Posted on 02/12/2011 12:39:05 PM PST by wagglebee
BISMARCK, North Dakota, February 11, 2011 (LifeSiteNews.com) - A strong majority of lawmakers in the North Dakota House of Representatives on Friday afternoon passed a law that would make it illegal to murder any human being from the moment of their conception.
The Defense of Human Life Act, HB 1450, recognizes every human being at any stage of development as a person under state law with a right to protection.
“The overwhelming community and legislative support for HB 1450 proves that North Dakota could be the first state to recognize the value and dignity of every living human being,” stated Representative Dan Ruby. “The Defense of Human Life Act is just common sense. Of course every human being is a person, and every innocent person should receive legal protection. I am motivated to see women and children protected by HB 1450, and I look forward to its passage in the Senate in the near future.”
While the bill prohibits chemical abortifiacients such as RU-486, it does not apply to emergency contraception, or other “contraception administered before a clinically diagnosable pregnancy.” The bill also exempts legitimate medical procedures that may lead to the death of children in the womb when a woman’s life is in danger. The bill also exempts pregnant women seeking abortions from criminal prosecution.
The bill, supported by ND Right to Life, ND Life League, ND Family Alliance, ND CWFA, and the ND Catholic Conference, passed 68-25 in Friday’s vote.
Daniel Woodard, a legal consultant for North Dakota Right to Life and the North Dakota Life League, told LifeSiteNews.com that the bill would put the one remaining abortion clinic in the state out of business. “This bill should shut down that clinic,” said Woodard.
While the bill also bans the killing of frozen embryos produced by in-vitro fertilization, Woodard said, it would leave the implementation of new regulations to the medical community. “In North Dakota, the legislature has confidence in its medical professional groups to regulate itself,” he said.
While pro-lifers are optimistic about the bill’s survival in the Senate, Woodard said that supporters would “be taking no chances” and continue to lobby for its passage. A vote in the Senate is expected around March 10.
North Dakota Gov. Jack Dalrymple has not stated whether or not he plans to sign the bill.
Proud of North Dakota!!! WTG!!
They are not going to “recognize the personhood” of the unborn from conception. The problem is that the law since the founding of the Nation has always been that the unborn do not become humans with rights until “quickening” which is generally when they start to move about. Most of the States nevertheless had laws prohibiting abortion from very soon after the Constitution was enacted. It was considered that even if the fetus was not a human, the State government still had the power to regulate abortion. On the other hand, there was nothing to prevent any particular State from allowing abortion.
Roe declared all those statutes prohibiting abortion unConstitutional in 1973. The most that the Supreme Court is going to do is overturn Roe, and go back to the pre-Roe law, which was that States could prohibit abortion, if they want, but they don’t have to. More likely, they will simply read Roe very narrowly, holding that the only thing Roe means is that you can’t put someone in jail for having an abortion.
I don’t think the Court would issue that kind of a ruling with the current Justices, but a switch of say two votes might make it happen.
Not everyone supports that particular aspect, but it is done for a reason. A doctor who sets up shop to make money from murdering babies is the real target here. The poor, scared desperate woman who is trying to make the "smart choice" by killing her child, is someone who could be sent to prison for 20 years under other forms of this type of law, but North Dakota is choosing not to be punitive toward her, and is trying to see her as a sort of victim as well. It's the medical establishment that is the easier, and more fruitful, target.
As I say, not everyone would agree with the strategy, but one can see why is would be chosen to garner easier political support.
“The bill also exempts pregnant women seeking abortions from criminal prosecution.”
If they are not going to prosecute women who kill or attempt to murder babies, why would they bother with passing such a law?
Put some teeth in this law and prosecute women who have or attempt to have abortions just as they would prosecute women who murder or attempt to murder a two year old child.
Hopefully, other states will follow ND’s example
“North Dakota is choosing not to be punitive toward her, and is trying to see her as a sort of victim as well.”
If that is the case, you can expect the next woman who murders her child that is age anywhere from one day old to 18 years old to cite this aspect of the law in her defense and therefore not be convicted.
All she would have to say is that she was “a poor, scared desperate woman who is trying to make the “smart choice””
Don't you just wish. Never underestimate the insanity of the liberal left.
what does that mean??? simply asking for an abortion is not an offense unless she goes thru with it????
Abortion is a big deal. Since 1973 (and before) it has been tearing this country apart.
I'd like to see progress toward making abortion totally illegal. I am 100% pro-life. I respectfully suggest that trying to put formerly pregnant women in jail is going to make this goal less attainable.
I say we keep our eye on the ball and focus on making the act of performing abortion illegal. Politics is the art of the possible. We want abortion to be illegal. Targeting the mother might be a poor strategy, and it may convince millions of voters that we Republicans really are monsters.
I say we keep our eye on the ball and focus on making the act of performing abortions illegal.
Not exactly; there have been cases where pregnant women have been assaulted, lost their babies, and were then unable to prosecute for murder because it wasn’t a “child”. Libs hate these laws because they acknowledge that there is in fact “life”, but it may pass “constitutional muster” if it doesn’t infringe on “Our God-Given Right To Murder Children” /s.
I read a few years back that one of the Dakotas doesn’t have a single abortion clinic/murder mill.
The Dems and the GOP are using it as a political football to get you to send money and rile you up.
The (Federal) law will stay exactly as it is.
Until and unless the current system is overthrown. End the two parties and you can change it.
Both sides know that they can farm you suckers over the issue. They just have different fields full of potted plants to reap money from.
Pick a side! Any side!! It doesn't matter, because everyone pays.... them.
One thing the Supremes refused to do in Roe v. Wade was to determine when life begins. Which left a loophole for any state wishing to make that determination...none have so far. ND comes closest.
If ND gets taken to the Supremes, the SCOTUS may have to rule when life begins.
Should get real interesting real soon.
I’m glad that the states are pursuing this, because it will make a difference, but ultimately, the Federal government must get involved if we really want to end abortion in the country.
I should have said, if we really want to end abortion in *this* country.
Of course prochoice politicians do the same thing : They use the fear of abortion being declared illegal to get votes and donations.
The abortion issue is by no means the only important issue which is nothing but a game to politicians and bureaucrats, no matter how impassioned are voters about it. :-(
OK, I see that. It mighjt just make the bill easier to pass the senate.
I don’t think it’ll hold up in the short term, but this could be the start of something. After all, even the American Revolution didn’t happen overnight. This bill and its sponsors deserve to be applauded and supported.
Wunderbar. Terrific. At least some ND legislators will know that they are not the ones who have decreed open season on babies.
How about the rest of us??
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