Indiana Outlaws Killing Disabled, Abortionists Sue

Yesterday, Gov. Mike Pence signed House Enrolled Act 1337, which makes it illegal to perform abortions on babies based on fetal genetic abnormalities or the fetus's race, sex or ancestry, and mandates that otherwise aborted babies must be buried or cremated.  Planned Parenthood has announced it will seek a court injunction to continue its butchery status quo.

"I believe that a society can be judged by how it deals with its most vulnerable — the aged, the infirm, the disabled and the unborn."
-- Gov. Mike Pence, Indiana

For background, read Arizona Bans Race- or Sex-Selection Abortion and hampers Abortion of Disabled

Also read Government Wants 'Defective Babies' to Harvest Organs

Click headlines below to read previous articles:

Planned Parenthood Illegally Dumps Babies in Landfills in Ohio, Kentucky and South Carolina

Aborted Babies Incinerated to Produce Waste Heat

Abortions Outlawed at 20 Weeks in South Dakota

Abortionists, Satanists Team Up vs. Missouri Law

Abortionist Says: God Called Me to Kill Black Babies

Most Abortions are Black and Hispanic Babies

Also read Feminists Decry Super Bowl Ad for 'Humanizing Fetuses'

-- From "New Indiana law bans abortions based on fetal genetic abnormalities like Down syndrome" by The Associated Press 3/24/16

Republican Gov. Mike Pence signed the measure just hours ahead of his deadline to take action on the proposal approved by the Republican-dominated Legislature two weeks ago, the governor's office said. It is due to take effect in July, but Planned Parenthood of Indiana and Kentucky said it will ask a court to block the measure before that can happen.

Pence called the bill "a comprehensive pro-life measure that affirms the value of all human life."

Pence was a prominent abortion rights opponent while serving in Congress before being elected governor in 2012 and received perfect scores from Indiana Right to Life for his record of opposing abortion.

Pence is also facing a tough re-election campaign in a rematch against Democrat John Gregg and will be counting on a strong turnout from his evangelical base in November. Gregg said Thursday he would have vetoed the measure.

To read the entire article above, CLICK HERE.

From "Indiana Governor Signs Abortion Bill With Added Restrictions" by Mitch Smith, New York Times 3/24/16

The law, which passed both chambers of the Republican-controlled General Assembly with large majorities, builds on Indiana’s already restrictive abortion rules, and was cheered by anti-abortion groups that had encouraged Gov. Mike Pence to sign it.

In addition to holding doctors liable if a woman has an abortion solely because of objections to the fetus’s race, sex or a disability, like Down syndrome, the law restricts fetal tissue donation and requires doctors performing abortions to have admitting privileges at a hospital or to have an agreement with a doctor who does.

The measure drew a sharp rebuke from the Planned Parenthood Action Fund and other abortion rights groups, and the law returned Indiana to the center of a national debate about social issues.

The law could also put some doctors who perform abortions in jeopardy if it is learned that a woman told them that she chose to end her pregnancy because of gender, disabilities or other reasons limited by the law.

To read the entire article above, CLICK HERE.

From "Pence signs new abortion restrictions into law with a prayer" by Chelsea Schneider and Tony Cook, Indianapolis Star 3/25/16

It's a divisive issue that's once again placed the state at the center of a national debate. And a legal challenge to the law, which takes effect in July, is already in the works. Less than half an hour after Pence signed the measure, Planned Parenthood of Indiana and Kentucky said it plans to request a preliminary injunction to block the new restrictions . . . [by] working with the American Civil Liberties Union of Indiana in its plans to file a legal challenge.

“By enacting this legislation, we take an important step in protecting the unborn, while still providing an exception for the life of the mother. I sign this legislation with a prayer that God would continue to bless these precious children, mothers and families,” Pence said in a statement.

The controversial and potentially unconstitutional measure further restricts abortion in Indiana — already one of the most restrictive states in the nation. . . .

Social conservative groups, including Indiana Right to Life and the American Family Association of Indiana, had advocated for the new restrictions. Micah Clark, the leader of the family association, has said the measure “protects these special needs children from an intentional abortion based upon their genetics” in an email to supporters.

