Legislative Updates

February, 2023
Current Legislative Moves Affecting the Unborn

• House takes a stand for life: The US House of Representatives approved the Born-Alive Abortion Survivor Protection Act, a bill that calls for lifesaving care for any infant who survives an abortion. The House also passed a resolution condemning more than 200 attacks on pro-life organizations and churches.
• No abortion allowed. Clovis, New Mexico, became the 63rdcity in the nation—and the second in abortion-friendly New Mexico—to declare itself off-limits to abortion businesses.
• Babies safe in Idaho. A law protecting babies from conception is upheld by the Idaho Supreme Court, which said a “fundamental right to abortion” cannot be read into the state’s constitution.
• New Jersey update: Thirteen Planned Parenthood abortion centers in New Jersey will share in $15 million in zero-interest loans the current administration has made available to abortion businesses.

Did You Know...?

The following is included in the New Jersey Fiscal Year 2023 State Budget:
 

• $30 million to Planned Parenthood abortion business.
• $10 million to upgrade Planned Parenthood facilities.
• $5 million to pay for security at abortion clinics.
• $5 million to train more OBGYNs to perform abortions.
• $5 million for a Reproductive Security Grant Program.

Is this how you want your tax dollars spent??? If not, let your legislative representatives, and your governor, know how you feel! Why can't they spend this money to support crisis pregnancy centers that provide the support women need to choose life?

December, 2022

Shining a Light on Abortion Advances in NJ

A recently issued mandate from the State of New Jersey will force private health insurance plans to cover elective abortions. Despite our state having one of the highest abortion rates in the country and some of the most permissive abortion laws, the administration asserted that the mandate is necessary since some women cannot afford abortions.

Moreover, the State has provided a $5 million taxpayerfunded grant to “expand the pool of abortion providers” This is in addition to $114 million (tax revenue) given to Planned Parenthood to train more students and medical workers to perform abortions.

Let us keep vigilant on such actions that advance the “culture of death” in our community. Those who wish to protest these measures, should contact by Dec. 23 the Governor’s Office (609 292-6000) or Ellen DeRosa ([email protected]), NJ Individual & Small Employer Health Benefits Program, P.O. Box 325, Trenton, NJ 08625-0325.

February 22, 2022

Defeated: A New Attempt on the Federal Level

On February 28th, the US Senate defeated the Women’s Health Protection Act (HR 3755) 

The U.S. House of Representatives passed the misnamed Women's Health Protection Act, H.R. 3755/S.1975, in September.  Now, U.S. Senator Chuck  Schumer has promised to post the bill for a vote on February 25, 2020.

This legislation is very similar to the NJ Reproductive Freedom Act.  Please take immediate action to oppose this legislation.   

Here is what the bill would have done:

• Eliminate all state and federal parental consent laws in relation to abortion
• Eliminate all state informed consent laws, including those that allow women to view an ultrasound prior to abortion
• Prevent states from passing laws to protect babies at 20 weeks, thereby joining countries like North Korea, China, Vietnam, Singapore, Canada, and the Netherlands in not protecting unborn children later in development
• Force doctors and nurses opposed to abortion to lose their jobs, and Catholic hospitals could lose public funds unless they perform abortions
• Eliminate decades-long limitations on direct taxpayer funding of abortion – including the popular Hyde Amendment, which has saved over 2 million lives since enacted

In short, this bill would have overturned all federal and state pro-life laws, and go further to make it illegal for elected officials to even introduce pro-life legislation.

THANKS to all who took time to contact our senators and ask them to vote against this bill. 

Enough!

Since early 2019 debates have intensified with respect to how different states recognize the rights of pre-born children.  Public opinion varies dramatically by region as evidenced by legislation passed in New York, where abortion is now legal up to the moment of birth, compared to  Georgia where abortion is illegal once a fetal heartbeat can be detected.
 
As Catholics we are called to respect life from conception to natural death.  Although our views on other political issues may differ, we must be united by our faith and stand up for life.  As Father Larry Richards encourages us in this video www.youtube.com/watch?v=KCCW6SHVW2I, it is time for all of us to stand up as Catholics and say ”ENOUGH”!

July 7, 2021

Our federal government is considering removing the Hyde Amendment from various appropriations and budget bills. This would ensure that your tax dollars would be used to fund abortions. If you have questions about the Hyde Amendment, check out the news article About the Hyde Amendment for links to more information. Please, speak out against this violation of our religious freedom and attack against life! Sign the petition you'll find on the njcatholic.org/protecting-the-hyde-amendment site.

PS. The site also contains a link to a PDF that explains why abortion is NOT health care, with research and statistics to prove it.

