A week from today, legislators from across the state will gather at the Capitol for the start of the 2017 Legislative Session. This year's session is a shorter "fiscal session" with limitations on the number of "non-fiscal" bills a legislator can author.
This year, our goal in the Legislature is to protect minors who may be coerced into having an abortion or have been subjected to abuse by an adult. This is why we are helping to introduce SB 111.
In 2015, 331 abortions in Louisiana were performed on women younger than 18 years of age. While we do have laws that require the consent of one parent before a minor's abortion, our concern is that the necessary consent documents are easily forged by someone other than the parent. SB 111 will require the parent's proof of identification prior to an abortion.
Minors may also pursue a judicial bypass authorizing them to have the abortion without parental consent. SB 111 will add a stronger screening mechanism
to that process in order to hopefully catch incidences where the minor is being
coerced, resulting from sexual abuse or commercial sexual exploitation, such as human trafficking.
Thanks to Sen. Beth Mizell (R-Franklinton) for authoring SB 111 and to Dorinda Bordlee of the Bioethics Defense Fund for providing legal consultation.
On the legal end, remember that six state laws we passed last year are currently being challenged in federal district court, including the prohibition on dismemberment abortions. As we look forward to Judge Gorsuch's confirmation to the U.S. Supreme Court this week, we are hopeful the future of the federal judiciary will allow a state like Louisiana to make its own laws protecting its citizens, born and unborn!
For a Pro-Life Louisiana,
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AG Landry Speaking
at Bowties for Babies
Louisiana Attorney General Jeff Landry will be the guest speaker, and former Sen. Ben Nevers and former Rep. Tom Willmott will be honored with the 2017 Leadership for Life Awards at Bowties for Babies: A Southern Soiree Benefiting Life on May 11 at the Capitol Park Museum in Baton Rouge.
Will you join us at this event and help us raise money for our Advertise for Life project? This important program uses targeted online advertising to connect women in crisis pregnancies with one of the state's pregnancy resource centers that can help them choose life.
This year's event, co-chaired by Charlie and Ellen Davis and Jeff and Bridget Dunbar, will feature live New Orleans jazz by Bean 'N' the Boys, a silent auction, a live painting by Stephanie Torregrossa, and good food, drink and fellowship!
For more information on the event and award winners,
click here.
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Rev. Brian Gunter signs articles of incorporation.
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New Pregnancy Resource Center Planned for CENLA
We are excited to see that the Cenla Pregnancy Center is taking one more step toward opening its doors to help mothers and babies in Alexandria and beyond! Articles of incorporation were signed last week for the center, which plans to open later this year. The idea for the center began with Rev. Brian Gunter of First Baptist Church, and has spread to include hundreds of church, business leaders, and other pro-life advocates in the region.
Click here to read more in The Baptist Message.
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2 Pro-Life Candidates Elected; House Runoff, Senate Vote April 29
Louisiana has two new pro-life representatives, John Stefanski of Crowley (District 42) and Joe Stagni of Kenner (District 92). Both were elected on March 25 to fill vacant House seats.
A third vacancy, in District 4, will be filled after an April 29 runoff. Candidates Raymond Crews and Robbie Gatti both of Bossier City, both answered Louisiana Right to Life's questionnaire 100 percent pro-life.
There will also be an election on April 29 to fill the Senate District 2 seat, vacated by Troy Brown earlier this year.
Four candidates in that field of 14, Wayne Brigalia of Sunshine, Patrick Lawless of Belle Rose, Tommy Lyons of Thibodaux and Willie Massey-Farve of Geismer, have answered the LARTL Legislative Questionnaire.
Early voting is April 15-22 (except Sunday and holidays) from 8:30 a.m. to 6 p.m. If a runoff is necessary in that race, it will be held May 27.
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Senate Overturns
Title X Funding Ruling
The U.S. Senate voted last week to overturn an 11th hour Obama administration rule preventing states from redirecting Title X funds away from Planned Parenthood and other abortion companies. The House previously voted to nullify the ruling. The bill now goes to President Trump for his signature.
While this vote is good progress, we need similar action with regards to Medicaid funds to defund Planned Parenthood in Louisiana.
Click Here to read more.
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Why Are You Pro-Life? Here's My Reason.
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PULSE Weekend Strengthens
Student's Pro-Life Beliefs
Students: 2 Events Coming Up!
Louisiana Right to Life is putting the finishing touches on plans for its next PULSE Immersion Weekend, set for later this month, and this summer's PULSE Leadership Institute! High school and college students are invited to attend and grow in pro-life leadership and fellowship. The events Many students have been trained to be pro-life leaders at previous camps, including Lizzie Jurek of Lafayette, who knew she was pro-life but wasn't sure why until she attended a PULSE event. Check out her testimony...