To read the entire article above, CLICK HERE.

From "Indiana Bans Abortions Based On Gender, Race And Prenatal Diagnosis Of Disabilities" by Reuters 3/25/16

Republicans ushered the bill through the state legislature over the last three months despite opposition from some conservative lawmakers, including Representative Cindy Kirchhofer, who felt the measure was too restrictive.

North Dakota is the only U.S. state that prohibits abortions based on fetal anomalies. Seven states ban those based on gender, and Arizona prohibits those based on race, according to the Guttmacher Institute, an organization that tracks abortion laws.

To read the entire article above, CLICK HERE.

From "Indiana Becomes Second State to Ban Abortions Based on Down Syndrome" by Steven Ertelt, Micaiah Bilger, LifeNews.com 3/24/16

. . . The bill also has several other abortion-related measures, including a requirement that aborted or miscarried babies’ bodies be cremated or buried and another requirement that abortionists who have hospital admitting privileges renew them annually. The burial/cremation requirement backs up a law passed in 2015 by Gov. Pence requiring that aborted babies’ bodies be disposed of in a humane way.

Indiana state Sen. Liz Brown, who worked with [Sen. Travis] Holdman on the measure, said previously that many families face pressure to abort from doctors or other health care professionals when their babies are diagnosed with an illness or disability in the womb. LifeNews has documented numerous cases of families saying the same thing.

“What we hear from doctors is — it would really be better off if you were not born,” Brown said. “If you are born, we will love you, and we think you have equal rights and should be a member of society. In fact, we have the Americans with Disabilities Act and have to make accommodations. But we don’t want to make the accommodation before you’re born, and in fact, it would really be easier if you were not born.”

To read the entire article above, CLICK HERE.

From "Pence signs new abortion restrictions into law" by Chelsea Schneider, Tony Cook and Shari Rudavsky, Indianapolis Star 3/24/16

. . . questions remain about whether the bill will have much of a practical impact on the decisions women make or on Indiana's abortion rate, which has declined 20 percent in the past five years and is below the national average.

. . . it's unclear how the law would play out in real life. The proposed ban on abortions would apply only when the sole reason for seeking the procedure is because the fetus may have a disability or is of a certain gender, race, color, national origin or ancestry.

Beth Cate, a public policy professor at Indiana University, questioned whether doctors would be left to infer a woman’s reasons for seeking an abortion based on her medical questions.

How do you know the reason a woman is seeking an abortion unless she explicitly states it — or does the doctor try to read her mind?

To read the entire article above, CLICK HERE.

Also read this Gallup poll: Americans Want Abortion Laws Changed

And read 'Free' Abortions Promised by Hillary Clinton for Planned Parenthood Endorsement

N. Dakota Bans Prayer at Catholic School Football

Prayers will be heard over the PA system today, just like every other football day at Shanley High School, a Catholic school in Fargo, North Dakota where an emblematic Christian cross is displayed on the 50-yard line, despite a prayer ban by the state sports association claiming that prayer is illegal when the Catholic players compete on their own field during a playoff game.

For background, click headlines below to read previous articles:

Football Coach Forced to Stop Praying After Games in Washington

Arizona Schools Ban Christian Football Coaches

Atheists Threaten Georgia School for 'Football Baptisms'

Also read North Carolina Citizens Demand Prayer in Public School

And read North Dakota Pastor's Wife Fined for Praying Too Loud

-- From "Law firm wants school association to suspend prayer ban" by The Associated Press 11/7/15

A non-profit law firm has asked the North Dakota State High School Activities Association [NDHSAA] to suspend its ban on prayer during a football playoff game at Fargo Shanley High School.

KFGO says attorney Peter Breen of the Thomas More Society in Chicago is representing Shanley High School. Breen says he thinks the policy may be unconstitutional.

Breen says the Supreme Court has ruled it's unconstitutional to require private schools to give up their religious identity in order to participate in government sponsored programs.

To read the entire article above, CLICK HERE.

