Ohio’s fetal heartbeat law, on hold since 2019 when a federal judge blocked it, is now law following Friday’s historic U.S. Supreme Court decision that overturned Roe v. Wade.
Federal Judge Michael Barrett lifted the preliminary injunction that had stopped the state from enforcing the heartbeat bill passed and signed into law in 2019. Gov. Mike DeWine signed an executive order to allow the Ohio Department of Health to immediately adopt rules established in the bill.
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Shortly after the U.S. Supreme Court overturned the 1973 Roe v. Wade decision on Friday, Pennsylvania Senate Democrats proposed codifying abortion rights by state statute.
Sen. Katie Muth (D-Royersford) circulated a memorandum asking Senate colleagues to cosponsor the legislation that would keep the practice legal in Pennsylvania. So far, Sens. Amanda Cappelletti (D-Norristown), Lindsey Williams (D-Pittsburgh), Maria Collett (D-North Wales), Judith Schwank (D-Reading), Christine Tartaglione (D-Philadelphia) and Carolyn Comitta (D-West Chester) have signed onto the measure.
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Ohio Democratic gubernatorial candidate Nan Whaley is highlighting her opposition to unborn children’s right to life, castigating Gov. Mike DeWine’s (R) anti-abortion record and promising more permissive policy if she gets elected.
Her reprehensions of her opponent come days after the U.S. Supreme Court overturned Roe v. Wade, the 1973 Supreme Court decision that legalized abortion across America irrespective of the wishes of each state’s residents. The original decision rested on Justice Harry Blackmun’s insistence that a right to privacy implicitly contained in the Fourteenth Amendment guaranteed a woman’s right to abort her pre-born child. Blackmun’s reasoning has since elicited disapproval from legal scholars of various political stripes insofar as the Constitution never actually refers to abortion.
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Maury County Mayor Andy Ogles, a candidate in the August 4 Republican primary for Tennessee’s 5th Congressional District seat, said in a statement, the “SCOTUS decision to overturn Roe v. Wade and return decision-making authority to the people is an answer to prayer.”
Ogles talked about the historic nature of the decision and the importance defending the unborn.
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Florida Governor Ron DeSantis issued a statement Friday following the U.S. Supreme Court’s ruling overturning Roe v. Wade, the 1973 landmark ruling that created a right to abortion nationwide. The ruling now returns issues about abortion to the individual states.
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TN-5 candidate and former Speaker of the Tennessee House of Representatives Beth Harwell, in an exclusive statement sent to The Tennessee Star, lauded the U.S. Supreme Court’s decision overturning Roe v. Wade.
“The Supreme Court made the right decision by overturning Roe v. Wade. I believe we must protect the right of the unborn and make sure those who can’t defend themselves have a voice,” Harwell said.
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Representative John Rose (R-TN-06) and more than 120 other Republicans in the U.S. House of Representatives urged the Department of Justice (DOJ) to respond to multiple attacks on pro-life groups across the country.
The events have followed the leak of a Supreme Court draft opinion that signaled the group favors reversing Roe v. Wade.
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Wisconsin gubernatorial candidate Tim Michels called on Governor Tony Evers to prepare for possible unrest in the coming weeks.
The remarks are in response to the pending decision from the U.S. Supreme Court in Dobbs v. Jackson, which focuses on the constitutional right of abortions.
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NASHVILLE, Tennessee – Father Frank Pavone of Priests for Life spoke with The Tennessee Star about what the landscape is going to look like in a post-Roe world and addressed the denial of communion to Speaker Nancy Pelosi because of her pro-abortion views and actions in government.
“We’re going to have to work with lawmakers, first of all, in those states that have either trigger laws or pre-existing pro-life laws that have been blocked by the courts – do whatever is necessary quickly to get those laws activated,” he said. “In some cases it’ll take some legislative action, not to the same extent as starting from scratch, but the steps that need to be taken,” Father Pavone said.
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NASHVILLE, Tennessee – Faith and Freedom Coalition Executive Director Timothy Head spoke with The Tennessee Star about the impact he expects the organization to have on the 2022 midterm elections on Thursday.
