Judge Upholds Nebraska's 12-Week Abortion Law

On August 11, a district court judge in Nebraska upheld the state's law protecting the unborn from abortion at 12 weeks gestation and beyond. The law contains exceptions for rape, incest, and to save the mother's life.

After Nebraska Gov. Jim Pillen (R) signed LB 574 into law in May 22, Planned Parenthood and the ACLU challenged the law on grounds that it violates the Nebraska Constitution's "single-subject" rule. The law deals simultaneously with "gender-altering surgery" for minors and protections for the unborn.

Lancaster County District Court Judge Lori Maret ruled that the law is constitutional because its content was entirely about healthcare.

“I am grateful for the court’s thorough decision,” said Gov. Jim Pillen. ”I was proud to sign into law a measure that protects kids and defends the unborn, and I am pleased that it has been upheld. Thank you to the Attorney General and his litigation team for defending this important law.”

Nebraska Attorney General Mike Hilgers said, “We are thankful for the court’s thoughtful analysis and recognition of the Legislature’s prerogatives and processes. As a result of today’s order, LB 574 remains law in Nebraska.”

The ACLU has already announced its intent to appeal Maret's ruling. In the meantime, Nebraska can enforce its law to protect the unborn.

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35-Year-Old Hospitalized After Hemorrhage at Hope Clinic in Granite City

On July 19, Hope Clinic for Women (HCW) in Granite City, Illinois injured yet another woman during an abortion. The 35-year-old patient was transferred to Barnes-Jewish Hospital in St. Louis due to hemorrhaging after a second-trimester dilation and evacuation abortion.

Operation Rescue, a pro-life organization that documents medical emergencies caused by abortion businesses, obtained a recording of the 911 call via FOIA request. Abortionist Erin King initiated the call.

King mentioned that HCW had an agreement with the "family planning team" at Barnes to accept the transfer. There is a hospital immediately across the street from HCW, but the abortion business usually opts to transfer patients to the St. Louis hospital. This is likely because Barnes is a Level One Trauma Center more capable of handling the severe injuries caused by HCW.

King also took care to avoid using the medical term "hemorrhage" to describe the heavy bleeding experienced by the patient. This continued even after the 911 dispatcher used the term to clarify the injury.

This is the 14th medical emergency Operation Rescue documented at HCW since March of 2022, when Julie Burkhart became HCW's primary owner. Operation Rescue has already begun investigating another hospitalization that occurred two weeks later.

Operation Rescue wrote that it has documented hospitalizations at HCW more frequently than any other abortion business in the country. Operation Rescue investigates incidents after pro-life sidewalk counselors witness ambulances arrive for emergency transport. The number of incidents that occur when sidewalk counselors aren't present is unknown.

“The number of life-threatening botched abortions taking place at this hopeless facility puts a dark stain on the state of Illinois and the city of Granite City,” said Operation Rescue President Troy Newman. “While babies are being violently killed and the lives of their mothers constantly endangered, the state’s lawmakers and the governor are busy enacting a law to prevent pregnancy resource centers from providing truly hopeful alternatives to women in crisis pregnancy situations.”

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Illinois to Spend Millions in Support of Abortion

Gov. JB Pritzker (D)

On July 31, Illinois announced approximately $23 million in taxpayer funding to support pro-abortion initiatives. These include two abortion hotlines and a "family-planning" program for Medicaid.

$10 million in total from the Illinois Department of Public Health will fund the creation of the "Reproductive Health Public Navigation Hotline." This hotline will direct women to abortion businesses in Illinois. In a press release, the administration emphasized the hotline was deemed necessary to facilitate abortions for out-of-state mothers.

Another $5 million will be directed to the Complex Abortion Regional Line for Access (CARLA). This hotline will be run by the Illinois Department of Health and Family Services, the Illinois Department of Public Health, the University of Illinois at Chicago, Rush University System for Health, and the Chicago Abortion Fund. According to the press release, this hotline is intended for "patients who present for abortions at clinics who need a higher level of care than can be provided at the clinics." The hotline will help patients arrange appointments within hospital systems.