From "Attorneys for Shanley High School say ban on prayer at playoff games is unconstitutional" by Grace Lyden, WDAY-TV6 (Fargo, ND) 11/6/15

"Shanley is not a governmental actor. It is a private school, with a religious identity," the [Thomas More Society] letter stated. "When it hosts sports events, it does so as a private actor, and its religious expression cannot legitimately be characterized as that of the state.

"It's played at their facility, but it is a postseason game," [NDHSAA] assistant director Justin Fletschock said. "The postseason contests are controlled by high school activities association."

"This 'sponsorship' is illusory; in all material respects, Shanley will be hosting the game exactly as it does in the regular season — it will, for example, run ticket sales, organize and sell concessions, provide an announcer to announce the game, and provide down markers," the letter from Peter Breen and Jocelyn Floyd said.

To read the entire article above, CLICK HERE.

From "North Dakota Officials Urged to Reverse Ban on Prayer at Catholic School Football Game" posted at Thomas More Society 11/6/15

“The Constitution doesn’t require the State of North Dakota to police pre-game prayers at Christian and Catholic high schools,” said Peter Breen, Thomas More Society Special Counsel. “People of faith don’t give up their freedoms of speech and religion just because they are engaged in state-sponsored sporting events. We urge the Activities Association to allow member schools with faith traditions to express their faith during post-season games, just as they do during the regular season.”

Shanley has led a prayer at its school football stadium before each of its regular season games, but it is prohibited Association policy from leading a prayer before the playoff game, as Association representatives have claimed that such a prayer would violate the Establishment Clause of the United States Constitution.

The religious identity of the hosting school will be unquestionable, as all attendees will also be “looking down on a massive Christian cross, featured in the Shanley crest, which is emblazoned in the center of the field at the fifty-yard line.”

To read the entire article above, CLICK HERE.

From "Catholic High School Football Program Banned From Praying Plans To Defy Rule" by Casey Harper, Daily Caller 11/6/15

. . . now that it is playoff time, the school says the [NDHSAA] association specifically told them they were not allowed to pray at Saturday’s game, which will be held at Shanley High’s field.

Shanley High School has teamed up with the Thomas More Society, a religious liberty legal group, and intends to defy the rule. The school sent a letter to the association Friday informing them of their intention to disobey, and that letter was provided to The Daily Caller News Foundation.

Shanley High School argues in the letter they are clearly a religious institution not subject to separation of church and state requirements.

While the association says allowing the prayers would violate the Establishement Clause as an official endorsement of religion, the school argues that actually denying the right to pray is the real violation of the First Amendment.

To read the entire article above, CLICK HERE.

From "Ban on prayer at playoff games is unconstitutional, attorneys for Shanley High School say" by Grace Lyden, INFORUM (Fargo, ND) 11/6/15

Association leaders say [the prayer ban has] been the case during playoff season for 15 years. Although private schools are allowed to broadcast prayers before regular-season home games, playoff games are technically hosted by the association, which is public.

In previous postseason games held at Shanley, the school has skipped its usual prayer, said Michael Smith, superintendent of the Saint John Paul II Catholic Schools Network.

But for several years, administrators have started to wonder whether that’s right.

“We really wanted to make a formal request to the high school association and let them know there is a different perspective, and we wanted to hear their take on that,” Smith said.

Smith said Shanley has prayers before all of the school’s home events. At its football game against Central Cass three weeks ago, the Rev. Charles LaCroix led the crowd in prayer.

To read the entire article above, CLICK HERE.

Also read Deny God, or Fail, Texas Teacher Tells Students

Abortion Backtrack by N. Dakota Schools: Lawyer

For months, the Fargo (North Dakota) School District No. 1 had denied allowing pro-life students Brigid O’Keefe and Katie McPherson to form local clubs associated with Students for Life of America, but after the Thomas More Society informed school administrators of their unconstitutional denials, they quietly, and without comment, approved the new clubs at Fargo North and Davies High Schools.

