Georgia Bill to Stop Forced Abortions Gets Support From Governor Mike Huckabee
by Steven Ertelt
LifeNews.com Editor
April 16, 2010
Atlanta, GA (LifeNews.com) — Former Arkansas governor and Republican presidential candidate Mike Huckabee is urging Georgia residents to support a bill that would help women who are pressured to get abortions. Huckabee announced his support for SB 529 in a message that is going out across the state.
The legislation also would make it illegal to do an abortion when it is done because a baby is a certain race, gender, or because the mother was coerced into having one.
Huckabee noted the importance of this bill, saying, "SB 529 is a simple bill that prevents a woman from being forced to have an abortion against her will and prohibits the use of abortion as a means of race or gender discrimination. I’m asking you to support SB 529 and to ask your representative to support SB 529."
Two weeks ago the Georgia Senate passed SB 529 with overwhelming support. On Tuesday, April 13, 2010, SB 529 had a hearing in the House Judiciary Committee, but no vote was taken.
SB 529 was drafted by some of the leading pro-life attorney’s in the nation and was reviewed positively by the American Center for Law and Justice, Liberty Counsel, the Thomas Moore Law Center, Americans United for Life, and Focus on the Family.
SB 529 has also received support from the Georgia Chapter of the National Association for the Advancement of Color People (NAACP), the Georgia Chapter of the Southern Christian Leadership Conference (SCLC), Dr. Alveda King, of King for America, and other prominent Georgia ministry leaders in the African American community.
"We are grateful for the support of Governor Huckabee and other national and state leaders both in the faith community and in the African American community who see why we have to do more to protect women from being forced to have abortions against their will," stated Dan Becker, President of Georgia Right to Life.
Becker also noted, "We need the help of every Georgian to get this bill passed. We have to let our representatives know that in Georgia we believe that discrimination is wrong in the womb and in the workplace."
Senator Chip Pearson was the sponsor of SB 529, which cleared the chamber on a 33-14 margin.
The Prenatal Nondiscrimination Act would apply to abortion "the same standards of nondiscrimination" that govern employment, education, government and housing, its sponsors say.
The bill provides enforcement of the existing law regarding the Women’s Right to Know and it gives women who have been coerced into having an abortion they don’t want the opportunity to bring suit against abortionists who violate Georgia law.
Catherine Davis, director of minority outreach at Georgia Right to Life, told LifeNews.com the bill is needed because abortions target black women.
"According to the CDC, of the 38 states that report, Georgia is currently leading the nation in abortions in the black community. African-Americans make up 30% of the population and 59% of the abortions," she said.
"In 2008, according to the Georgia Division of Health, 18,901 abortions were performed on black women. SB 529 seeks to protect these women and their children, from making decisions they did not want to make," Davis added.
Sign Up for Free Pro-Life News From LifeNews.com
Daily Pro-Life News Report Twice-Weekly Pro-Life
News Report Receive a free daily email report from LifeNews.com with the latest pro-life news stories on abortion, euthanasia and stem cell research. Sign up here. Receive a free twice-weekly email report with the latest pro-life news headlines on abortion, euthanasia and stem cell research. Sign up here.