May 25, 2021

Governor Murphy is pushing for passage of the NJ Freedom to Kill Act (S3030/A4848).  Just this past Thursday, Governor Murphy and his wife conducted a webinar with Planned Parenthood and bill sponsors, Senator Loretta Weinberg and Assemblywoman Valerie Vanieri-Huttle, to pressure the legislature to move the bill.  Murphy is now calling for the legislature to pass it by June 30th.   Although we have heard that legislative leaders are reluctant to pass S3030/A4848 before the November election, we should not take anything for granted.  

May 10, 2021

Congress is trying to pass legislation that would apply your tax dollars to funding Planned Parenthood, an organization that is primarily an abortion provider. Check out this Letter from Cardinal DiNardo on Defunding Planned Parenthood for more information. Please take action by contacting your representative to let him know that you do not want your tax dollars spent on abortions.

March 26, 2021

It's working!  Our voices are being heard. The  NJ Reproductive Freedom Act (S3030/A4848), introduced in the Senate and Assembly on October 8, 2020, has stalled, due to reluctance on the part of legislators to pass such an extreme act during an election year. The NJ Reproductive Freedom Act is an extreme bill that will allow abortions up until birth, removes conscience protections for medical professionals, and bills the taxpayers for abortions. The bill has stalled without even a committee hearing as lawmakers weigh whether the measure is necessary with a Democrat in the White House.

However, this is no time to be complacent.  We must keep up the pressure with the phone calls, emails and protests and other advocacy tools at our disposal.  We will be closely monitoring the situation and keep you informed of any new events or developments.

Please visit our website for more information and continue contacting your legislators to oppose S3030/A4848.  Below is a link you can use to send a prewritten email to your legislators.
 Action Needed to Oppose the NJ Reproductive Freedom Act (S3030/A4848)

February, 2020

US Senate

The Pain Capable Unborn Child Protection Act
 

Born-Alive Abortion Survivors Protection Act

On February 11, the U.S. Senate Judiciary Committee held a hearing on the “Born-Alive Abortion Survivors Protection Act” S.130 to highlight the need for legislation that would extend federal legal protection to babies who are born alive during an abortion. Senator Ben Sasse (R-Neb.) chaired the hearing and called for passage of S.130.

In Senator Sasse’s opening remarks, he said, “This hearing is not about overturning Roe v. Wade. In fact, this hearing is not actually about limiting access to abortion at all. …. This hearing is about making sure that every newborn baby has a fighting chance—whether she’s born in a labor and delivery ward or whether she’s born in an abortion clinic.”

In January 2019, the New York legislature passed, and Gov. Andrew Cuomo (D) signed into law, the so-called “Reproductive Health Act.” Among other provisions, the law repealed protections for infants born alive during an attempted abortion. Previously, New York law stipulated that a second physician must be present to care for a child 20 weeks or older born alive during an abortion.

Also in 2019, Virginia Gov. Ralph Northam (D) waded into the debate over a similar measure in the Commonwealth. In a radio interview, Northam indicated that, in his view, an infant born alive during an attempted abortion wouldn’t necessarily be entitled to immediate treatment.

The “Born-Alive Abortion Survivors Protection Act” contains an explicit requirement that a baby born alive during an abortion must be afforded “the same degree” of care that would apply “to any other child born alive at the same gestational age,” including transportation to a hospital. ... S. 130 simply requires that babies born alive during abortions are treated in the same manner as those babies who are spontaneously born prematurely. ---NRL News

 

State of New Jersey Legislation

The  NJ Reproductive Freedom Act (S3030/A4848) was introduced in the Senate and Assembly on October 8, 2020. The NJ Reproductive Freedom Act is an extreme bill that will allow abortions up until birth, removes conscience protections for medical professionals, and bills the taxpayers for abortions.

Listed below are some of the provisions in the bill.  

• Explicitly guarantees, to every individual, the fundamental right to reproductive autonomy, which includes the right to contraception, the right to abortion and the right to carry a pregnancy to term.” Codifies 1982 NJ Supreme Court Decision, Right to Choose v. Byrne which protects the right to abortion and exceeds protections established under the U.S. Constitution. The bill will apply to all residents “and those who come to this state” including those who are incarcerated.

• Abortions will be allowed throughout the entire nine months of pregnancy. The bill says “a fertilized egg, embryo, or fetus shall not have independent rights under the laws of this state.” 

• Invalidates existing laws and prohibits the future adoption of all laws, rules, regulations, ordinances, resolutions, policies, standards or parts thereof, that conflict with the provisions of the bill.  Expressly invalidates all rules and regulations promulgated by the NJ Board of Medical Examiners which regulate and apply exclusively to termination of pregnancy.  This will also invalidate NJ’s conscience clause which has been in effect since 1973 which protects the right of individuals to refuse to perform or assist in abortion procedures. 