“High-schoolers do not lose their right to form clubs and speak their message just because they are pro-life.”
-- Jocelyn Floyd, Thomas More Society Associate Counsel

For background, click headlines below to read previous articles:

Iowa School Censors Pro-life Girl's Rights, Lawyer Says

Connecticut School Censors 'Controversial' Pro-life Kids

Virginia School Slow-walks Pro-life Club Approval

New Jersey School Censors Student Expressing Pro-life View

Washington School OKs Gay Message, but Censors Pro-life Students





-- From "Fargo school district allows anti-abortion clubs to meet" by The Associated Press 5/13/15

[The Chicago-based Thomas More Society] sent a letter to the district in early April arguing that the refusal of school officials to recognize the groups was a violation of the students' First Amendment rights.

The school district has confirmed to KFGO-AM that it is letting the clubs gather but would not comment further.

The club at Davies High school already hosted its first meeting.

To read the entire article above, CLICK HERE.

From "Pro-Life clubs officially recognized at two Fargo high schools" posted at Valley News KVLY-TV11 & KXJB (Fargo, ND) 5/13/15

A spokesperson for the Fargo Public School district told Valley News Live they had nothing to say to the public about the decision.

At Fargo North, sophomore Brigid O’Keefe had submitted her application to start a Students for Life in February 2015. School administrators put Brigid and other prospective club members through extensive questioning, including questions about their religious affiliations, before denying the club.

At Davies High School, sophomore Katie McPherson had been trying to start a Students for Life club since September 2014. For months, the school administration would not even let her apply for her club to receive official status or assign a promised room for “unofficial” club meetings.

Both schools have now approved the pro-life clubs. Davies Teens for Life members already held their first meeting, and Brigid is planning the first Spartans for Life meeting for next week.

To read the entire article above, CLICK HERE.

From "Students for Life America responds to school district over pro-life clubs" posted at Valley News KVLY-TV11 & KXJB (Fargo, ND) 4/17/15

On Thursday Fargo Public schools issued a statement to the original demand letter claiming the students never filed the appropriate paperwork, at least at Davies High, but indicated the district would consider the application if one was handed in. However in emails obtained by Valley News Live, Assistant Principal Lenny Ohlhauser never mentions an application process while writing to other district officials and instead indicates that approval might not be possible because of ties to a church. From the email "Do either of you have students involved with pro-life. I have some students asking about being able to provide a space for meeting. I told them club status will not probably be an option due to the ties of a church, but giving a space to meet is an option."

[Statement from] Kristan Hawkins, president, Students for Life of America

"The school district’s response is amateurish and inaccurate. They are purposely trying to make two high school sophomores look inept when in reality, it is the school district that is fumbling around for any excuse to continue to delay or outright deny the Students for Life clubs that Brigid O’Keefe and Katie McPherson have been trying to start, in one case for eight months now. In all the administration's emails that a Fargo news station released, as well as the verbal communications from the schools to the students, there is no mention of a lack of paperwork as the reason that the Students for Life clubs were being denied. As we approach the end of the school year, we suspect the school district is trying to push this 'issue' under the rug for a few more months in the hopes that Brigid and Katie will forget about wanting to educate their peers and serve women in need. Asking Brigid and Katie to start the entire process over again is a ridiculous response, especially when the clubs should have been approved immediately."

[Statement from] Jocelyn Floyd, Associate Counsel, Thomas More Society

"We're encouraged by the District's acknowledgment that it will abide by the requirements of the law going forward, but we're greatly disappointed by the way it's now chosen to misrepresent the history here in order to place the blame on the students. Never were they denied for paperwork reasons. Throughout the process, the schools and the district had consistently made their position clear—one of illegal censorship based on the message of the club."

To read the entire article above, CLICK HERE.

Also read Buffalo NY Univ. Prof. Arrested for Bullying Pro-life Students

Pastor's Wife Fined for Praying Too Loud—N. Dakota

Martha Nagbe, wife of United Methodist Pastor Juwle Nagbe of Lisbon, North Dakota, has been fined $150 after multiple court dates because police ticketed her for "praying too loud on city sidewalks."  The family, originally from Africa, are protesting the infringement of their American right to freedom of speech.