It should be noted that abortion is never medically necessary to save a mother. If a mother's life is in danger, emergency premature delivery is a fast and effective alternative to end pregnancy without intentionally killing an unborn child.

Illinois also announced a new "family-planning" program for Medicaid that will cover abortion. Further, it will offer coverage for "family planning services" to people who are otherwise ineligible for Medicaid because they exceed Medicaid's income threshold. Illinois's Medicaid funding now clearly prioritizes "family planning services" over most healthcare.

The new Illinois Reproductive Health Facilities Capital Grant Program directs $5 million toward abortion businesses. These grants will fund building improvements, repairs, new construction, security upgrades, and other equipment (including the purchase of vehicles for "mobile care units").

NPR Illinois also reported that the state's spending plan includes $8 million for “reproductive health care providers and a specialty consultation program for at-risk patients.”

Finally, Illinois announced that it will cover the travel expenses and lodging of state employees and dependents who live in pro-life states.

In a press conference touting the new pro-abortion initiatives, Gov. J.B. Pritzker hinted that his administration could announce even more in the future.

Ohio Issue 1 Defeated

A ballot proposal that would have increased the majority required to amend the Ohio state constitution failed during the state's August 8 special election. Currently, Ohio's constitution can be amended by a simple majority at the ballot box. The proposal would have increased the required majority to 60%

Unofficial results reported by the Ohio Secretary of State's office indicate 57% percent of voters opposed the proposal.

Pro-life Ohioans pushed for the ballot measure in response to a separate proposal on the November 7 ballot. The November 7 proposal would enshrine a "right to carry out one's own reproductive decisions" into the state's constitution. If successful, this would prohibit the state from enforcing laws to protect unborn children from abortion at any gestational age.

Parental rights groups further argue that the proposal would prevent parents from being involved in their children's decisions to have abortions or undergo transgender surgeries.

Notably, political groups in support of the August 8 proposal were outspent nearly 3 to 1. Most of this fundraising in opposition to Proposal 1 came from interest groups outside the state of Ohio. This likely drove higher pro-abortion turnout to the special election

President Joe Biden hailed the results in a statement: “This measure was a blatant attempt to weaken voters’ voices and further erode the freedom of women to make their own health care decisions. Ohioans spoke loud and clear, and tonight democracy won.”

Ohio House Speaker Jason Stephens (R) called on pro-lifers to focus on the upcoming abortion-rights proposal. “It is now time to turn our attention to November. As a 100% pro-life conservative, we must defeat Issue 1 on November 7 to stop abortion from being a part of our state’s constitution.”

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Illinois Attorney General Asks Court to Block Idaho Abortion Trafficking Law

Illinois Attorney General Kwame Raoul (D)

On July 31, alongside other pro-abortion state attorneys general, Illinois Attorney General Kwame Raoul (D) filed an amicus brief asking a federal district court to block Idaho's new abortion trafficking law.

Idaho's HB 242 prohibits abortion on a minor without notifying the minor's parents or guardians. Further, it prohibits adults from transporting a pregnant minor on Idaho's roads for the purpose of concealing an abortion from the minor's parents or guardians. The law protects girls from predators who would take girls to pro-abortion states to pay for abortions and hide their crimes.

The law does not prohibit interstate travel for abortion. It only prohibits 3rd parties from transporting minors within the boundaries of Idaho if the intent is to conceal abortion from the minor's parents or guardians. This detail has been largely misrepresented by the media and pro-abortion activists, including pro-abortion Attorney General Kwame Raoul.

“We, unfortunately, continue to see increased efforts in other states to restrict access to or criminalize abortion. It’s not enough for these anti-abortion states to ban access within their own borders. Idaho’s law is an unconstitutional attempt to chill access to abortion in safe haven states, like Illinois,” Raoul said in a press release. “Illinois proudly protects reproductive health care as a fundamental right. I will continue to challenge any actions that attempt to curtail access to lawful health care in Illinois and across the country.”

Raoul and other pro-abortion Attorneys General are attempting to protect abortion businesses in pro-abortion states; even at the expense of young victims of sexual violence.

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Ohioans Vote on Constitutional Amendment During Special Election

Voters in Ohio have the opportunity to vote on a state constitutional amendment that could have lasting pro-life consequences during a special election this week.

