March 29, 2023
Coast Guard Announces Plans to Pay Abortion Travel Expenses
March 28, 2023
Oklahoma Supreme Court Upholds Trigger Law with Caveat
Oklahoma Supreme Court Chief Justice M John Kane IV |
“The law in Oklahoma has long recognized a woman’s right to obtain an abortion in order to preserve her life (“unless the same is necessary to preserve her lie”). Our history and tradition have therefore recognized a right to an abortion when it was necessary to preserve the life of the pregnant woman. This right can be viewed as protected by the Oklahoma due process section. It can also be viewed as a right protected under the inherent rights provided in article II, section 2 of the Oklahoma Constitution.… We hold that the Oklahoma Constitution creates an inherent right of a pregnant woman to terminate a pregnancy when necessary to preserve her life. We would define this inherent right to mean: a woman has an inherent right to choose to terminate her pregnancy if at any point in the pregnancy, the woman’s physician has determined to a reasonable degree of medical certainty or probability that the continuation of the pregnancy will endanger the woman’s life due to the pregnancy itself or due to a medical condition that the woman is either currently suffering from or likely to suffer from during the pregnancy. Absolute certainty is not required, however, mere possibility or speculation is insufficient."
March 27, 2023
Hawaii Gov Signs Law Protecting Abortionists, Repealing Parental Notification
Hawaii Gov. Josh Green (D) |
March 24, 2023
Illinois March for Life Holds Rally at State Capitol
Formerly "March for Life Chicago," the organization changed its name to "Illinois March for Life" last year after the US Supreme Court overturned Roe v. Wade. Rather than holding annual marches in Chicago, Illinois March for Life now plans to hold annual rallies at the capitol while the legislature is in session.
Among the bills currently being considered by state legislators are HB2463 and SB1909. The two bills would enact the "Deceptive Practices of Limited Services Pregnancy Act." If passed into law, it would empower the Illinois Attorney General to investigate pro-life Pregnancy Resource Centers (PRCs) whenever he "believes it to be in the public interest that an investigation should be made to ascertain whether a limited services pregnancy center has engaged in, is engaging in, or is about to engage in, any practice declared to be unlawful by the Act."
No evidence or complaint is required for the Attorney General to launch an investigation. The Catholic Conference of Illinois has expressed fears that investigations could be endless, forcing PRCs to close.
Practices declared to be unlawful by the act include "using or employing any deception, fraud, false pretense, false promise, or misrepresentation, or the concealment, suppression, or omission of any material fact" with the intent to "interfere" with a person trying to access abortion or "emergency contraception." Because "material fact" is not defined, many pro-life advocates fear that an Attorney General could interpret the law to punish PRCs that refuse to refer women for abortions. Clinics found guilty of violating the law could be fined up to $50,000.
Springfield Catholic Bishop Thomas J. Paprocki led a mass service at Sangamon Auditorium before the events of the day. "Fear and anxiety can push women to believe that abortion is their only option," he said. "As Catholics, we know that abortion is never the answer for a woman in need."
Click here to watch a recording of the rally at the capitol.
US Supreme Court Throws Out Ruling that Court Clerks can be Sued for Denying Parental Notification Bypass
Vermont Becomes Second Assisted Suicide Tourism State
March 23, 2023
Two Wyoming Pro-Life Bills Pass into Law
Wyoming Gov. Mark Gordon (R) |
March 22, 2023
New Mexico Gov. Signs Bill Overriding Local Abortion Bans
New Mexico Gov Michelle Lujan Grisham (D) |
March 21, 2023
Unlicensed Rockford Abortionist Dodges Zoning Laws at "Home Business" Clinic
Abortionist Dennis Christensen |
March 20, 2023
Utah Gov Signs Bill Prohibiting Abortion at Non-Hospital Facilities
Utah Gov. Spencer Cox (R) |
March 17, 2023
North Dakota Supreme Court Upholds Injunction Blocking Trigger Law
March 16, 2023
Pro-Abortion Senators Demand that Major Retailers such as Walmart Sell Abortion Pills
Sen. Tammy Duckworth (D-IL) |
"We write with grave concerns about the misunderstanding and confusion your company has created with regard to patients’ access to mifepristone from retail pharmacies. Earlier this month, it was reported that Walgreens does not intend to fill prescriptions for a Food and Drug Administration (FDA) approved drug in states where it is legal for patients to access that product. While we are well aware of threatening letters you received with regard to the distribution of mifepristone in certain states, the response to those pressures was unacceptable and appeared to yield to these threats—ignoring the critical need to ensure patients can get this essential health care wherever possible. As you work through the FDA certification process, we urge you to fully assess the laws in each state and ensure your policies provide the strongest possible legal access to this critical patient care."
Walgreens's announcement that it would not dispense abortion pills in 21 states came in response to a letter it received from a group of pro-life attorneys general. The group wrote to CVS and Walgreens to inform them that the Comstock Act prohibits the mailing of any item that will ‘be used or applied for producing abortion.’ Walgreens, rather than risk prosecution in states with pro-life attorneys general, elected to only sell pills in states with more abortion-friendly governments.
Sen. Elizabeth Warren (D-OK), New York Gov. Kathy Hochul (D), and California Gov. Gavin Newsom (D) are also on record urging Walgreens to distribute abortion pills in violation of pro-life federal and state laws. Gov. Newsom went as far as to announce, "California won't be doing business with Walgreens -- or any company that cowers to the extremists and puts women's lives at risk." All of these politicians appear to be using their power to threaten businesses that don't fall in line with their pro-abortion agenda.