“We now have a national database of faith-based conservative voters that’s about 43 million people. What we’ll do in the fall in election cycles is we’ll target those voters,” he said.
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NASHVILLE, Tennessee – Father Frank Pavone of Priests for Life spoke with The Tennessee Star on Thursday at the Faith and Freedom Coalition’s Road to Majority Policy Conference which is taking place from June 16-18 at the Gaylord Opryland Resort & Convention Center.
Pavone spoke with The Star about the pending U.S. Supreme Court decision potentially overturning Roe v. Wade.
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President and Executive Director of Lifeline Children’s Services Herbie Newell spoke with The Tennessee Star on Thursday about his call to serve in the pro-life movement and his goals for the organization.
Lifeline Children’s Services is a pro-life Christian organization that counsels pregnant women and promotes and facilitates adoptions around the United States and the world.
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The Star News Network was once again at the Supreme Court with special correspondent Joanna Miller Wednesday, where crowds gathered to learn if the 1970s-era ‘right to abortion’ would be overturned with the highly anticipated Dobbs v Jackson opinion.
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The Star News Network was on scene at the Supreme Court Monday as activists from the left and the right gathered to learn if the justices would publish their decision on Dobbs vs Jackson, which would effectively overturn Roe vs Wade and send the question of abortion limits back to the states.
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Susan B. Anthony (SBA) List, one of the country’s top pro-life organizations, offered its endorsement to Republican J.D. Vance in the U.S. Senate race in Ohio.
Vance, who edged out his Republican opponents in a crowded GOP primary, will face Democrat Tim Ryan in the November midterm election.
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Two polls released this week have found most American voters want limits on abortion.
Results of a Trafalgar Group/Convention of States poll released Wednesday found 57.6 percent of American voters want abortion to be legal in only specific circumstances, while a Rasmussen Reports survey published Tuesday showed 67 percent of likely U.S. voters say abortion should not be legal past the first three months of pregnancy.
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Attorney General Merrick Garland is pointedly refusing to say if he’s open to prosecuting protesters who demonstrate outside of Supreme Court justices’ homes, which a growing number of office-holders are urging him to do.
Republican Governors Larry Hogan of Maryland and Glenn Youngkin of Virginia and members of Congress want Garland to uphold federal law that prohibits actions to intimidate judges at their private residences.
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Wikipedia, the online encyclopedia, this week removed its entry for Kathy Barnette, a U.S. Senate candidate from Pennsylvania, on the basis that she hasn’t established sufficient “notability.”
A FOX News contributor, Barnette has over 140,500 Twitter followers as of Wednesday evening — a number that grew by about 2,000 throughout the day. She has over 40,000 Facebook followers and over 1,410 YouTube subscribers, numbers that are also both growing rapidly. She has been surging in the polls, coming within two percentage points of celebrity doctor and frontrunner Mehmet Oz in this week’s Trafalgar Group and Fox 29 surveys.
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Some young people from Trump-endorsed Arizona gubernatorial candidate Kari Lake’s campaign were greeted with violence when they showed up at a protest organized by Planned Parenthood over Arizona’s expected post-Roe v. Wade abortion laws at the Arizona State Capitol on May 3 to engage in civil conversations with the demonstrators. Two student staffers who coordinate Students for Kari and a student intern were hit, scratched, shoved, spit on, and pushed into vans, they told The Arizona Sun Times. Some of it was caught on video, including the spitting.
Andorra Blattner, data director for the campaign, who can be seen in the second half of the video in a bright red shirt, told The Sun Times, “They told me that my mom should have aborted me, and since she didn’t, I should kill myself.” Protesters pushed her, tripped her, and ripped her sign “Unborn Lives Matter” out of her hands. One woman with extremely long nails kept poking them in her face, almost hitting her in the eye. The protesters called her profane words used to demean women.
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Recent data from the Florida Agency for Health Care Administration (AHCA) shows abortions numbers are down in Florida from year-to-year. Records indicate there have been just over 16,500 abortions so far in 2022, and if the trend continues, would be a 38 percent decrease from 2021.