If successful, State Issue 1 on the August 8th special election ballot would increase the threshold required to amend the Constitution of Ohio. Currently, the Constitution of Ohio can be amended if a ballot measure passes by a simple majority of votes. State Issue 1 would increase the required threshold to 60%.

State Issue 1 was introduced in response to a ballot initiative that would create a right to abortion in Ohio. That initiative, pushed by organizations like Planned Parenthood and the ACLU, creates a "right to make and carry out one’s own reproductive decisions, including but not limited to decisions on contraception, fertility treatment, continuing one’s own pregnancy, miscarriage care, and abortion." If the pro-abortion amendment passes, it would prohibit the state from protecting the unborn through legislation such as Ohio's heartbeat law.

The pro-abortion amendment will be on this year's November ballot. If State Issue 1 passes during this week's special election, it could help ensure that the unborn continue to enjoy legal protection in Ohio.

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Federal Judge Issues Injunction Blocking Illinois SB1909

Thomas More Society Executive Vice President
and Head of Litigation Peter Breen

A federal judge issued a preliminary injunction blocking the enforcement of SB1909, a law threatening legal action against pro-life speech from pregnancy resource centers (PRCs) accused of "deception" or "omission of any material fact" when providing alternatives for abortion.

District Judge Iain Johnston issued the injunction late on August 3 after hearing arguments from the Thomas More Society, the law firm representing a coalition of PRCs and pro-life groups challenging SB1909. Johnston was appointed by former President Trump. 

“There’s no doubt who the Attorney General wants to win or lose in the marketplace of ideas, but the government doesn’t get to decide that,” Johnston said. “The people do.”

Peter Breen, Executive Vice President and Head of Litigation for the Thomas More Society and former Illinois State Representative, celebrated the injunction in a press release. “Free Speech won today in the Land of Lincoln—pro-life advocates across Illinois can breathe a sigh of relief they won’t be pursued for ‘misinformation’ by Attorney General Kwame Raoul.”

“Across the nation, pregnancy help ministries are being discriminated against by laws that target their life-affirming work,” Breen continued. “The injunction granted today sends a strong, clear message to the country that the First Amendment protects pro-life speech.”

The new law, signed by Gov. JB Pritzker last week, threatens legal action against pro-life pregnancy Resource Centers (PRCs) accused of providing misinformation, including "the omission of any material fact." This broad language causes some pro-life activists to fear it may force PRCs to refer women for abortions.

If SB19009 was enforced, the state could levy fines of $50,000 against PRCs if they are found guilty.

In a statement obtained by the Washington Post, Gov. Pritzker said he is confident the pro-abortion law will eventually be upheld.

“I’m disappointed that the far-right is interfering with the ability for women to access safe medical care without deception or lies,” he said. “This law is constitutional and I am confident that the law will ultimately be found constitutional and we’ll continue to work alongside Attorney General Raoul to ensure Illinois patients are protected from misinformation.”

In a similar case that went to the US Supreme Court in 2018, the Court struck down a California law forcing PRCs to refer women for abortions.

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University of Chicago Finds Increase in Support for Violence to Restore Roe

A poll conducted in June by the University of Chicago's Project on Security and Threats found a significant increase in support for violent action to restore a federal right to abortion.

The University of Chicago released its report last month after conducting a survey from June 22-26. Respondents were asked how much they agreed with a variety of statements. Many of these statements had to do with former president Donald Trump and faith in democracy. One, however, dealt with violent support of abortion rights.

12% of respondents agreed with the statement “The use of force is justified to restore the federal right to abortion.” Just six months earlier, only 8% agreed with the same statement.

Among Democrats specifically, support for violence to restore a right to abortion increased from 8% to 16% in the same time period. Support from independents rose from 11% to 14%. Republican support remained at 6% in both surveys.

Violent support of abortion has resulted in attacks against churches, pro-life sidewalk counselors, and pro-life pregnancy centers since the repeal of Roe v. Wade. Just last month, a pro-life sidewalk counselor was brutally beaten outside a Planned Parenthood facility in Washington DC. Several days later, a pro-life pregnancy center in Las Vegas, Nevada was vandalized by the organization known as "Jane's Revenge."

