January 2011 Newsletter

Posted By on May 12, 2011

“A baby is God’s opinion that life should go on.”  Carl Sandburg 

Fetal Pain Law Hailed as Successful, Making Abortion Practitioner Leave State—Steven Ertelt, LifeNews.com, 11/10/10When Nebraska state legislators approved the fetal pain bill prohibiting abortions after 20 weeks of pregnancy, they made it so the late-term abortion practitioner in the state had to look elsewhere. The genius behind the legislation was the thinking that it would be challenged in court and the pro-life movement could win a favorable decision from the high court on the heels of the ruling upholding the national partial-birth abortion ban.

Mary Balch, the state legislative director for the National Right to Life Committee, said at the time that she hoped it would cause a national discussion on the pain unborn children feel because it draws attention to their humanity and need for legal protection.  Also, she hoped the Pain Capable Unborn Child Protection Act could see the same group of five members of the Supreme Court who backed the partial-birth abortion ban uphold it as constitutional and allow more abortions to be prohibited.

But, with the news that the late-term abortion practitioner LeRoy Carhart is possibly relocating to another state and with him saying the fetal pain bill is responsible, Balch says the further genius of the bill is seen.

“This announcement illustrates the importance of having states pass protective laws such as the one passed in Nebraska,” she told LifeNews.com this afternoon.  “Now is the time for Right to Lifers to capitalize on the dramatic pro-life gains in state legislative and gubernatorial elections last week and to make it illegal to kill unborn children who are capable of feeling pain.”  Balch said the other fact that is on the side of the pro-life movement is the fact that research clearly substantiates the concept of fetal pain.

To the end of pursuing pro-life state legislation, the National Right to Life Committee will be hosting a State Legislative Strategy Conference for state right-to-life leaders and key state legislators in Washington.

Indiana Right to Life Press Release—11/17/2010—Indiana Right to Life calls for Nebraska-style protections for unborn children in wake of late-term abortionist’s planned expansion to IndianapolisIndiana Right to Life is calling on Indiana legislators to move quickly in the upcoming legislative session to enact a Nebraska-style ban on late-term abortions in response to the news reports that Leroy Carhart, a late-term abortion specialist, plans to expand his business to Indianapolis. 

Carhart gained national attention by unsuccessfully challenging the Federal ban on the gruesome partial-birth abortion procedure in Carhart vs. Gonzales.  “The very fact that Leroy Carhart has targeted Indiana as a state in which to expand his abortion business reveals that current Indiana law regarding late-term abortions is insufficient,” states Indiana Right to Life President and CEO Mike Fichter. 

While Indiana law does not allow abortions after the first trimester in freestanding abortion clinics, abortions after the first trimester and before viability are permitted for virtually any reason if done at a hospital or ambulatory outpatient surgical center.  Viability, however, is not defined by current Indiana abortion law.

Editor’s Note:   We will include news of pro-life bills in our newsletter so that you can let your legislator know of your support.  Please pray for our legislators.

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