"I can't stop [praying]. I'm trusting God. . . . In the United States it's one nation under God."
-- Martha Nagbe

For background, click headlines below to read previous articles:

Indiana Town Denounces Loud, Praying Christians

Missouri Police Steal Preacher's Amplifier to Shut Him Up

Pastor Arrested in California for Reading Bible in Public

Christian Jailed in Texas for Witnessing on Sidewalk

Buffalo, NY Police Boot Christian from Festival for Talking

Jesus Talk Outlawed in New Orleans, Arrests Made

Preacher Arrested: 'Breach of the Peace' on Street

Virginia Police Halt Bible 'Noise,' Preacher Sues City & Wins

Pastor Wins Free Speech Lawsuit Over California Mall

Police Say Prayer Illegal Outside U.S. Supreme Court Building

Christians Arrested for Praying Too Loud Near Chicago Abortion Clinic

Christians Arrested for Praying at Gay Festival

Praying Mother Banned from School Grounds in New Hampshire



-- From "Lisbon pastor's wife fined for praying too loud" by Christina Craig, Valley News KVLY-TV11 & KXJB (Fargo, ND) 2/24/15

Nagbe said police told her to stop praying downtown and in area neighborhoods. She moved from Liberia to this country for opportunity, but feels that she's being denied her rights.

In one hand Nagbe carries her bible, singing versus [sic] of praise throughout the streets. Lisbon's police chief told us Nagbe's loud praying is "disturbing the peace."

Police further comment this isn't about race, religion, or freedom of speech. They've received complaints from neighbors "that have been woken up and she is standing outside of their house shouting,” said Chief [Jeanette] Persons. “It's not that she just walks by, but she will stand out there for a lengthy period of time."

Chief Persons said if Nagbe continues to pray loudly in the streets, she will continue to get fined. But, Chief Persons also comments if Nagbe lowered her voice the problems would go away.

To read the entire article above, CLICK HERE.

N. Dakota Pro-life Laws Slammed by Media, Doctors

The North Dakota Medical Association is denouncing legislation just passed and currently being debated that limit abortion after six weeks gestation ("heartbeat bill") and that defines life at conception ("personhood").  Doctors say they must have a right to decide issues of life in consultation with their patients irrespective of government lawmaking.

Doctors think they're above the law?!  It's contagious (they caught it from activist judges).

For background, read Arkansas 12-week Abortion Law Most Restrictive in U.S. and also read Pro-lifers Prevail: More Abortion Restriction Laws

So far, Personhood Legislation is Battling Uphill in Courts

UPDATE 3/27/13: Gov. signs bills, prepares for legal attack from abortionists

-- From "ND Senate approves 'heartbeat' abortion ban" by James Macpherson, Associated Press 3/18/13

The North Dakota Senate on Friday approved banning abortions as early as six weeks into a pregnancy, sending what would be the most stringent abortion restrictions in the U.S. to the state's Republican governor [Jack Dalrymple, who is pro-life,] for his signature.

It's one of several anti-abortion measures the state Legislature has weighed this session. The vote came with almost no debate in the Senate and after the same chamber approved another measure that would make North Dakota the first to ban abortions based on genetic defects such as Down syndrome.

That measure would also ban abortion based on gender selection. The Guttmacher Institute, which tracks abortion laws throughout the country, says Pennsylvania, Arizona and Oklahoma already have such laws.

Some supporters of the so-called fetal heartbeat measure have said they hope to send a message that North Dakota is anti-abortion and aims to challenge the U.S. Supreme Court's 1973 Roe v. Wade ruling, which legalized abortion up until a fetus is considered viable, usually at 22 to 24 weeks.

To read the entire article above, CLICK HERE.

From "North Dakota looks at more abortion restrictions" by Dave Kolpack, Associated Press 3/18/13

The "personhood" measures would ban abortions by defining human life as beginning with conception. It's drawing opposition from some doctors who say it could cause problems for infertile couples seeking to use in vitro fertilization to conceive, but supporters insist that's addressed in the legislation.

Dr. Stephanie Dahl, a Fargo infertility specialist, said Monday that the personhood measures could ban in vitro fertilization and force doctors to leave the state rather than face health care restrictions or possible criminal penalties. In vitro fertilization, or IVF, involves mixing egg and sperm in a laboratory dish and transferring resulting embryos into the womb.

