By L.A. Williams, Correspondent
Christian Action League
RALEIGH — It’s a rare occasion when perusers of the Planned Parenthood Action Fund blog get to read about The Christian Action League and its pro-life legislative agenda, but that’s what happened last month in a post the organization is using to rally its troops for abortion.
Unfortunately, author A. Kiser (presumably Alison Kiser, field manager at Planned Parenthood of Central North Carolina) disparaged the CAL as a “super right-wing organization.” However she was on target with her assessment of the variety of pro-life legislation that the ministry will support come Jan. 26 when the General Assembly opens its session.
“These issues — Woman’s Right to Know, removal of abortion from state employee health plans and Choose Life license plates — are certainly at the top of our priority list,” said the Rev. Mark Creech, executive director of the Christian Action League. “And like the blogger writes, we are ‘anxious to push’ these bills through.”
A Woman’s Right to Know (Informed Consent for Abortion) bill, versions of which have been introduced every session since 1995, would require that women seeking abortions are fully informed about the medical risks associated with the procedure, the probable gestational age of the unborn child, and other information, including alternatives to abortion, at least 24 hours prior to the abortion. It is anticipated that such a law could save thousands of the more than 34,000 babies aborted each year in North Carolina.
As for removing abortion from the state health plan, Barbara Holt, president of North Carolina Right to Life, said many states already include in their state laws language which prevents health insurance companies from offering elective abortion coverage in any health insurance plan offered by the state or through an insurance exchange set up under Obama Care.
“We do know that a majority of Americans, even those who call themselves ‘pro-choice’ do not want their tax dollars spent on elective abortion coverage,” she said.
Another priority, the Choose Life license plate, would allow supporters of life to pay extra for their vehicle tags to express that simple belief and at the same time help fund pregnancy care centers across the state.
“This may not seem so important to some folks, but these pregnancy care centers save lives,” said the Rev. Creech. “Plus the idea that we can promote more than a 120 other causes on the rear-end of our cars, but not Choose Life, is ludicrous.”
While the Planned Parenthood “Reality Check” blog entry rightly says the legislation has “been introduced and failed for many years,” it doesn’t mention that rank and file lawmakers have never been allowed to vote on the proposed laws, which prior House and Senate leaders kept tied up in committee. It does indicate that the new session is a whole new ballgame with the 2010 Election putting pro-life lawmakers at the helm of both chambers.
It’s a game many conservative lawmakers can’t wait to get started.
“We’ve been waiting for a long time to have some of these bills heard,” said Rep. Mark Hilton (R-Catawba), who sponsored a number of pro-life bills.
Related legislation expected to gain traction includes the Unborn Victims of Violence Act, which would provide that a person who murders a pregnant woman is guilty of a separate offense if the murder results in the death of her unborn child, and a measure that would strengthen the Parental Consent for Abortion law by requiring parent or guardian signatures to be notarized. Lawmakers may also look at legislation that would outlaw assisted suicide in North Carolina.
No doubt, if they haven’t already, members of the House and Senate will come under pressure from Planned Parenthood to steer clear of slowing down the abortion business. The organization, which performs more abortions than any other, is urging its supporters to contact conservative lawmakers and tell them to stick to fiscal matters and not to take up social issues.
But Hilton said there is time to deal with both.
“There should be no reason that we can’t work to correct the economy and help create jobs, to balance the budget and at the same time pass good policies for the state,” Hilton said. “The place doesn’t shut down just so we can run two or three big things.”
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To find out more about the history of abortion in North Carolina, check out the North Carolina Family Policy Council’s report on the topic: Aborting N.C.’s Future: A Look Back and Where We Stand Today.
To support and encourage your Representative and Senator’s pro-life efforts, send an e-mail via the General Assembly web site, www.ncleg.net
Click on House or Senate member list and then your lawmaker.