Last week was an exciting week for the pro-life movement as three more state legislative chambers moved to protect the pre-born at 15-weeks gestation. Arizona, Florida, and West Virginia are the most recent states to take significant steps to protect human life in the womb.
Galvanized by a seemingly favorable response of the U.S. Supreme Court to Mississippi’s law limiting abortion at 15-weeks, pro-life lawmakers around the country have been busy crafting their own state legislation to protect the lives of pre-born babies.
Pro-life Republican lawmakers have led all three state efforts. Arizona’s Senate, Florida’s House of Representatives, and West Virginia’s House of Delegates all passed bills last week. To become law, the measures will need to be approved by the second legislative body in the state and signed into law by the respective governor. Passage is expected as each of these states are led by pro-life lawmakers.
In Arizona, Senator Nancy Barto is the primary sponsor of S.B. 1164. According to the measure’s fact sheet, it “prohibits a physician from performing an abortion on an unborn human being whose probable gestational age is determined to be greater than 15 weeks, except in the case of a medical emergency.”
The Arizona Senate approved the measure 16-13.
If Roe v. Wade is overturned by the U.S. Supreme Court this term, Arizona law would automatically outlaw abortion in the state. However, if the Supreme Court stops short of overturning Roe and instead only upholds Mississippi’s 15-week restriction on abortion, pro-life lawmakers in Arizona want to have this law in place to protect pre-born babies at 15-weeks gestation.
Currently, Arizona prohibits abortions after 20-weeks gestation.
In Florida, the state House of Representatives approved H.B. 5 on a mostly party-line vote 78-39. The measure “prohibits [a] physician from performing [an] abortion if gestational age of [the] fetus is determined to be more than [a] specified number of weeks [15].” The bill includes exceptions to save the mother’s life, prevent serious injury to the mother, or for a fatal fetus abnormality.
During debate, Republican State Representative Dana Trabulsy, a supporter of the measure, shared that she got an abortion and has “regretted it every day since.”
Under current Florida law, abortions are permitted until 24-weeks gestation.
West Virginia’s House of Delegates approved H.B. 4004, which prohibts abortion after 15-weeks gestation except in the case of medical emergencies or severe fetal abnormality.
The legislation passed 81-18.
Currently West Virginia prohibits abortion after 20-weeks gestation.
Momentum is clearly on the side of the pro-life movement. And it’s exhilarating!
If you are a resident of Arizona, Florida, or West Virginia it is important that you reach out to your state representative and senator and express your support for these pro-life pieces of legislation.
If you live in another state, you too can reach out to your state representative or senator and request that they introduce a similar piece of legislation in your state.
This is the time to get engaged in the pro-life movement. The purpose is true, and the fight is just! Contact your legislator today!
Photo from Shutterstock.
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