The report is titled “Dangers to Democracy: Tracking Deep Distrust of Democratic Institutions, Conspiracy Beliefs, and Support for Political Violence Among Americans.”

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Federal Judge Dismisses Satanic Temple Lawsuit Challenging Texas Pro-Life Laws

A federal judge in the Southern District of Texas dismissed a lawsuit by The Satanic Temple (TST) challenging the state's pro-life laws on religious grounds.

TST's lawsuit on behalf of "Ann Doe" claimed that Texas law unconstitutionally prohibited Doe from performing "abortion rituals." The lawsuit described abortion as a "sacrament."

“The Satanic Abortion Ritual is a sacrament which surrounds and includes the abortive act. It is designed to combat feelings of guilt, doubt, and shame and to empower the member to assert or reassert power and control over their own mind and body,” TST wrote in its 2021 lawsuit.

Judge Charles Eskridge dismissed the lawsuit, writing that its claims were "spare and unusually cryptic." He further wrote in his ruling that TST's lawsuit failed to explain its "religious statutes" and "ritual" adequately.

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NIFLA Challenges Vermont Anti-PRC Law

The National Institute of Family and Life Advocates (NIFLA) filed a lawsuit challenging a Vermont law targeting pro-life pregnancy centers.

NIFLA is the same coalition of pregnancy centers that is represented by the Thomas More Society in a challenge against Illinois's SB1909, a law penalizing pregnancy centers that offer abortion alternatives to vulnerable pregnant women.

The Vermont law censors pro-life pregnancy centers' ability to advertise and even precludes them from offering non-medical services unless provided by a licensed medical professional.

Vermont's law would also penalize any medical professional who offers abortion pill reversal (APR) as a service. Under the law, providing APR would constitute "unprofessional conduct" punishable by "denial of license or other disciplinary action."

During APR, a mother who regrets taking the first drug in the abortion pill regimen (mifepristone) can attempt to save her child's life by taking the pregnancy hormone progesterone. Mifepristone kills an unborn child by blocking progesterone, which helps facilitate the flow of oxygen and nutrients to the child. Taking progesterone helps restore this flow, potentially saving the child's life. Progesterone has historically been used in medical settings to help prevent miscarriage during difficult pregnancies.

Alliance Defending Freedom (ADF) is representing NIFLA in its case against Vermont's law.

“Women who become unexpectedly pregnant should be empowered with life-affirming options, emotional support, and practical resources,” said ADF Legal Counsel Julia Payne. “Vermont’s law, however, does the opposite—it impedes women’s ability to receive critical services during a difficult time in their lives and suppresses the free-speech rights of faith-based pregnancy centers. Pregnancy centers should be free to serve women and offer the support they need without fear of unjust government punishment.”

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Indiana Law Protecting Children at all Gestational Ages Delayed Again

UPDATE

On July 31, the ACLU filed a motion to rehear this case at a trial court. The ACLU's argues that the pro-life law's definition of a serious health risk is more restrictive than what the Supreme Court suggested the state Constitution might allow.

The law cannot take effect until after the Supreme Court responds to the ACLU's petition. It seems that they waited until the last possible moment in an attempt to artificially extend the injunction.

Click here to read more about the ACLU's motion and the extended injunction.

---Original Post Below---

On August 1, Indiana's law protecting unborn children is set to take effect. The law protects children at all gestational ages, but it contains exceptions for rape, incest, when the mother's life is at risk, or when the unborn child is diagnosed with a fatal medical condition.

Last year, pro-abortion groups filed a lawsuit to prevent the law from taking effect. In September 2022, County Judge Kelsey B Hanlon imposed a temporary injunction blocking Indiana from enforcing the pro-life law. Indiana appealed Hanlon's decision to the state Supreme Court. On June 30, 2023, the Indiana Supreme Court ruled that the law does not violate the Indiana Constitution's privacy protections. The court vacated the injunction, allowing the law to go into effect on August 1.

A separate challenge from women arguing they have a religious right to abortion through Indiana's Religious Freedom Restoration Act continues.

Click here to read more.