One of the key players in the anti-abortion campaign, state Sen. Margaret Sitte, a Republican from Bismarck, said she was "floored" by the assertions about limitations on in vitro fertilization. She said the proposals allow exceptions for the "screening, collecting, preparing, transferring, or cryopreserving a human being created through in vitro fertilization for the purpose of being transferred to a human uterus." Sitte said that clause was crafted with Dahl's help.

To read the entire article above, CLICK HERE.

From "Anti-abortion attorney says ND bill won’t survive legal challenge" by Wendy Reuer, Forum News Service 3/18/13

Paul Linton, a Chicago-based attorney who has assisted other states with anti-abortion measures and served as general counsel to Americans United for Life . . . did not give an estimation of what litigation would cost, [but] if defeated, the state would pay not only its counsel, the attorney general, but the courts could also force the state to pay for attorney fees of those challenging the bill.

House Bill 1456 prohibits an abortion if a detectable heartbeat is found. . . . Another bill that passed, House Bill 1305, would ban abortions for gender selection or fetal anomalies.

To read the entire article above, CLICK HERE.

From "North Dakota has funds to fight over abortion" by The Associated Press 3/19/13

As oil-rich North Dakota moves toward outlawing most abortions, it's in a better position than most states for what could be a long and costly court battle over its restrictions.

Abortion-rights activists have promised a legal battle if the measures become law.

North Dakota has a budget surplus nearing $2 billion, thanks to new-found oil wealth.

To read the entire article above, CLICK HERE.

Also read IVF: 'Creating' Life & Aborting Life in addition, read Lab Creates Human Life with 3 Biological Parents

Pro-life States Press Personhood, Abortionists Sue

Personhood bills are seen as a direct attack on Roe v. Wade, the 1973 Supreme Court decision that made abortion a right under the U.S. Constitution. Roe implied that if unborn babies were legal “persons,” they would have a right to life under the 14th Amendment, pro-life groups say.

For background, read Unborn Are People Too and also read Personhood Amendment Pushed in Mississippi

-- From "Drive grows for states to recognize ‘personhood’" by Cheryl Wetzstein, The Washington Times 4/21/11

Mississippi voters are likely to be the first in the nation to add to their state constitution “personhood” language that declares unborn children to be persons, effectively outlawing abortion and setting up a potential Supreme Court showdown — if they get a chance to vote on it in November.

The Alabama Legislature is considering two personhood bills this month, and at least seven other state legislatures introduced similar bills this year, said Keith Mason, a Christian minister who launched Personhood USA in 2008 with fellow evangelist Cal Zastrow.

“Sanctity of life” handles emerging issues like “destructive stem-cell research,” human cloning and creation of human-animal chimeras, said Daniel Becker, president of Georgia Right to Life and author of “Personhood: A Pragmatic Guide to Prolife Victory in the 21st Century and the Return to First Principles in Politics.”

To read the entire article above, CLICK HERE.

UPDATE 6/6/11: Mississippi Supreme Court hears arguments on personhood amendment

From "Legal challenge to Mississippi ‘Personhood’ amendment maybe headed to state Supreme Court" by Ashley Lopez, The Florida Independent 4/22/11

According to a press release from Personhood USA issued today, the ACLU and Planned Parenthood have appealed to the state Supreme Court in their challenge to Mississippi’s controversial Personhood Amendment.

Mississippi’s Personhood Amendment 26 states that the “term ‘person’ or ‘persons’ shall include every human being from the moment of fertilization, cloning or the functional equivalent thereof.” The amendment could result in making all abortions across the board illegal in the state of Mississippi. Such legislation is seen by members of the anti-abortion movement as walking “right through” a door that Roe v. Wade leaves open.

The Personhood movement has seen some legislative victories in various other states. State legislatures in North Dakota and Iowa have passed bills. According to a Personhood USA press release, representatives in Montana, Texas and Oklahoma have introduced similar legislation. Mississippi remains somewhat unique by seeking fetal “personhood” through a state constitutional amendment — a method that is seen as less likely to provide results.

