January 22, 2021, marks the 48th anniversary of Roe v. Wade — the controversial Supreme Court opinion that alleges a constitutional right to privacy for women pursuing abortions.
Since the opinion was handed down in 1973, over 62 million babies — a figure equal to the combined populations of Spain, Sweden, and Greece — have been aborted in the United States alone.
President Biden intends to enforce Roe v. Wade federally by making it the “law of the land.” Vice President Kamala Harris has a long relationship with Planned Parenthood, which is responsible for one-third of abortions in the United States.
Despite the inauguration of a Commander-in-Chief who supports abortion “under any circumstances,” state legislators across the nation are proposing a wave of bills to completely end abortion within their borders.
Arizona
Rep. Walt Blackman (R-AZ) is introducing a bill to criminalize abortion in the state of Arizona.
The Equal Opportunity for Life Act offers full and equal protection for Arizona citizens both inside and outside of the womb. It also defines an “unborn child in the womb at any state of development” as a “person” under Arizona law.
“Human life begins at conception. This is no longer a matter of debate,” Rep. Blackman wrote on his Facebook page. “The science is settled and widely acknowledged by all sides. The question now is whether Americans, regardless of age, size or abilities, will be afforded an equal opportunity to enjoy the inalienable right to life.”
On January 22, nonprofit group End Abortion Now — led by Dr. James White and Pastor Jeff Durbin — hosted a rally alongside Rep. Blackman to announce the legislation.
“If we don’t protect human lives in the womb, then no lives matter,” remarked Pastor Durbin. “We will establish justice for human beings in the womb.”
Oklahoma
Newly-elected Oklahoma State Senator Warren Hamilton (R-OK) announced his intent to file the Abolition of Abortion in Oklahoma Act — also known as the Equal Protection and Equal Justice Act — which would “criminalize and end all abortions in Oklahoma.”
According to a press release from Sen. Hamilton, the legislation would “establish that an unborn child has the same God-given unalienable rights as any other human.”
“As Americans, we must stand up for those who cannot defend themselves, those not yet born, and protect their lives at all costs,” he said. “Abortion is an abomination before God, and something we must stop here in Oklahoma if we expect our state to be great. We must also acknowledge the truth that God will not bless America as long as we have innocent blood on our hands.”
Several church coalitions and pro-life groups — including Southern Baptists for the Abolition of Abortion and Free the States — endorsed Sen. Hamilton’s proposal.
Indiana
Freshman State Representative John Jacob (R-IN) and State Representative Curt Nisly (R-IN) are introducing the Protection at Conception Act.
Recognizing that the state and federal governments exist to “secure the inalienable rights acknowledged by the Declaration of Independence,” the bill declares that “human physical life begins when a human ovum is fertilized by a human sperm.”
The legislation also asserts that a “mother and her unborn child are equally valuable as individual patients when receiving health care services” and establishes that a baby born alive must be treated as a person under Indiana law.
Missouri
Following a recent legislative advance from state lawmakers, pro-life group Operation Rescue recently announced that Missouri is officially the first abortion-free state in the nation.
Though Missouri’s final Planned Parenthood remains open, Operation Rescue confirmed that “no abortion appointments have been available there for months, and none are available anytime in the foreseeable future.” Instead, abortion appointments are being referred to a nearby Planned Parenthood facility in Illinois.
The development comes in the wake of several pro-life reforms advanced by the state legislature in 2019, including a prohibition on abortions after eight weeks and protection for babies with Down syndrome.