Illegal VA Abortion Policy Now Granting Religious Exemptions

The US Department of Veterans Affairs, following a lawsuit from a Texas nurse, is now granting religious exemptions for employees who oppose abortion.

In response to the Dobbs decision overturning Roe v. Wade last year, the Biden administration made it a priority for the executive branch to support and promote abortion. To further this goal, Biden introduced a new policy last year to offer taxpayer-funded abortions to veterans and their dependents through the Department of Veterans Affairs. This policy was introduced in September of 2022, and it became effective after one month.

Stephanie Carter, a pro-life Texas nurse employed by the Department of Veterans Affairs, sought a religious exemption from participating in abortion. When she was unable to obtain one, she filed a lawsuit in December. Carter is represented by First Liberty Attorney Holly Randall. Randall told the Washington Times that Carter "was told repeatedly by her supervisor  that there was no process or more information would be made available at some vague point in the future."

Danielle Runyan, senior counsel for First Liberty Institute, said, "Stephanie Carter is living proudly by her faith and should not be forced to choose between her faith and her career. Because of her courage, every VA employee in the nation can now seek a religious accommodation from participating in a procedure they find unconscionable."

Click here to read more.

Gov. Pritzker Signs SB1909 to Punish Pro-Life Pregnancy Centers

Gov. JB Pritzker (D)

On July 27, pro-abortion Illinois Gov. JB Pritzker (D) signed SB1909. This legislation empowers the Illinois Attorney General to take legal action against pro-life pregnancy resource centers (PRCs).

PRCs offer services to vulnerable mothers and families to help them choose life for their children. These services can include prenatal care, pregnancy testing, ultrasounds, STD testing, financial assistance, career assistance, parental counseling, and maternity and baby items. Often, PRCs provide these services for free with the help of donations from pro-life advocates and volunteers.

Titled the “Deceptive Practices of Limited Services Pregnancy Centers Act,” SB1909 prohibits PRCs from "the use or employment of any deception, fraud, false pretense, false promise, or misrepresentation, or the concealment, suppression, or omission of any material fact" when providing pro-life alternatives to abortion. The law only applies to "limited services pregnancy centers," which are defined as pregnancy centers that don't offer abortion, contraception, or referrals for those services.

These terms, from "deception" to "omission of any material fact" are not defined by the law. When questioned about the legal definition of "deceptive practices" during a committee hearing, the Deputy Attorney General for Policy said that complaints would be evaluated on a case-by-case basis. This leaves the law open to broad interpretation. Some argue it could force PRCs to provide referrals for abortion.

A coalition of PRCs quickly filed a federal lawsuit against Illinois Attorney General Kwame Raoul to halt SB1909's enforcement. This coalition is represented by the Thomas Moore Society.

“This law is a blatant attempt to chill and silence pro-life speech under the guise of ‘consumer protection,’” explained Peter Breen, Thomas More Society Executive Vice President and Head of Litigation, and a former Illinois State Legislator. “Pregnancy help ministries provide real options and assistance to women and families in need, but instead of the praise they deserve, pro-abortion politicians are targeting these ministries with $50,000 fines and injunctions solely because of their pro-life viewpoint.”

Click here to read more.

Proposed Bill Would Create Federal Tax Credits for Unborn Children

Rep Ashley Hinson (R-IA)

On July 24, Rep. Ashley Hinson (R-IA) and Sen Marco Rubio (R-FL) introduced the "Providing for Life Act" to extend federal tax credits to cover unborn children.

The proposal would increase the child tax credit from $2,000 to $3,500 for children under the age of 18. If the child is under the age of six, the credit would be $4,500 instead. In the case of unborn children, the tax credit will apply retroactively after the child is born.

“The Providing for Life Act charts the policy course for a culture of life in America,” Hinson said in a press release. “By expanding the Child Tax Credit to include the unborn and provide additional relief to working families, empowering women to care for their babies and families regardless of socioeconomic status or zip code, and expanding access to community resources, we can protect the most vulnerable, make a meaningful difference for those in need, and strengthen all families.

In his own statement for the press release, Rubio said, “Supporting pregnant mothers and their unborn children is essential, not just because it’s the right thing to do, but because America’s continued strength depends on the next generation. This comprehensive legislation will provide real assistance for American parents and children in need. We need policies like these to show America that conservatives are pro-life across the board.”