To read the entire article above, CLICK HERE.

From "Planned Parenthood Ignores Fetal Pain; Goes After Personhood Amendments" by Keith Mason, Personhood USA, posted at Christian Newswire 4/21/11

In July of 2010, Planned Parenthood and the ACLU filed suit to disallow Mississippi voters from voting on the Mississippi Personhood Amendment. In October, the lawsuit was rejected. The Court decision read "Initiative Measure No. 26 has received more than the required amount of signatures to be placed on the ballot and the Constitution recognizes the right of citizens to amend their Constitution."

Now Planned Parenthood and the ACLU have appealed to the State Supreme Court, a decision made especially conspicuous by Planned Parenthood's recent refusal to challenge various "Fetal Pain" bills. According to the Kansas Department of Health and Environment, one abortion in 2010 would have been prevented by the Fetal Pain bill. By contrast, Mississippi's Personhood Amendment 26 would make all abortion illegal by recognizing the personhood rights, first and foremost the constitutional right to life of all children, born and preborn.

This is not the first time that the ACLU and Planned Parenthood have tried to stop Personhood USA -- numerous lawsuits have been filed, albeit largely unsuccessfully, in an attempt to stop Personhood USA and its state affiliates.

To read the entire article above, CLICK HERE.

From "New bills in Alabama would grant personhood at the ‘moment of fertilization’" By Sofia Resnick, The American Independent 4/4/11

These proposed laws do not address abortion or the legal implications therein, but [attorney Ben DuPré of the Foundation for Moral Law] told The American Independent that if the personhood bills pass, then Alabama lawmakers will have to address “whatever flows from that.”

DuPré . . . also noted that Alabama’s constitution defines corporations as persons, but not unborn babies.

Asked how the this type of state constitutional amendment would stand up against U.S. law, which grants the legal right to an abortion, DuPré said that within the Roe v. Wade Supreme Court decision, there is a particular passage that opens up the case for personhood:

The appellee and certain amici argue that the fetus is a person within the language and meaning of the Fourteenth Amendment. . . . If this suggestion of personhood is established, the appellant’s case, of course, collapses, for the fetus’ right to life would then be guaranteed specifically by the Amendment. Roe v. Wade, 410 U.S. 113, 156-57 (1973).

“Roe v. Wade leaves a door open and the Personhood amendment walks right through that,” DuPré said.

To read the entire article above, CLICK HERE.

Also read Pro-life Legislation Floods America as well as Life to Personhood Means Death to Roe v. Wade

Media Focus on States' New Abortion Restrictions

[States'] new laws represent some of the most aggressive abortion legislation passed in recent years, leaving some to wonder: are these new laws isolated incidents or signs of a larger shift?

UPDATE 6/2/10: NY Times reports liberals' fear of onslaught of state-level abortion restriction laws

-- From "States test abortion limits" by Sarah Kliff, Politico 4/28/10

“On the one hand, they’re part of an onslaught of restrictions that we see constantly,” says Nancy Northup, President of the Center for Reproductive Rights, of the two new laws. “But, that being said, these are both going farther that what we’ve seen before.” This year alone, the Center has filed lawsuits against six abortion-related laws—two in Oklahoma, two in Alaska, and others in North Dakota and Arizona—a caseload that Northup describes as “higher than we’ve seen since the late 1990s. It’s a total uptick.” They’re currently tracking about 500 state-level bills that would curtail abortion rights.

Fourteen other states do require the provision of an ultrasound prior to abortion, but Oklahoma goes further by requiring both the description of the fetus and that the ultrasound monitor be in sight. Oklahoma’s more restrictive law passed despite objections from Gov. Brad Henry (D), who had previously vetoed the bill.

These anti-abortion victories are a marked shift from just two years ago, when all three of the 2008 abortion-related voter initiatives failed. One in Colorado—arguably the most far-reaching of the three, as it would have declared personhood as beginning at conception—lost by a 46-point margin. Moreover, Nebraska and Oklahoma’s new laws are significantly more restrictive than the abortion restrictions that usually pass through state legislatures, measures that require parental notification for minors or a daylong waiting period prior to abortion.

