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The 2023 Virginia legislative session started with hope but ultimately ended with disappointment for the future of the unborn in Virginia. With divided chambers of the Virginia General Assembly – consisting of a pro-life controlled House of Delegates and a pro-abortion Senate – both life-affirming and pro-abortion legislation was considered and voted on. Sadly, we saw no advancement of pro-life policies in light of this division.

 

Outlined below is a brief snapshot of these critical policies and outcomes.

 

Pro-Abortion Constitutional Amendment

 

Pro-abortion Virginia General Assembly members introduced legislation that, through a voter referendum, would enshrine a so-called “fundamental right to reproductive freedom” into the state constitution (HJ 519 & SJ 255). This dangerous and misleading constitutional amendment would eliminate virtually all current or future protections for the unborn, legalizing on demand abortion up until birth at taxpayers’ expense in Virginia.

 

While SJ 255 was ultimately defeated this year in the House after passing out of the pro-abortion Senate, we must start educating our friends and neighbors NOW about the dangers and serious implications of this pro-abortion constitutional amendment. If SJ 255 ever successfully passes the General Assembly, voters at the ballot box will decide the fate of the unborn in Virginia.

 

Pain-Capable Unborn Child Protection Act

 

Pro-life members of the Virginia General Assembly brought forward the “Pain-Capable Unborn Child Protection Act” which would protect life at 15 weeks when an unborn baby can feel pain. HB 2278 and its companion SB 1385 were championed by Governor Glenn Younkin and other pro-life Delegates and Senators. 61% of Virginians support legislation that protects life at 15 weeks, including 60% who identify as pro-choice. Sadly, this life-saving bill, which protects unborn babies who can feel excruciating pain, was stopped by pro-abortion activists from reaching the Governor’s desk.

 

Other Life-Saving Legislation

 

Another life-affirming piece of legislation considered this session was HB 1795, a bill guaranteeing that babies born alive after a failed abortion would receive the same level of medical care as appropriate for a premature baby born at the same gestational age. This bill passed in the pro-life House, but unfortunately failed to pass in the pro-abortion Senate. Pro-life legislators and pro-life Governor Youngkin also introduced an amendment (HB 1400) that would adopt the Hyde Amendment into the state budget to stop the funding of abortions with state taxpayers’ money to the fullest extent possible under federal law. We are awaiting the outcome of this life-saving measure.

 

Protecting and fully educating expectant mothers of their life-affirming options was another priority for pro-life members this session. Legislation was introduced that would require physicians to provide pregnant women who are considering an abortion with information about alternatives and available resources (HB 2270), and a bill was introduced to establish a website that would provide pregnant women access to information about life-affirming assistance (HB 2476). Sadly, both of these pro-women bills were stopped from passage by pro-abortion leaders in the Virginia Senate, after both passed out of the pro-life House.

 

Heartbreakingly, Virginia law currently allows abortion through viability and pro-abortion activists will continue to fight all measures that protect the dignity of the unborn and will instead try to further expand abortion access. That is why we need you to educate your family, friends and neighbors on how your General Assembly members are voting on these critical life-affirming, or life-ending pieces of legislation!

 

During the heart of this past legislative session, pro-life Virginians gathered on February 1st, 2023 for the fifth annual Virginia March for Life! Thousands gathered to advocate for life, hear testimony, share their stories, and march to show that Virginia is for life!

 

We must continue to stand strong in sharing the truth and hope that life is precious at every stage, that expecting mothers should be cared for and given hope, and that equality begins in the womb.

Election day was filled with highs and lows, with some results still pending, but one thing is clear: candidates with strong pro-life convictions won the day. After Roe v. Wade was overturned, the abortion lobby invested nearly $400 million into the abortion debate to sow confusion and spread misinformation, which we saw play out on election night. Despite these best efforts, however, we saw pro-life candidates, particularly pro-life Governors who recently passed strong life-affirming legislation, have double-digit wins across the country.

We also anticipate having a new pro-life majority in the U.S. House of Representatives once all the votes are counted. We will work tirelessly with pro-life members of Congress to enact robust pro-life policies that protect both mom and baby.

Today, more than ever, we must also continue to march, both in Washington, D.C. and in the states, in order to change hearts and minds and combat the onslaught of abortion extremism.  Marching in the states is increasingly critical, as we saw disappointing results on the ballot initiatives in California, Michigan, and Kentucky.

