature, Iowa voters will have the opportunity to vote on the constitutional amendment.

This amendment is a response to a 2018 decision by the Iowa Supreme Court, which (similarly to the infamous Roe v. Wade decision of 1973) declared that the state constitution included an implied right to abortion.

“I’m proud that the Protect Life Amendment is one step closer to being on the ballot,” Iowa Gov. Kim Reynolds said. “This is an important step forward in defending the unborn and upholding the dignity of all human life.”

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Alabama Gov. Signs Born-Alive Protection Bill

Alabama Gov. Kay Ivey (R)

Alabama Gov. Kay Ivey (R) on May 25 signed into law a bill protecting babies born alive after an attempted abortion.

The legislation says that if an infant is born alive after an attempted abortion, a doctor, “shall exercise the same degree of professional skill, care, and diligence to preserve the life and health of the child as a reasonably diligent and conscientious physician would render to any other child born alive at any other location in this state at the same gestational age.”

The House passed the born-alive protection bill by a vote of 75-12, and the Senate passed it by a vote of 31-0.

According to National Right to Life, Alabama is the 36th state to enact a law protecting babies born alive during an attempted abortion.

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Lebanon, Ohio Passes Ordinance Outlawing Abortion

photo credit: Paul's World Tour / Flickr

On May 25, the city of Lebanon, Ohio became the first city in Ohio to ban abortion within its city limits.

The city council voted 6-0 in favor to pass an ordinance outlawing abortion and declaring abortion pills to be contraband. The one council member who opposed the ordinance retired just hours before the vote.

The pro-life ordinance took effect immediately, and it reads, “It shall be unlawful for any person to procure or perform an abortion of any type and at any stage of pregnancy in the city of Lebanon, Ohio” and “It shall be unlawful for any person to knowingly aid or abet an abortion that occurs in the city of Lebanon, Ohio.”

The ordinance defines abortion as “the act of using or prescribing an instrument, a drug, a medicine, or any other substance, device, or means with the intent to cause the death of an unborn child of a woman known to be pregnant.” It includes exceptions for procedures attempted with the intent of saving the child or mother's life.

Those who violate the ordinance can be found guilty of a first-degree misdemeanor. This can lead to six months in jail or $1,000 in fines. The language of the ordinance states that “Under no circumstance may the mother of the unborn child that has been aborted, or the pregnant woman who seeks to abort her unborn child, be subject to prosecution or penalty under this section.”

Over the past several months, more and more cities have passed "sanctuary city for the unborn" ordinances. Lebanon, Ohio is now the 29th city in the nation to pass an enforceable ordinance banning abortion.

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Congresswoman Nearly Run Over While Praying at Abortion Business

Rep. Jackie Walorski (R-IN)

Capitol Police are now investigating a May 15 incident in which Indiana Rep. Jackie Walorski (R) was nearly run over by an Antifa activist while participating in a prayer event outside an abortion clinic.

Real News Michiana (RNM) recently obtained and released security camera footage of the event. In the video, you can see the vehicle swerve across a bike lane and onto the shoulder of the road where Rep. Walorski and another man were walking. Seemingly in an act of intimidation, the vehicle stopped abruptly before hitting them.

Walroski released a statement on the event:

“On Saturday, May 15th, I joined a group of pro-life Hoosiers in prayer while they gathered peacefully near a South Bend abortion clinic. As I was leaving, a vehicle traveling quickly down Lincoln Way West swerved toward the group and came to an abrupt stop just a few feet away from me. Given the recent increase in threats against members of Congress, the U.S. Capitol Police are investigating this incident.

“I stand with my fellow pro-life Hoosiers who work to defend the most vulnerable among us, the unborn. They will not be silenced or intimidated by threats or acts of violence from radical activists. As Americans, we can debate and disagree on fundamental issues, but it is absolutely unacceptable to endanger the lives of others.”

House Minority Leader Kevin McCarthy shared the clip in a tweet and voiced his support for Walorski, writing, "Absolutely sickening. While @RepWalorski and other pro-life Americans were praying together in defense of the unborn, an unhinged leftist nearly ran them over with his car. Conservatives will not be intimidated in expressing our right to free speech and in support of life!"

RNM identified the driver as Antifa activist Michael Case and found a Facebook comment in which he posted "Jackie needs to learn to stay out of the street." RNM also uncovered another video of him threatening pro-life activists.

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Biden Administration Announces Plans to Review Abortion Pill Regulations

Unsurprisingly, the Biden administration has announced that safety regulations governing the distribution of abortion pills are being reviewed.

In April, the FDA announced that, for the remaining duration of the COVID-19 pandemic, it would not be enforcing Risk Evaluation and Mitigation Strategy (REMS) regulations limiting mail distribution of abortion pills. While initially this change was advertised as temporary, many pro-lifers were suspicious; doubting whether the Biden administration would ever bring them back. Now, the FDA has proven their suspicions to be warranted.