The bill would take several other actions to empower women and families, including:

• expanding parental leave
• mandating that SNAP recipients cooperate with child support
• incentivizing states to establish rules requiring fathers to cover half of pregnancy costs
• establishing a Maternal Mental Health Hotline through a new website, "life.gov"

Click here to read more.

Sidewalk Counselor Petitions Buffer Zone Precedent to Supreme Court

Debra Vitagliano

On July 21, pro-life sidewalk counselor Debra Vitagliano petitioned the Supreme Court to review Hill v. Colorado, the US Supreme Court case that legalized buffer zone laws.

Vitagliano was prevented from offering assistance to abortion-minded women outside abortion businesses in Westchester County, New York due to the county's buffer zone law. The law prohibits sidewalk counselors from interacting with others within 100 ft of an abortion business without explicit consent.

She attempted to challenge the law in court, but the 2nd US Circuit Court of Appeals ruled that Westchester County's law falls within the legal boundaries established by the Supreme Court's 2000 ruling in Hill v. Colorado. The court ruled that Vitagliano had standing to ask the Supreme Court to review Hill v. Colorado, so she did.

Becket, the law firm representing Vitagliano, expressed optimism that the Supreme Court will take up the case:

"Westchester County’s law is modeled after and materially identical to the Colorado law that the Supreme Court upheld in Hill. But legal scholars and judges have long criticized Hill, and last year five Justices of the Supreme Court stated that Hill was a major departure from our nation’s protections of free speech. Debra’s case presents an ideal opportunity for the Supreme Court to right Hill’s wrong and protect all those who want to serve abortion-vulnerable women."

The Supreme Court is expected to decide whether to take the case this fall.

Click here to read more.

Another Woman Hospitalized by Hope Clinic in Granite City

On June 16, an employee at the Hope Clinic for Women (HCW) abortion business in Granite City, Illinois called 911. She requested emergency transport for a 32-year-old woman who suffered from perforation during a D&C procedure.

A recording of the 911 call was obtained by Operation Rescue. Operation Rescue uses eyewitness reports and freedom of information requests to document medical emergencies caused by abortion clinics across America.

Based on the recording, it was unclear whether the uterus or cervix was perforated. The employee described the injury as a "suspected false passage" and requested emergency transport to Barnes-Jewish Hospital in St. Louis. There is a hospital directly across the street from HCW, but the business frequently requests transport to Barnes. According to Operation Rescue, Barnes is "highly specialized in trauma care," which might make it more equipped to handle life-threatening injuries caused by HCW.

Perforation can lead to life-threatening hemorrhage or infection.

“This dangerous facility has been on our radar for a long time,” said Operation Rescue President Troy Newman. “But ever since  George Tiller’s sycophant, Julie Burkhart, purchased it last March, the recklessness has increased and life-threatening emergency transports have doubled. 

“Sadly, we have already learned about another emergency transport since this frightening botch and have initiated our investigative procedure. Operation Rescue has also filed a formal complaint with the Illinois Department of Public Health Office of Health Care Regulation for the steadily increasing, frightening medical emergencies at this hopeless facility – including a uterine perforation of a 13-year-old girl.

“We are working to close this dangerous facility before any more women are gravely injured – or, even worse, killed.”

Click here to read more.

White House Argues Abortion is a "Foundational sacred obligation" of DOD

White House National Security Council Spokesperson
John Kirby

At a White House press conference last week, National Security Council spokesperson John Kirby answered a question about why the "“new DOD (Department of Defense) policy on abortion [is] critical to military readiness.” In response, he told reporters the DOD has a "foundational sacred obligation" to offer abortions to service members.

“Our policies… whether it’s about female service members — one in five — or female family members being able to count on the kinds of health care and reproductive care specifically that they need to serve, that is a foundational sacred obligation of military leaders,” Kirby said.

Kirby argued that government owes abortion services to active military members and their families, and he argued that women and their spouses would leave the military if the government did not provide it.

