NEWS & UPDATES
NEWS & UPDATES
| Legislative Update and
Action Suggestions Dear Pro-Life Friends, As the Georgia General Assembly nears the end of the 2005-06 Legislative Session, we need to keep up our efforts to help pass important pro-life legislation. As you may recall, a bill must be passed in exactly the same format in BOTH the House and Senate, then signed by the Governor in order to become law. None of the bills we are following has completed the process yet. We ask for your continued support and patience through these last hectic, busy days. Following is a brief summary of the status of the key issues: * UNBORN VICTIMS OF VIOLENCE ACT (SB 77) This bill recognizes that there are two victims whenever a pregnant woman is harmed or killed in a criminal assault. The current feticide law in Georgia does not recognize an unborn child as a victim until after "quickening" - an archaic term that does not take into account the humanity of the child from the very beginning. This bill was passed by the Georgia Senate and has been assigned to the House Judiciary (Non-Civil) Committee. A hearing has been scheduled for Monday, March 20, 2006, at 3:00 p.m., or upon adjournment, whichever is later, in Room 132 of the State Capitol. A similar bill (HB 243) was favorably passed in the same committee recently but did not receive a vote in the full House. Thus, the process must be repeated for SB 77. While it may seem like an easy bill to pass, opposition is strong and legislators who voted to pass HB 243 are being lobbied heavily to change their vote. Action Needed: If your State Representative is a member of the House Judiciary (Non-Civil) Committee, contact him/her, asking for a Yes vote on SB 77. If your State Representative is NOT a member of the committee, the best way you can help to gain support for SB 77 is to encourage your Representative to speak to his/her colleagues who are on the committee, and encourage them to vote to support SB 77. In addition, everyone is encouraged to attend the March 20 committee meeting in person, to show support for the bill. * FULL DISCLOSURE ULTRASOUND ACT (SB 429) This bill requires that, as part of the informed consent process, and before the performance of an abortion, an ultrasound or sonogram be completed, and the mother be offered the opportunity to view the results. This would greatly enhance the Woman's Right to Know Act that was passed last year. The bill was passed by the Georgia Senate, and has been assigned to the House Judiciary (Non-Civil) Committee. It was heard and received a favorable vote by a subcommittee on March 16, but has not yet been placed on the calendar for a full committee vote. This committee recently held a hearing on a similar house bill (HB 888) and gave it a Yes vote, but HB 888 did not make it to the full House for a vote. Thus, SB 429 is the only way an ultrasound bill can become law this year. As is the case with the Unborn Victims of Violence Act, there is fierce opposition to SB 429. Each time the bill comes before the committee, there are intense efforts being made to defeat, or significantly weaken, this bill. Action Needed: If your State Representative is a member of the House Judiciary (Non-Civil) Committee, contact him/her, asking for a Yes vote on SB 429. If your State Representative is NOT a member of the committee, the best way you can help to gain support for SB 429 is to encourage your Representative to speak to his/her colleagues who are on the committee, and encourage them to vote to support SB 429. (Remember, the bill was not on the calendar as of March 17, but it could be added to the calendar for the March 20th meeting.) * PHARMACIST CONSCIENCE CLAUSE (SB 123) As we reported, the House version of this bill (HB 1445) was defeated on Crossover Day, March 13. The Senate version, SB 123, while somewhat weaker, may still be taken up in the House. Senate Bill 123 has been assigned to the House Judiciary (Non-Civil) Committee. A hearing has not yet been scheduled. It is possible that the House will not bring up this issue, because of the earlier defeat of HB 1445. Action Needed: If you have not yet contacted your own State Representative on the Pharmacist Conscience Clause issue, please do so. Refer to our March 14 vote summary and thank those that voted Yes, request an explanation from those that voted No, and ask those who did not vote how they would vote if the issue comes back. PLEASE - let us know the responses you receive. This will let us know whether or not to continue pressing for a vote on this issue. * NEWBORN UMBILICAL CORD BLOOD INITIATIVE (SB 596) This bill establishes the newborn umbilical cord blood bank. It was passed in the Georgia Senate, and has been assigned to the House Health and Human Services Committee. Action Needed: Contact your state Representative, and encourage support for SB 596. We will send another alert when a Health and Human Services Committee hearing has been scheduled on SB 596. GEORGIA HOUSE OF
REPRESENTATIVES - JUDICIARY (NON-CIVIL) COMMITTEE MEMBERS |