REMS protocol requires abortion pills to be distributed in-person by a certified prescriber in a medical setting. By doing so, doctors can describe the process of the abortion pill regimen and perform an ultrasound to verify the unborn child's gestational age and check for pregnancy conditions. If the unborn child has passed a certain gestational age, or if a pregnant woman has a condition such as ectopic pregnancy, taking the abortion pill regimen can cause hemorrhaging and death.

Under REMS guidelines, abortion pill manufacturers are not required to report any adverse reactions except for death. If the protocol is removed, there will be even less data to track abortion pill complications. There are no federal laws that require abortion businesses to track complications.

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Planned Parenthood Gives up Medicaid Funding Lawsuit Against Texas

photo credit: American Life League / Flickr

On May 13, Planned Parenthood gave up on its lawsuit against the state of Texas over Medicaid funding. 

In December 2016, Texas blocked state Medicaid funds from going to Planned Parenthood abortion clinics in the state. Planned Parenthood sued the state in response. A federal judge ruled against Texas's attempt to block funds in 2017, but the Fifth Circuit Court of Appeals overturned that ruling in 2019. The court said that Texas could legally remove Planned Parenthood from the state's Medicaid program.

The Texas Medicaid rule blocking Planned Parenthood from receiving funds was set to take effect on February 4, 2021. The day before, however, the abortion business sued the state once again, claiming that Medicaid patients needed more than 30 days to find a new health care provider. As a result, a federal judge blocked the Texas rule once again. Now, Planned Parenthood has seemingly given up on its legal action.

Texas initially made its decision to remove Planned Parenthood from Medicaid funding after the Center for Medical Progress (CMP) released a series of videos exposing the abortion business for selling body parts harvested from unborn children. David Daleiden, who led the CMP team, tweeted on May 13,

"This morning, @PPGulfCoast DISMISSED their federal lawsuit against their disqualification from Texas Medicaid due to their wrongdoing found on my undercover videos.

Planned Parenthood SURRENDERED today because their sale of baby body parts is indefensible."

It could very well be that Planned Parenthood dropped the lawsuit because it expects the Biden administration to issue new rules granting it access to a significant amount of taxpayer funding.

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Kansas Supreme Court Upholds Law Banning "Wrongful Birth" Lawsuits

Kansas Attorney General Derek Schmidt

In a 5-2 decision made on April 30, the Supreme Court of Kansas upheld a 2013 law banning "wrongful birth" lawsuits against doctors.

The law bans parents from filing lawsuits against doctors who did not inform them that the child has been diagnosed with a condition—such as Down syndrome—or the potential "risks" or "burdens" of having a child with a condition. Parents who file such lawsuits argue that they would have considered abortion if doctors had provided them with this information.

Kansas Attorney General Derek Schmidt, who fought against legalizing "wrongful birth" lawsuits, applauded the Kansas Supreme Court's decision.

“The birth of a child should be cause for celebration, not for the law to award damages because the child was ‘wrongfully’ born,” he told the Associated Press.

Kansas pro-lifers were surprised at the court's decision, as they had ruled in favor of pro-abortion advocates as recently as 2019. In that year, the court ruled 6-1 that abortion was a protected right in the state's constitution.

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Pastor Jon Jones: Repealing Parental Notification would Cause "a major divide in the family structure.”

photo credit: Justin Brockie / Flickr

Pastor Jon Jones, who also spoke on behalf of Parents for the Protection of Girls at a news conference last week, went on WMAY's morning radio program to talk about his opposition to legislation repealing the Parental Notification of Abortion Act.

He again referenced a March 2021 poll by the Tarrance Group showing that 72% of Illinois voters support parental notification.

“I am an African American pastor in the Tinley Park area and amongst African Americans, the percentage is even higher,” Jones told WMAY. “76% of minority men and 74% of minority women support this [parental notification] law.”

He went on to argue that repealing parental notification would damage the family structure.

“Now you have adults and people of influence in your life saying ‘hey, don’t talk to your parents, just go ahead and take care of that,’” Jones said. “That causes a major divide in the family structure.”

When teachers or counselors specifically encourage young girls to avoid talking with their parents about important decisions such as abortion, that undermines their familial relationships. Parents should have the right to know if their daughter is planning to have an abortion because they can provide wisdom and emotional support throughout the process.

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New Idaho Law Defunds Abortion Businesses and Bans them From Teaching Sex-Ed in Public Schools

Idaho Gov. Brad Little (R)

On Monday, May 10, Idaho Gov. Brad Little (R) signed the "No Public Funds for Abortion Act" (HB 220). This law prevents state tax dollars from funding abortion businesses or any initiatives that promote abortion. Additionally, the law bans abortion businesses from contracting with public schools to teach sex education to children.