To read the entire article above, CLICK HERE.

From "Oklahoma House Overrides Veto of Law Mandating Ultrasounds Before Abortions" by Associated Press 4/26/10

The Oklahoma House voted overwhelmingly Monday to override vetoes of two restrictive abortion measures Gov. Brad Henry has called unconstitutional intrusions into citizens' private lives and decisions.

The Senate was expected to follow suit Tuesday, after which the bills would become law. [Update: The Senate did so last Tuesday.]

One of the measures requires women to undergo an ultrasound and listen to a detailed description of the fetus before getting an abortion. The other prohibits pregnant women from seeking damages if physicians withhold information or provide inaccurate information about their pregnancy.

Supporters said the second measure was aimed at preventing women from discriminating against fetuses with disabilities. The [House] votes were 81-14 and 84-12.

Supporters of the legislation said they do not share the governor's concerns about its constitutionality, which they say should be left to the courts to decide.

This month alone, Henry has signed laws requiring clinics to post signs stating a woman cannot be forced to have an abortion, saying an abortion will not be performed until the woman gives her voluntary consent and making abortions based on child's gender illegal.

To read the entire article above, CLICK HERE.

From "Women seeking abortions could face forced ultrasounds" by Dara Kam, Palm Beach Post Staff Writer 4/28/10

Florida's Republican-dominated legislature is poised to pass a bill that would force any pregnant woman considering an abortion to first have an ultrasound - and pay for it - even if she was raped.

The measure, if signed by Gov. Charlie Crist, would result in one of the most restrictive abortion laws in the nation. It also would require a woman to view the ultrasound unless she signs a form saying she was not coerced into having the abortion.

Opponents say that even then, the bill may require women to hear a medical professional's description of the fetus from that ultrasound before having an abortion unless they can prove they have been raped, are a victim of domestic violence or became pregnant under other extreme circumstances.

The Senate also attached a provision to the same bill (HB 1143) that would ban nearly all private insurance companies from paying for abortions - coverage that currently is included in more than 85 percent of all insurance policies, according to abortion rights advocates.

Senate President-designate Mike Haridopolos sponsored the amendment that would bar any tax dollars from being used to pay for abortions except in cases of rape or incest. Opponents of his proposal argued that it would apply to most private employers who are expected to receive tax credits or other benefits under the federal health care overhaul.

To read the entire article above, CLICK HERE.

North Dakota on Path to Challenge Roe v. Wade

A fertilized human egg has the same rights as a human being under a bill passed by House lawmakers on Tuesday, potentially setting the legal framework for a ban on abortion in North Dakota.

-- From "House OKs anti-abortion legislation" by Brian Duggan, Bismarck Tribune 2/18/09

Rep. Dan Ruby, R-Minot, sponsored the anti-abortion legislation, which passed 51-41, arguing that life begins at the moment of conception. The bill now moves on to the Senate for consideration.

Daniel Woodward of the North Dakota Life League, said if the bill ultimately becomes law it would make it easier to challenge the U.S. Supreme Court decision, Roe v. Wade.

The bill also says the Legislature will appoint one of its members to defend the law if it faces any legal challenge.

-- From "‘Personhood’ Bill Advances in North Dakota" by Susan Jones, Senior Editor CNSNews.com 2/18/09

On Tuesday, the North Dakota House of Representatives passed a bill conferring equality and inherent constitutional rights on "all human beings from the beginning of their biological development, including the pre-born, partially born…"

The Personhood of Children Act passed on a 51-41 vote. It is considered a first step toward banning abortion in the state -- a direct challenge to the U.S. Supreme Court's Roe v. Wade ruling.

The bill's sponsor, Rep. Dan Ruby (R-Minot), said the legislation does not automatically ban abortion. "This language is not as aggressive as the direct ban legislation that I've proposed in the past," Ruby said during House floor debate on Tuesday. "This is very simply defining when life begins, and giving that life some protections under our Constitution — the right to life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness."

The North Dakota Senate vote is expected to vote on the bill in the next two to three weeks.

Fifteen other states also are pursuing personhood legislation . . .

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