The following excerpts come from a January 17 email sent by Americans United for Life.
Americans United for Life President and CEO Charmaine Yoest released AUL’s annual Life List, a well-respected ranking of the 50 states based on their on-going legal efforts to create and sustain a culture of life. While the “Life List” notes legislative accomplishments from the previous year, it also takes into account each state’s cumulative record in defending and protecting the lives of their citizens – from conception to natural death.
The 2013 list honors the accomplishments of the top ten most pro-life states: 1. Louisiana, 2. Oklahoma, 3. Pennsylvania, 4. Arkansas, 5. Arizona, 6. Nebraska, 7. Indiana, 8. Missouri, 9. Georgia, 10. Virginia. To view the complete list, click here.
Most improved this year was Arizona, moving from No. 14 to No. 5 as a result of becoming the first to enact Women’s Health Protection Act, prohibiting abortions at or after 20 weeks gestation based on growing medical evidence of the risks of late-term abortions on women’s health as well as the pain experienced by an unborn child.
Other states on the list:
- Georgia enacted a prohibition on abortions at or after 20-weeks gestation and revised the state’s reporting requirements for late-term abortions, requiring an abortion provider to report the medical diagnosis that necessitated the procedure. Georgia also enacted a measure that includes abortion clinics, or “reproductive healthcare facilities,” in the definition of mandatory reporters for suspected child sexual abuse.
- New Hampshire legislators overrode Governor John Lynch’s veto of a prohibition on partial-birth abortion, joining 19 other states that have also banned the dangerous and grisly practice.
- Virginia enacted an ultrasound requirement. Recognizing that the performance of an ultrasound is the “gold standard” of patient care, the measure requires the performance of an ultrasound before an abortion and that the woman be given an opportunity to view the ultrasound and have it explained to her.
- South Carolina became the eighth state to enactAbortion-Mandate Opt-Out Act, prohibiting insurance plans that cover abortions from participating in any Exchanges (required to be operational in 2014 under the Affordable Care Act or “Obamacare”) operating within the state.
TRENDS IN LEGISLATION: In 2012, the most popular abortion-related legislative measures included prohibitions on government funding and insurance coverage for abortion, legislation and resolutions related to pregnancy care centers, informed consent for abortion, ultrasound requirements, restrictions or regulations on abortion-inducing drugs and so-call “telemed” abortions, and abortion clinic regulations and other abortion provider requirements.
Importantly, there was a nearly 40 percent increase in the number of measures introduced to protect healthcare freedom of conscience. Moreover, as a result of a substantial increase in the number of bills related to pain management and palliative care, measures related to end-of-life issues increased nearly two-fold.
For more on AUL’s “Life List” and the “Life List” All Stars as well as for information on Defending Life’s model legislation, click here.
No surprise here – with California being second on the Least Protective List.
mrpkguy,
The surprise is that Taxifornia is not FIRST on the least protective List.
Moonbeam, Villagarosa, etc. etc. ad nauseam must be slipping!
God bless, yours in Their Hearts,
Kenneth M. Fisher
I notice that my state is the 3rd most protective state. We are a pro-life state and we also have large numbers of pro-life Democrats. Traditionally here the Democratic party has a large percentage of Catholics, with the Irish, Polish and other Slavic groups being largely Democratic as well as Latino newcomers.
Well, then, PA, you can just mosey on over to California and convince all your friends in San Francisco to pressure the abortion fiends such as Pelosi, Feinstein, and the rest of that crab net of evil politicians to overturn Roe v Wade.
Skai, you are one of the most talented people I know for coming up with catchie phrases for people, groups and disliked ideas. We know, however that name calling should never be part of our discourse. State the issue and discuss it. But, no name calling. It has gotten so bad, nationwide, that the President has even asked us to stop the name calling. I’m sure you heard him during his inaugural speech. We, and I’m sure you as well, spent a lot of time teaching children not to get into name calling. Although, “crab net of evil” is very creative for California politicians. By the way, you left out Senator Boxer who is a bit to the left of Pelosi. Rep. Pelosi by the way, won the last election by nearly 80% of the votes, so that we you condemn her, you condemn The City she represents.
Mark from PA, – then your PA Democrats should 1) not have supported baby killer Obama in the national election;
2) should have objected greatly at the Democratic National Convention to their adoption of the Platform to widen support for abortion and have all taxpayers pay for abortion of others, as well as strong support for homosexual marriage.
It seems that Catholics all over this Country are in need of good catechesis. I don’t understand why all Bishops in the USA do not ask their Priests and Diocese Laity to read and study the “Catechism of the Catholic Church, Second Edition”.
There is a plenary indulgence regarding the CCC in this ‘Year of Faith’ yet most US Diocese (Bishops) are doing nothing. They are too busy interfering in people’s right to keep arms for self defense, and promoting gun registration which historically leads to gun confiscation.
Almost all the abortion states are west coast or east coast, the states that most interace with foreign trade. I’m guessing these states are not so much American as the rest of our states. Montana is unique, perhaps, in that it seems to be minimalist in terms of restrictive laws.