The pro-abortion senators also sent letters to CVS and Rite Aid, thanking them for their announcements to sell abortion pills and asking them how they “plan to notify current customers about access to mifepristone in any given state, where restrictions do and do not exist.”
The seventeen senators who signed the March 13 letters include Tammy Baldwin (D-WI), Amy Klobuchar (D-MN), Maria Cantwell (D-WA), Jeff Merkley (D-OR), Patty Murray (D-WA), Brian Schatz (D-HI), Alex Padilla (D-CA), Richard Blumenthal (D-CT), Bernie Sanders (D-VT), Wyden (D-OR), Cory Booker (D-NJ), Jack Reed (D-RI), Sheldon Whitehouse (D-RI), Peter Welch (D-VT), Tina Smith (D-MN), Debbie Stabenow (D-MI), and Tammy Duckworth (D-IL).
March 15, 2023
Pro-Abortion Attorneys General Sue FDA Over "Excessive Regulation" of Abortion Pills
Illinois Attorney General Kwame Raoul (D) |
"The lawsuit asserts that the FDA exceeded its authority by continuing its unnecessary and burdensome restrictions on mifepristone. The lawsuit also argues that the FDA’s actions violate the constitutional principle of equal protection. Raoul and the coalition are asking the court to find the FDA’s REMS restrictions unlawful and to bar the federal agency from enforcing or applying them to mifepristone. It also seeks to ensure that mifepristone remains accessible."
The Obama and Biden administrations have weakened REMS regulations against mifepristone during their tenures, but neither has ended them entirely. Obama's FDA ended an REMS requirement that mifepristone manufacturers report non-fatal complications. Biden's FDA ended a requirement prohibiting the mail distribution of mifepristone.
The lawsuit is reminiscent of lawsuits against pro-abortion Michigan Governor Gretchen Whitmer's administration. One of these lawsuits was filed by Planned Parenthood, and the other was filed by the governor herself. These lawsuits featured pro-abortion plaintiffs filing complaints against pro-abortion defendants. In the same way, pro-abortion attorneys general are now filing lawsuits against the pro-abortion Biden FDA over regulatory decisions made by prior administrations.
Joining Raoul in the lawsuit against the FDA are the attorneys general of Arizona, Colorado, Connecticut, Delaware, Michigan, Nevada, New Mexico, Oregon, Rhode Island, Vermont, and Washington.
Biden Admin Pushes for Abortion in WHO Pandemic Treaty
Biden's negotiators agreed with China that future negotiations on this treaty be kept secret from the public.
“A commitment to equity must address inequities not just between countries, but also within them, not just protecting people from pandemics but also from illness, death, and disrupted access to essential health care services during pandemics, including sexual and reproductive health services,” U.S. Ambassador Pamela K. Hamamoto said.
Proposals made during the negotiations would give the Director of the World Health Organization authority to declare global pandemic emergencies that would trigger binding obligations.
March 14, 2023
Texas Heartbeat Act Faces Lawsuit from Women who were Denied Care due to Pregnancy
March 13, 2023
Illinois Bills Threaten Pregnancy Resource Centers
photo credit: Mark Turner / Flickr |
HB2463 and SB1909, titled the "Deceptive Practices of Limited Services Pregnancy Act" is another attempt by pro-abortion legislators to pass this anti-PRC since they were unable to pass a similar bill before the lame-duck session ended in January.
The bills would prohibit "a limited services pregnancy center from using or employing any deception, fraud, false pretense, false promise, or misrepresentation, or the concealment, suppression, or omission of any material fact" with the intent to "interfere" with a person trying to access abortion or "emergency contraception" (which can act as an abortifacient).
"Material fact" is not defined by the bill. Pro-lifers fear that an Attorney General could interpret this to require PRCs to provide information on how to obtain abortions.
Further, the bill empowers the Attorney General to launch investigations whenever he "believes it to be in the public interest that an investigation should be made to ascertain whether a limited services pregnancy center has engaged in, is engaging in, or is about to engage in, any practice declared to be unlawful by the Act." No evidence or complaint is required.
People who have never been clients or patients would also be empowered to file lawsuits against PRCs. The bill does not provide for the recovery of attorney fees when a lawsuit is brought against a PRC in bad faith.
Even before charges are pressed, the legislation allows the Attorney General to request a court order to "impound" records while the investigation continues. The Catholic Conference of Illinois has expressed fears that investigations could be endless, forcing PRCs to close.
If found guilty, PRCs could face fines of $50,000.
March 10, 2023
Judge Reinstates Florida Ban on Taxpayer Funding of Abortion
Florida Attorney General Ashley Moody argued in a motion that because the permanent injunction blocking the pro-life law was based on the US Supreme Court's Roe v. Wade decision, the injunction should be lifted.
"Now that the case at the center of the [district] court’s reasoning has been overturned," Moody wrote. "We are petitioning the court to vacate the court’s injunction and allow the will of our state’s legislative body and the people who elected them to take effect."
Hinkle agreed with Moody's argument, issuing a decision to end the injunction.
Montana Judge Blocks Parental Consent Law, Allows Parental Notification
March 9, 2023
North Carolina Lawsuit Claims FDA Guidance Trumps State Abortion Pill Regulations
March 8, 2023
Pro-Life OB-GYN Association Banned from Educational OB-GYN Conference
Incoming AAPLOG CEO Dr. Christina Francis |