During 2021, there were 79,811 abortions, which was a 6.6 percent increase from 2020. The data also showed that the overwhelming majority of abortions performed were elective which backs up other data points from across the country.
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In the wake of the national news that an initial draft of a United States Supreme Court decision had been leaked to the public indicating the high court’s intentions to overturn the landmark Roe v. Wade case, Florida officials have both been chanting and jeering the news. Florida’s anti-abortion politicians have said this could be a good indicator, while pro-abortionists are worried this will lead to more restrictive abortion laws.
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Wednesday morning on The Tennessee Star Report, host Leahy welcomed The Tennessee Star’s national political editor Neil McCabe to the newsmaker line to describe the environment outside SCOTUS Tuesday night and comment on the unprecedented leak.
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Former Speaker of the Tennessee House of Representatives Beth Harwell is enthusiastic about the role Tennessee will play in the defense of unborn babies in light of the leaked draft of a U.S. Supreme Court decision overturning Roe v. Wade.
“If SCOTUS’s decision to overturn Roe is confirmed and the responsibility is rightfully left up to the states, Tennessee is ready to defend the lives of all unborn children and the life of the mother, thanks to the constitutional amendment we passed under my leadership as Speaker and the Human Life Protection Act,” the candidate for Tennessee’s 5th Congressional District said.
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Ohio Right to Life Tuesday reacted after a leaked draft of an opinion that could overturn Roe v. Wade, the infamous Supreme Court decision that made abortion legal at the federal level, was published in German-owned Politico.
Mary Parker, the Director of Legislative Affairs at Ohio Right to Life, emphasized that if the leaked opinion holds, abortion will not be made illegal, but decisions about whether abortion should be legal will be left up to individual states.
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Former U.S. Senator David Perdue, the Trump-endorsed candidate in the Georgia Republican primary for governor, gave his reaction late Monday evening to the reports that the Supreme Court of the United States will rule to overturn Roe v. Wade.
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Virginia’s Governor Tuesday reacted strongly to the news that the Supreme Court of the United States’ (SCOTUS) confidentiality had been violated, and a draft of its decision in a high-profile abortion case has been released.
“I am in utter disbelief that the sacred confidentiality of the Supreme Court would be violated in this manner,” said Gov. Glenn Youngkin (R) in a press release.
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A draft of the majority opinion from Justice Samuel Alito leaked to Politico suggests the Supreme Court voted to strike down Roe v. Wade, the landmark abortion rights decision.
The reported 98-page opinion of at least five justices offers a sharp rebuke of Roe and Casey v. Planned Parenthood, both of which protected abortion rights.
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The nation’s largest organization of pro-life youth was censored by social media platform TikTok Monday after a video depicting Students for Life of America (SFLA) President Kristan Hawkins challenging a woke college student with the actual scientific facts about abortion went viral.
Hawkins called on TikTok to open the process for getting pro-life speech back on the app that contains significant abortion-related content.
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The Arizona gubernatorial race is heating up in the Republican primary, as candidates attempt to distinguish themselves from each other. Former news anchor Kari Lake, who is leading in polling and has Donald Trump’s endorsement, has been calling out Karrin Taylor Robson’s record, referring to her as “Doug Ducey in a dress.” Lake is highly critical of Ducey’s record on COVID-19 restrictions, lack of action on border security, and, she says, being weak on election integrity.
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National Right to Life, a leading national Pro-Life organization, has endorsed Herschel Walker in the Georgia U.S. Senate race.
This is an uncommon step for the organization, as they don’t typical endorse candidates before the nomination has occurred.
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The Tennessee General Assembly overwhelmingly approved legislation banning local education associations or public charter schools from doing business with entities that perform abortions.
The state Senate passed the bill, 27-5, on April 11. The state House approved the legislation on March 7, 70-21. In total, 97 members of the Tennessee General Assembly voted in favor and 26 voted against.
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The Wisconsin Family Action PAC endorsed businessman Kevin Nicholson, who is a Republican running to take on Governor Tony Evers.
The group highlighted that candidates must meet certain criteria, in order to receive the endorsement.
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A “trigger bill” was introduced this week in the Ohio General Assembly that would ban abortion in nearly all cases provided that certain conditions are met.