• Permits non- physicians to perform abortions.  Under the bill, qualified health care professionals licensed under Title 45 can provide abortions services in the state. Defines health care professional as “person who is licensed or otherwise authorized to provide health care services, including, but not limited to a physician, advance practice nurse, physician assistant, certified midwife or certified nurse midwife. “

• Exempts prosecution for individuals “terminating or attempting to terminate the individual’s own pregnancy; or acting or failing to act in any manner, with respect to the individual’s own pregnancy, based on the potential or actual impact on the individual’s own health or pregnancy.”  Further, the bill “eliminates the requirement that a medicolegal death investigation be conducted in a case where a fetal death occurs without medical attendance.”  This language will grant immunity from prosecution for cases, including, but not limited to the Prom Mom, where infants have been born alive and left to die, or through a deliberate act, are killed.

• Mandates annual allocation of taxpayer funding of Planned Parenthood under Title X in the state budget. 

• Requires all insurance carriers to provide coverage for abortions and expands coverage for contraceptives to a long term (12 month) supply.  Religious employers could request an exclusion if the required coverage conflicts with the religious employer’s bona fide religious beliefs and practices. 

lease click on the blue hyperlink below to Oppose this bill:
Action Needed to Oppose the NJ Reproductive Freedom Act (S3030/A4848) 


 

Bill S3804/A5508, which eliminates the exemption that allows Religious Organizations to decline to provide coverage for abortion-inducing drugs and contraceptives to employees which would be against their religious teachings and beliefs, has been voted in by the New Jersey legislature and signed by the governor. America has always allowed citizens to follow their religious teachings and this bill eliminates religious choice. Freedom of Religion is a constitutional right...but no longer in New Jersey!

Bill A5802/S4103, which provides $9.5 million, which the State does not have, to Planned Parenthood's abortion business, was signed by Governor Murphy on January 2, and it goes into effect immediately. Language in Bill A5802 makes it clear that the entire amount of this money will go to the Planned Parenthood abortion business due to the fact that they are the only Title X provider who has publicly announced they refuse to comply with the new Title X Rules. Despite the plain language in the bill, the Chair of the Assembly Appropriations Committee, Asm. John Burzichelli, incorrectly claimed that not all of the money will go to Planned Parenthood providers.

We will not remain silent and will never stop raising our voices to expose this charade masked as "women's healthcare." Reasons against this bill are listed below, but take particular note of reason 6:

Born Alive Abortion Survivors Act: Abortions are legal in New Jersey for the entire nine months of pregnancy for any reason.  Because NJ has no protections for babies who survive an abortion, legislators introduced A5287, the NJ Born Alive Abortion Survivors Act.
 
The bill is modeled after the federal bill by the same name.  It provides that, if an abortion or attempted abortion results in a child born alive, any health care professional present at the time the child is born alive is to exercise the same degree of professional skill, care and diligence to preserve the life and health of the child as a reasonably diligent and conscientious health care professional would render to any other child born alive at the same gestational age, and ensure that the child is immediately transported and admitted to a hospital for treatment. 
 
The bill does not limit a mother’s “choice”.  It protects the rights of a baby born alive.
 
The bill imposes penalties on a person who intentionally performs or attempts to perform an overt act that kills a child born alive following an abortion or attempted abortion. However, the bill exempts the mother of a child born alive following an abortion or attempted abortion from prosecution.
 
Please contact your Assemblymen and voice your support for A5287.  You can use the message below, or express your sentiment in your own words and send to the email addresses below:
 
“Children who survive an attempted abortion should be provided with the same rights and legal protection afforded to other children.  Please support and vote in favor of Assembly bill A5287, the NJ Born Alive Abortion Survivors Act.”
 
Hamilton & Robbinsville:     

Allentown:    

 
To see how an incumbent representative voted on the Assisted Suicide bill (A1504), or to see the sponsors of the Pain Capable Child Protection Act (A1686) or Born Alive Survivors Protection Act  (A5287) you check online at  https://legiscan.com/NJ/bill.  You will need to enter the bill number in the panel on the left hand side of the first screen. Please pray that we will elect leaders who will steer us away from a culture of death and back to a society where every life is precious and must be protected.

Federal Legislation

1. Public funds should not be used for abortions.
2. NJ already appropriated $10.0M in funding to PP for 2019.
3. There are other agencies that provIde family planning services.
4. Planned Parenthood has $1.6B in assets and received $563.8M in taxpayer funding in 2018.
5. It was PP’s decision not to accept Title X funds. NJ taxpayers should not be held accountable to pay for their decision.
6. NJ is in poor financial straits and programs such as “Cancer Research” are under examination for a freeze and possible cutbacks. NJ does not have the budget for these funds.

• Thanks to the Trump Administration, Planned Parenthood has about $100 million fewer tax dollars to abort unborn babies across the world.