One effect of this legislation is that Idaho public universities will no longer be allowed to give abortion pills to students. According to LiveAction, abortion pills were available at Boise State University, the University of Idaho, and Idaho State University.

Illinois pro-lifers might recognize that sex education taught by abortion businesses is not far from becoming a reality in our state. HB 1736, known as the REACH Act, would mandate that all schools in Illinois teach sex education in grades k-12. Planned Parenthood has heavily advocated for the bill, indicating that it likely plans to contract with schools to use its pro-abortion sex education materials.

As Illinois's spring legislative session comes to a close, it will become more difficult for pro-abortion advocates to get the REACH act passed, but we should continue to watch this legislation regardless. Illinois legislators have crammed controversial bills through the General Assembly before, and we need to keep them accountable.

Regarding the pro-life Idaho legislation, sponsor Bruce Skaug (R) said, “It’s going to save some children from abortion. I have no doubt about that.” Planned Parenthood-taught sex education would likely have the opposite effect.

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SB 109 Passes Illinois House of Representatives

photo credit: Keith Ewing / Flickr

In the afternoon of Wednesday, May 19, SB 109 passed the Illinois House of Representatives by a vote of 65-48. It will soon be sent to Gov. Pritzker's desk for a signature.

SB 109 would amend the Health Care Surrogate Act to no longer require a witness to sign the Practitioner Order for Life-Sustaining Treatment (POLST) form, which is used when a patient is deciding what kind of treatments they would approve when they are unable to make decisions. Additionally, SB 109 would allow a national POLST form to be used instead of the Illinois POLST form. That form similarly does not require a signature from a witness.

Proponents of this legislation argue that because some patients don't have anyone to sign as a witness for them, the current law should be amended. This reasoning is faulty because the majority of patients do have others available to be witnesses for them. Furthermore, the current requirement does not require that the signing witness be close to the patient. The witness can be anyone.

Witness signatures on POLST forms provide valuable protection that should not be taken away.

Texas Gov. Signs Heartbeat Bill

Texas Gov. Greg Abbott
photo credit: Gage Skidmore / Flickr

On Wednesday, May 19, Texas Gov. Greg Abbott (R) signed into law SB 8, a bill banning most abortions after a fetal heartbeat is detected.

SB 8 requires doctors to first search for a fetal heartbeat before they abort a child. This can be detected as early as six weeks into an unborn child's development. If the abortionist does detect a heartbeat, SB 8 bans any attempted abortions on that child for reasons other than a medical emergency.

Uniquely, this law will not be directly enforced by the Texas government. Instead, SB 8 provides private citizens the ability to take civil action against abortion businesses.

SB 8 is set to take effect on Sept. 1, 2021.

Alexis McGill Johnson, executive director and CEO of the Planned Parenthood Federation of America, tweeted her response on Wednesday:

“And they've included a dangerous provision that allows ANYONE from any state to sue an abortion provider and others who help someone get care?? Absolutely not. Access to abortion has never been more at risk — and we're going to fight back like hell.”

Click here to read more.

National Right to Life: Title X Change Would Allow Taxpayer Funding of Abortion

National Right to Life Committee President Carol Tobias

National Right to Life submitted a letter to HHS Secretary Xavier Becerra on Monday opposing a proposed rule change for Title X funding. The change would eliminate rules set during the Trump administration that barred Title X grant recipients from providing abortion, referring patients to abortion businesses, or co-locating with organizations that provide abortion.

“The proposed rule would allow the creation of an accounting gimmick that enable Title X funds to support abortion services. Providing Title X dollars to abortion facilities frees up other money that can be used to promote and provide abortion,” said Carol Tobias, president of National Right to Life. “The use of taxpayer funds to support abortion services and facilities is clearly prohibited by the law.” 

Tobias added, “The proposed rule change would also require abortion counseling—contrary to conscience protection laws.”

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Planned Parenthood Sues Lubbock, Texas over Sanctuary City Ordinance

After a public election on May 1, the city of Lubbock, Texas became the largest sanctuary city for the unborn in the United States. During that election, the citizens of Lubbock passed an ordinance banning abortion within the city limits. On Monday Planned Parenthood responded by filing a lawsuit against the city.

The ACLU attempted to file a similar lawsuit against seven other sanctuary cities for the unborn in February of 2020, but the pro-abortion organization eventually chose to drop the suit. The ordinances remain in effect today.

Because of this history, Texas Right to life is confident that the Planned Parenthood lawsuit will fail as well. Texas Right to Life's Director of Media and Communications responded to the news:

“Unsurprisingly, Planned Parenthood, which profits off the death of preborn children, is throwing a hodgepodge of complaints at the court and seeing what they can get to stick. In passing the ordinance, Lubbockites acted within their constitutional rights to self-governance and within the scope of current U.S. Supreme Court abortion jurisprudence. The ordinance language is solid and was carefully drafted in expectation of the abortion industry filing a lawsuit.”

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