The text of HB 598 is clear: No person shall purposely cause or induce an abortion by either of the following: (1) Prescribing, administering, or personally furnishing a drug or substance; (2) Using an instrument or other means.
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I was 12 years old when I found out my mother had been adopted. I was raised in a religious, pro-life household, but I was 12 years old when my pro-life convictions were truly forged in steel.
As I learned the story, my mother was the product of what we now call a crisis pregnancy. And yet through the grace of God, my mother’s biological mother gave her newborn child up for adoption. My grandparents provided my mother with a loving, nurturing home, and it was in her adoptive home where she learned the values of love, charity, hard work, and dedication to family that she passed along to us.
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Pro-life legislation pending before Tennessee’s General Assembly that would prohibit Local Education Associations (LEA) or public charter schools from doing business with abortion providers continues through the legislative process in the state House, where it has been referred to the Senate Education Committee after passing on second consideration.
State Senator Joey Hensley (R-Hohenwald) originally filed SB2158 in state Senate. State Representative Debra Moody (R-Covington) has sponsored the state House companion version, HB2557 and it is continuing to make headway in the House.
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Ohio gubernatorial candidate Jim Renacci, a Republican primary challenger to incumbent Governor Mike DeWine, promised to appoint an administration official to serve as a pro-life advocate, if he were elected.
According to the candidate, the individual, who would be given the title “Unborn Child Advocate,” would play a key role in his administration.
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Pro-life legislation pending before Tennessee’s General Assembly has received a sponsor in the State House.
State Senator Joey Hensley (R-Hohenwald-SD28) originally filed SB2158, a bill prohibiting LEAs or public charter schools from doing business with abortion providers. Representative Debra Moody (R-Covington-HD81) filed HB2557, the state House companion version on February, 3, 2022.
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On Wednesday, Hamilton County Common Pleas Judge Alison Hatheway blocked an Ohio law for the second time in one year that would require fetal remains from surgical abortions to be cremated or buried.
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A Tennessee legislator has filed a bill prohibiting LEAs or public charter schools from doing business with entities that perform abortions.
This is the latest Pro-Life bill to be proposed during the current Tennessee General Assembly Session.
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Virginia’s new Attorney General has withdrawn the state from a landmark lawsuit that could determine the legality of abortion nationwide.
“Following the change in Administration on January 15, 2022, the Attorney General has reconsidered Virginia’s position in this case,” Attorney General Jason Miyares’ office said in a letter addressed to the Supreme Court. “The purpose of this letter is to notify the Court that Virginia no longer adheres to the arguments contained in its previously filed brief. Virginia is now of the view that the Constitution is silent on question of abortion, and that it is therefore up to the people in the several States to determine the legal status and regulatory treatment of abortion.”
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On Tuesday, the Susan B. Anthony (SBA) List announced their support for legislation in the Florida Legislature that would stop late abortions after 15 weeks of pregnancy, according to a press release by the organization.
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Even at religiously affiliated institutions, pro-life students fight to have their voices heard peacefully.
Below are five times in 2021 that pro-life advocates overcame adversity on college campuses.
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Pennsylvania state Rep. David Zimmerman (R-East Earl) this week proposed a measure enabling prosecution of those who kill or injure an unborn child while committing a non-homicidal crime against the mother.
Current law only allows murder charges for killing an unborn human when the perpetrator is also charged with murdering that child’s mother. Criminal acts against an expecting mother causing a pre-born child’s death that Zimmerman’s legislation would cover include assault, fatal drug delivery and reckless endangerment, according to a memorandum to Pennsylvania House members.
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A new ad produced by the pro-life group Live Action mocks men who support abortion rights, pointing out that males benefit from abortion by avoiding responsibility and commitment.
Four men in the video explain why they are pro-choice, with reasons including disgust for women’s bodies, fear of women’s sexuality and the ability of males to avoid financial responsibility for any children they bear.
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Pro-life leaders anxiously awaiting decisions in major abortion cases reacted Friday to news that the Supreme Court had dismissed one challenge to Texas’ ban on abortions after an unborn baby has a heartbeat.