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Lizzie Jurek |
My name is Lizzie Jurek, I am 16, and I am a homeschooling sophomore. Growing up in a Catholic home I was always taught that abortion is wrong, as it kills a baby in its mother's womb. As a little kid that was all I needed to know to consider myself pro-life. That's all I knew about abortion until I was 14 and went to my first Camp Joshua.
Until that first night at camp I never could have imagined the horrors of abortion. The first talk was "Pro-Life 101," and during the talk the leaders passed around scale models of babies in different stages of development. At one point the scale model that came to me was that of a 33-week baby. The summer before my nephew
had been born 7 weeks premature at 2 pounds, 7 ounces; he was the same size as that model baby. Learning how babies my nephew's size were being killed by abortion every day made me want to fight for life.
In January I attended the March for Life in Washington, D.C., and I didn't think I could become more dedicated to the pro-life movement. That was until I heard the testimony of the sibling of an aborted baby at February's PULSE Immersion
Weekend in Baton Rouge. It was then that I remembered my mom had suffered one miscarriage and my sister had suffered three. Even though those weren't abortions
by choice, I never got to know my older brother or my nieces and nephews. I realized I could relate to this speaker, who never got to know his sibling, either.
Before PULSE I said I was pro-life, but I didn't know why. PULSE has taught me about the scientific development of a preborn baby as well as shown me how the loss of life has affected me directly. I have realized the hurt I feel from loving
and missing these babies I never got to meet. And I hurt for those families who sometimes willingly give up their children to abortion. This is why I am pro-life. What about you?
The next PULSE Immersion Weekend will be held April 28-30 at Camp Abbey in Covington. Topics of discussion will include pro-life culture, the science and logic of the pro-life position, persuasive conversation and campus activism training.
Students will take a field trip to Northlake Crisis Pregnancy Center and discuss the psychology of crisis as well as direct resources for women and babies in need. There will also be beautiful testimonies that bring to life the reality of abortion and the love of the pro-life movement. All throughout there will be hilarious games, team building and our famous Coffee House!
The PULSE Leadership Institute will be June 5-9 at the Bishop Robert E. Tracy Center in Baton Rouge. Look forward to not only discussing abortion but also adoption, bioethics, euthanasia and physician assisted suicide, human trafficking, and more! Get ready for a fully packed week of talks, testimonies, conversations, activities, music, skits, and field trips that thoroughly train you and integrate you into the pro-life movement!
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LARTL Hosting Poo-Dat Diaper Drive in New Orleans
Louisiana Right to Life's first "Poo-Dat Diaper Drive" is right around the corner, and it is definitely a cause you can get "behind!"
About the Diaper Drive
Between Wednesday, April 19 and Tuesday, April 25, those of you in the New Orleans area can donate diapers of any size at the Louisiana Right to Life headquarters (200 Robert E. Lee Blvd.) or the Robert's Fresh Market (135 Robert E. Lee Blvd.). Diapers will be stored in our Go Mini Portable Storage Unit at our office and then donated to local families in need. Thanks to Robert's Fresh Market and Go Mini's Portable Storage for their support.
Volunteers Needed
We are currently looking for volunteers to help work a booth at Robert's Fresh Market on Saturday, April 22 from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. and Sunday, April 23 from 11 a.m. to 7 p.m. It's super simple. Just show up and be a friendly reminder to shoppers to buy some diapers and donate them.
This is a great service hour opportunity for students. If you can help, contact Shanon Snyder at [email protected] or 504.835.6520 to sign up for an hour or two.
Closing Party and Open House
As the diaper drive concludes on Tuesday, April 25, there will be a closing party and open house at the LARTL headquarters at 200 Robert E. Lee Blvd. from 6:30 - 8 p.m. We hope you will join us to celebrate the total number of diapers donated and to officially open our new headquarters. You can bring your diaper donation to the party if you haven't given already!
RSVP for the party by clicking here.
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Our New Baby Needs a Name!
Louisiana Right to Life has a new inflatable baby, just in time for the Poo-Dat Diaper Drive. Do you have a suggestion for a name? Send ideas to [email protected] or post them on Facebook by clicking here.
Interested in a future "Poo-Dat Diaper Drive" in your community? Contact us at [email protected] and maybe we can get one started in your community!
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April 19-25:
April 28-30:
May 11:
Pro-Life Day at the Capitol
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