However, the efforts made by many of you who knocked on doors, phone banked, and educated your friends on these ballot measures made a difference. Even in a state like California, we saw an upward shift in people who identify as pro-life by nearly 10% following the campaign against Proposition 1, and those who identify as pro-choice dropped by nearly 7%.

The critical nature of our mission to be a voice for the voiceless in the public square is evident now more than ever, not only here on Capitol Hill, but in the critical battlegrounds in the states.

The Supreme Court has taken up one of the most important abortion-related cases in decades – Dobbs v. Jackson Women’s Health Organization. In doing so, the Supreme Court has agreed to decide whether abortion limits placed prior to 15 weeks gestation are constitutional or not.  

Because a decision will not be reached until next summer, this next year will be a hard-fought battle – not only in the courts – but also for public opinion on the matter. 

With tremendous advances in science and technology, we know so much about the unborn baby at fifteen weeks, including that the baby has all of his/her functioning organs, a visible skeleton, and is practicing things like sucking and swallowing! 

Additionally, public opinion polls for well over a decade show that 65% or more of Americans believe that abortion should be illegal in the second trimester. As of January 2020, Marist Poll found that number to be 7 in 10 Americans who support limiting abortion only to the first three months of pregnancy. 

Despite this, immediately following the Supreme Court announcement, pro-abortion advocacy organizations began working overtime to convince Americans they don’t want the Supreme Court to rule in favor of the unborn.  

While we have come a long way in educating the American public about the humanity of the unborn child, this moment is a critical one for education. Please stay informed! 

Here are a few recent interviews, opinion pieces and articles that explain the importance of this case:  

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President of the March for Life Explains Significance Behind US Supreme Court’s Announcement 

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Supreme Court to Hear Major Abortion Case 

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A Time for Courage on the Supreme Court 

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Democracy Is the Issue in the Mississippi Abortion Case

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Supreme Court Will Consider Mississippi’s 15-Week Abortion Ban

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We hope you find these resources useful, and we will be sure to keep you in the loop as this case proceeds!  

In the meantime, please join us in praying for a favorable outcome that honors the dignity and humanity of the unborn child.  

CONTACT YOUR LEGISLATORS

When Planned Parenthood, NARAL, and Guttmacher are on red alert, you know the pro-life movement is making major advances. 

According to the pro-abortion Guttmacher Institute – originally the research arm of Planned Parenthood – 2021 is on track to the most impactful year of pro-life legislation in decades. 

Since January, 536 abortion regulations have been proposed across 46 states. In the words of Guttmacher, “A whopping 61 of those restrictions have been enacted across 13 states, including eight bans.” 

This past week alone has been the single most productive week for pro-lifers in at least a decade. Between April 26 and April 29 alone, 28 pro-life bills were signed into law. Here are just a few of the newest pro-life victories: 

 ANTI-DISCRIMINATION LAWS 

Arizona Gov. Doug Ducey signed SB 1457 into law, banning abortions based on a prenatal diagnosis of genetic abnormality, including Down syndrome. 

HEARTBEAT LAWS 

Idaho Gov. Brad Little signed HB 366, also known as the Fetal Heartbeat Preborn Child Protection Act, into law on April 27. The law bans abortions after an unborn baby’s heart can be detected, usually around the 6-week mark. 

Oklahoma Gov. Kevin Stitt followed suit with HB 2441, with classifies a doctor performing an abortion after the heartbeat is detectable as “unprofessional conduct.” 

PAIN–CAPABLE LAWS 

Montana Gov. Greg Gianforte signed HB 136, prohibiting abortions of babies capable of feeling pain. Other Montana laws include requiring a pregnant women be offered the option of viewing an ultrasound prior to an abortion and additional protective requirements surrounding chemical abortion. 

This momentum shows a true desire for a post-Roe America, and we can’t let up. We’ve seen the powerful impact we can have on the local level, even during times of extreme opposition.

Faced with a radically pro-abortion Administration and Congress, we need to unite our voices for the unborn. While the states fight to preserve the rights of the unborn, the House is currently stripping survivors of abortion – newborn infants –  of access to medical care. At the same time, the Senate is seeking to redirect millions of COVID relief funds to the abortion lobby. We cannot let these injustices continue. We need YOUR voice!

Join the March for Life Activist Network to stay up to date on all pro-life legislation happening in your state and across the country.

In the last year, virtual advocacy has exploded, and more people than ever are contacting their lawmakers online about important issues. By joining our Activist Network, you will receive pro-life alerts with action items throughout the year so that you can use your voice to defend life!

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Join Today!

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