Ranking of States on Abortion Finds Pennsylvania Most Pro-Life, California Least
by Steven Ertelt
LifeNews.com Editor
January 22, 2009
Washington, DC (LifeNews.com) — A new ranking of states based on the progress they’ve made in approving laws that authentically reduce abortions shows Pennsylvania leading the way and California coming in last. Americans United for Life (AUL) today released its sixth annual ranking of the most and least pro-life states.
Pennsylvania, Louisiana, and South Dakota top the ranking, while California, Hawaii, and Vermont ranked lowest.
Pennsylvania replaced Michigan as the top state and one that had topped the list for three years straight while California replaced Oregon as the worst.
Otherwise, most of the states that occupied the places as the ten best or worst are still in those positions.
Dr. Charmaine Yoest, the president of the national group that works closely with state legislators on measures like parental involvement laws, informed consent and bioethics issues, said states can continue reducing abortions even while a pro-abortion president occupies the White House.
"AUL’s annual ranking highlights the significant progress we are making each year toward a more pro-life America," she said.
"There is every reason for optimism even in the face of new challenges. Since the election, we have seen a huge outpouring of grassroots support for our work opposing the radically pro-abortion Freedom of Choice Act (FOCA) as well as hundreds of inquiries about life-affirming legislation," Yoest told LifeNews.com.
While AUL’s criteria covers states’ treatment of all life issues, final rankings depend largely on each state’s enactment of prudent and well-supported laws.
Such laws fence in the abortion license granted by the U.S. Supreme Court in its 1973 decision, Roe v. Wade, until the pro-life movement can get the high court to overturn its decision.
Among the laws AUL looks for are informed consent, parental involvement for minors, medically-supported regulation of abortion providers, and limitations on the use of taxpayer dollars for abortion.
"We are making progress — state by state and law by law — to build a culture of life in America," Denise Burke, AUL’s vice president of legal affairs, added.
"In states that have passed common-sense limitations on abortion, abortion rates have declined by nearly 20% over the past 10 years. These laws also underscore the growing and irrefutable evidence of the negative impact of abortion on women," she said.
The top 10 pro-life states include Pennsylvania, Louisiana, South Dakota, Oklahoma, Mississippi, Texas, North Dakota, Nebraska, Arkansas and Indiana.
The ten most pro-abortion states are include California, Hawaii, Vermont, New Jersey, Connecticut, Nevada, Oregon, New York, Washington and Illinois.
Related web sites:
Americans United for Life – https://www.AUL.org
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