"What happens if you get assigned to a state—like Alabama—which has a pretty restrictive abortion law in place... What do you do? Do you say no and get out? Some people may decide to do that. What does that mean? That means we lose talent... It can have an extremely significant impact on our recruiting and our retention. Not to mention, it's just the right darn thing to do for people that raise their hand and agree to serve in the military."

Kirby's arguments assume that military women need the government to offer abortion so they can continue to serve. Military culture often pushes women to have abortions because childbirth and parenting would interrupt their service more than abortion. By rejecting motherhood, a woman can be a "good soldier" and continue to do her duty.

Valuing the mother's work efficiency over the humanity of her child is not a "sacred obligation." It is horrific. The military should instead encourage women to utilize the life-affirming already offered, and it should crack down on misogynistic pro-abortion culture.

The military currently provides 12 weeks of paid, non-chargeable parental leave to service members who have a child through birth, adoption, or a long-term foster care placement of at least 24 months. This is in addition to authorized convalescent leave for service members who give birth.

Click here to read more.

Maine Gov Signs Law Allowing Unlimited Abortion

Maine Gov. Janet Mills (D)

On July 19, Maine Gov Janet Mills (D) signed legislation legalizing abortion throughout all nine months of pregnancy.

Maine's Senate voted 20-11 in favor of the bill. The House voted 73-69.

“LD 1619 creates a subjective standard empowering the abortionist to justify any abortion after viability,” according to Maine Right to Life. “Governor Mills’ bill removes current language that allows abortion for a woman’s life or health and replaces it with language that would allow abortions in the second and third trimesters because of an abortionist’s opinion.”

It is a common theme in pro-abortion legislation to provide abortionists with a broad undefined exception for the "health" of the mother. These laws often allow abortionists to commit elective abortions if they deem it to be in the interest of the mother's mental health. Maine's law is similar in effect.

Abortion intentionally ends the life of an innocent unborn child. It does not heal anyone, and it should not be considered health care. Broad laws like these only serve to strip human rights from the unborn and enable their deaths.

Maine's new law will come into effect 90 days after signature.

Click here to read more.

Texas County Enacts Ordinance Outlawing Road Use for Abortion Trafficking

On July 14, Mitchell County in Texas enacted an ordinance outlawing abortion in the county. Further, the ordinance prohibits third parties from using roads within the county to transport women for the purpose of obtaining an abortion.

Aiding and abetting abortions by transporting a woman on public roads in the county is considered abortion trafficking. Like Texas's heartbeat act, the law can be enforced through civil actions brought by individuals, not the Mitchell County government. Civil action cannot be targeted at the mother, only those who assist in abortion.

After the county Commission voted unanimously in favor of the ordinance, Commissioner Jermy Strain said, “I am proud that Mitchell County is the first county to declare itself a sanctuary for the unborn. This is a huge victory for the pro-life movement in Texas. Thank you to all of the grassroots advocates who worked tirelessly to make this a reality, and for the commissioners who showed political courage to vote this into law.”

Mitchell County, Texas is the third county in the nation to adopt a "sanctuary county" ordinance.

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Oregon Gov Signs Bill Ending Parental Consent for Abortions

On July 13, Oregon Gov. Tina Kotek (D) signed legislation ending the state's parental consent law for abortions.

The legislation also prohibits Oregon law enforcement from assisting other states in criminal investigations of pro-life laws, and it reiterates that health insurance (including Medicaid) must provide coverage for abortions.

The repealed law required parents or guardians to give consent before their minor children have abortions. After the repeal passed in the Oregon House, Senate Republicans staged a six-week walkout leading to a few minor concessions. Changes to the bill before passage removed language expanding abortion in rural areas and college campuses.

Another compromise added language stating parental notification can only be bypassed if a second medical provider agrees that it is in the minor's best interest. This is not expected to have much impact.

In addition to protecting innocent unborn lives, parental consent and parental notification laws are powerful tools to protect children from sex trafficking and rape. Without these laws, predators and sex traffickers can easily use abortion to hide their conduct from parents and law enforcement.

Illinois Gov. JB Pritzker similarly signed the repeal of Illinois's Parental Notice of Abortion Act in December of 2021. The repeal went into effect on June 1, 2022.

Click here to read more.