Foundations

On Tuesday, April 10, the Arizona House of Representatives passed HB 2036 by a vote of 37-22. HB 2036, called “The Mother’s Health and Safety Act”:

• Prohibits abortion after 20 weeks because of the safety risks to the mother and the pain endured by the preborn child.
• Ensures women have an ultrasound at least 24 hours prior to an abortion.
• Establishes an informed consent website which details the facts about fetal development, risks of abortion, and services available.
• Requires doctors performing surgical abortions to have admitting privileges at a hospital within thirty miles of the abortion facility.

Over the course of the one-hour floor debate, several members gave very heartfelt speeches as they explained their votes. Here are a few of the highlights.

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Governor Jan Brewer has signed HB 2036, which prohibits abortion after 20 weeks. The bill, sponsored by Representative Kimberly Yee and supported by Center for Arizona Policy (CAP), is a momentous victory for pro-life advocates in the state.

HB 2036, called “The Mother’s Health and Safety Act”:

• Prohibits abortion after 20 weeks because of the safety risks to the mother and the pain endured by the preborn child.
• Ensures women have an ultrasound at least 24 hours prior to an abortion.
• Establishes an informed consent website which details the facts about fetal development, risks of abortion, and services available.
• Requires doctors performing surgical abortions to have admitting privileges at a hospital within thirty miles of the abortion facility.

“Today, I applaud and thank Gov. Brewer, Representative Kimberly Yee, Senator Nancy Barto and the many strong, pro-life men and women who led the effort to enact this much-needed law,” said Cathi Herrod, President of Center for Arizona Policy. “HB 2036 provides for the health needs of women considering an abortion, ensuring that women have all the information they need when making this life-changing decision. Abortion not only ends the life of a preborn child, but it also seriously endangers the health and safety of women.”

While 7 states have similar laws that prohibit abortion after 20 weeks of a pregnancy, Arizona is the first in the nation to do so because abortion at this late stage presents a much greater risk to maternal health.

In signing this bill, Gov. Brewer has continued her record as the “pro-life Governor.” Since taking office, Gov. Brewer has signed a number of bills that protect women and the preborn, including legislation that requires women have an in-person consultation with a doctor 24 hours before the abortion, prohibits non-doctors from performing abortions, and requires written, notarized parental consent before a minor can have an abortion.

Please take time to email Gov. Jan Brewer to thank her for being our pro-life Governor.

CAP-supported pro-life legislation needs YOUR help this week! The Mothers’ Health and Safety Act, HB 2036, sponsored by Representative Kimberly Yee will be heard on the Senate floor this week.

Planned Parenthood supporters have inundated legislators with attacks on this important legislation.

We need your help to counter these distortions with truth!

This bill:

• Prohibits abortion after 20 weeks because of the safety risks to the mother and the pain endured by the preborn child.
• Ensures women have an ultrasound at least 24 hours prior to an abortion.
• Establishes an informed consent website which details the facts about fetal development, risks of abortion, and services available.
• Requires doctors performing surgical abortions to have admitting privileges at a hospital within thirty miles of the abortion facility.
• Informs women about perinatal hospice and other support options available in the event their child is diagnosed in utero with a disability.

Pro-life legislators need to hear from you! Even though this legislature has consistently voted pro-life, nothing can be taken for granted.

ACTION NEEDED:

1. Click here to contact your Senator to encourage them to stand strong for life! Thank them for their commitment to life, if applicable. If you’re not sure how your legislator has voted on pro-life legislation in the past, check out last year’s voting records here.
2. Forward this email to a friend, encouraging them to stand for life.
3. Pray for this and other CAP-supported legislation. Without the Lord, victory is impossible.
4. Track the progress of all CAP-supported legislation on our Bill Tracker and Facebook Page.  

Arizona has made immense progress recently to protect women and the preborn. Let’s keep the momentum going by showing our support for life this week!

A

The drama surrounding the Komen Foundation’s announcement they would cut off funding to Planned Parenthood continues to develop, even as I write this.

On Tuesday, the Susan G. Komen Foundation, which works to cure breast cancer, announced a change in their policies that would exclude any organization under congressional investigation from receiving funding. This decision meant that Planned Parenthood, which is currently under investigation by the House Oversight and Investigation Committee, would no longer receive hundreds of thousands of dollars annually from Komen.

While pro-life advocates praised Komen, and showed their support by increasing donations to the organization by 100% over two days, Planned Parenthood lashed out against them. The reaction from the pro-abortion crowd has been outrageous. It can only be defined as bullying at its worst. Komen’s website was hacked and Planned Parenthood led the attacks.

Then this morning Komen released this statement, creating confusion regarding the exact position Komen is taking.

While some on the pro-abortion side have hailed this as a victory claiming they have forced Komen to reverse their position, others are saying not-so-fast. Komen’s statement is not necessarily changing any of their original positions. Supposedly, if Planned Parenthood is found guilty of any of the charges in the Congressional investigation, they will not fund the abortion giant.

My message to Komen is “fish or cut bait.” Komen has a clear right course of action – deny Planned Parenthood funding because they are not in the business of saving lives, but destroying them.

Planned Parenthood has activated their base and is in full attack mode. We need to send a positive message to the Komen Foundation and pray they have courage and boldness during this time.