“Today, the Supreme Court refused to strike down the lifesaving and democratically popular Texas heartbeat law,” said Live Action founder and President Lila Rose. “While the court did give a road map for lower courts to put the law on hold, the opinion of the court was crystal clear that this case was not commenting on the constitutionality of the abortion restriction itself.”
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The Supreme Court ruled Friday that abortion providers in Texas will continue to be allowed to challenge the state’s restrictive abortion law but decided to not stop the law from being enforced.
The opinion, authored by Justice Neil Gorsuch, emphasizes that the question of whether the Texas law is constitutional is not the one before the court. The ruling allows lawsuits by the clinics to go forward in lower courts, while leaving the law in place for now.
Eight of the nine justices said the abortion providers may continue bringing legal challenges, and Chief Justice John Roberts, writing on behalf of himself and the court’s three Democrat-appointed justices, encouraged the district judge should act quickly.
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On Friday, Democratic Wisconsin Gov. Tony Evers vetoed five bills restricting abortion that were passed by the Republican-majority state legislature.
“I’ve said it before, and I’ll say it again today: as long as I’m governor, I will veto any legislation that turns back the clock on reproductive rights in this state—and that’s a promise,” Evers tweeted.
He said he firmly opposed all five bills, which would have restricted abortion by allowing third parties to pursue damage claims in cases of unwanted abortions and requiring more stringent reporting requirements on patients and providers, according to The Hill.
One of the bills, the Shield the Vulnerable Act, would have banned abortions performed on the basis of race, sex, or disability diagnosis of the unborn baby. It would have also allowed third parties such as a spouse, partner, or family member of a woman to bring damages to court if they did not want her to have the abortion, the news outlet reported.
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I woke up Wednesday morning so grateful that my state, Virginia, had voted out abortion extremism. Abortion activists were supposed to sweep Terry McAuliffe back to the governor’s mansion. McAuliffe spent millions of dollars on ads blasting Glenn Youngkin for being pro-life and brought in outside speakers, including former President Obama, to campaign on the issue of abortion. Instead of keeping Virginia blue, these efforts may have propelled Youngkin to victory. The 5% of voters who said abortion was their top issue in the 2021 election backed Youngkin by a 12-percentage-point margin.
Some policy analysts seem shocked by how abortion radicalism blew up in McAuliffe’s face, but they shouldn’t be. More than three quarters of the American people support significant restrictions on abortion and are making their voices heard at the polls. Instead of listening to them, McAuliffe pandered to an extreme base that makes up a tiny portion of the electorate.
Protecting the most vulnerable is a winning issue, it should be a bipartisan issue, and Youngkin’s success paves the way for a wave of pro-life candidates in 2022 to win in purple and blue states by calling out the extreme pro-abortion views of their opponents.
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The United States Supreme Court heard arguments Monday on the constitutionality of Texas’ Heartbeat Act.
The Texas law effectively bans most abortions after a fetal heartbeat can be detected, which typically occurs around 6 weeks after conception. The law is enforced through civil lawsuits against individuals who perform abortions illegally or who knowingly help women to get abortions after the baby has a heartbeat.
The private enforcement mechanism was a response to district attorneys stating their intent to not enforce any abortion bans, according to Republican Texas state Sen. Brian Hughes. While abortion bans are frequently blocked in court, Texas’ Heartbeat Act quickly resulted in a 50% decline in abortions performed in the state, according to The New York Times.
Justice Brett Kavanaugh questioned Texas about the prospect of other states creating laws with similar enforcement mechanisms to block constitutionally protected rights such as freedom of religion.
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Pro-abortion activists in Minnesota want the state to defund its program that provides medical care, housing assistance, education, nutrition assistance, adoption services and more to underserved mothers.
The “Positive Alternatives” program, created in 2005, presently operates on a $3.3 million annual budget and provides grants to nonprofits that mainly assist pregnant women “at what could otherwise be a challenging time.”
For perspective, the state has spent over $7 million on a rest stop, $12 million on an “elevated walking trail” at the Minnesota Zoo, $6.9 million on an unused morgue, and $367,883 on a gay men’s choir.
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