States Take a Stand on Value of Human Life: Oklahoma Protects Unborn Babies from Abortion, Colorado Dismisses Their Humanity

Susan Berry, PhD

In just the span of about a week, legislation in two states concerning ending the lives of unborn babies starkly reveals that while many state lawmakers are standing up to protect human life, some appear to be underscoring the extremity with which they are prepared to go to dismiss it.

The states continue to take their respective stands in advance of the case of Dobbs v. Jackson Women’s Health Organization, now awaiting a decision at the U.S. Supreme Court. The case is considered to present the most significant challenge to the Court’s decision in Roe v. Wade in 1973.

On Tuesday, Oklahoma Gov. Kevin Stitt (R) signed the Life at Conception Act into law, which bans ending the lives of unborn babies in most circumstances, except those to save the life of the mother, and will make performing an abortion a felony.

If enforced, the new measure:

prohibits the performance of an abortion or attempt to perform an abortion except to save the life of a pregnant woman in a medical emergency. Any person convicted of performing or attempting to perform an abortion is guilty of a felony punishable by a fine not to exceed $100,000.00 or a maximum sentence of imprisonment of 10 years, or both.

The law, however, does “not authorize the charging or conviction of a woman with any criminal offense in the death of her own unborn child or prohibit the sale, use, prescription or administration of contraceptives.”

Vice President Kamala Harris (D) referred to the Oklahoma measure as “shameful.”

Stitt expects Oklahoma’s new measure to be challenged, but state lawmakers are also prepared to pass HB 4327 and SB 1503, which would also ban all abortions except in cases of medical emergencies, and would take effect immediately once Stitt signs it into law.

HB 4327 models the Texas Heartbeat Act, which remains in effect, with its enforcement through lawsuits by private citizens against anyone who “aids or abets” an abortion, rather than by state officials.

Colorado Governor Jared Polis (D), however, signed a very different bill last week that denies rights and protections for any “fertilized egg, embryo or fetus,” including at the moment of birth, and declares abortion to be a “fundamental right” under state law.

The radical legislation, ironically titled the Reproductive Health Equity Act, “declares that every individual has a fundamental right to use or refuse contraception; every pregnant individual has a fundamental right to continue the pregnancy and give birth or to have an abortion.”

Unborn babies, according to the new law, however, have no rights to “equity” whatsoever.

“A fertilized egg, embryo, or fetus does not have independent or derivative rights under the laws of the state,” the law says.

Life News noted the new Colorado law also blocks cities and towns from banning abortions through local ordinances, as has occurred through the  Sanctuary Cities for the Unborn Initiative.

However, Mark Lee Dickson, director of Right to Life of East Texas, and founder of the Sanctuary Cities for the Unborn Initiative, said in comments to The Star News Network:

City councils have a responsibility to make decisions which are in the best interest of the health and safety of their residents. Regardless of what bill Colorado’s Governor has signed – unborn babies are residents. If any cities throughout Colorado want to pass an ordinance outlawing abortion they should definitely reach out.

Polis used the language of the abortion industry to justify his signature on the radical abortion legislation.

The Democrat governor said the bill deserved to become law because it prevents “big government” from interfering in the “personal health decisions” of “individuals.”

Ironically, Democrats appear to be all for everything else “big government,” including nationalized health care, federal control of education, energy, etc. – except when it comes to abortion rules that don’t go their way.

Abortion industry giant Planned Parenthood, for example, had no problem pushing what it referred to as “tested,” “safe,” and “effective,” COVID vaccines on every individual body, because the government said so.

While Polis appears to dismiss the humanity of unborn babies, in favor of unfettered access to ending their lives in utero, he announced Monday he is all for celebrating “National Pet Day,” for “your animal companion.”

Author and activist Meghan McCain expressed her disgust with the new Colorado law last week:

The new bills are signed into law amid the outcry by the pro-life movement over the gruesome discovery of five late-term babies, which were apparently aborted in the Washington, D.C. clinic operated by abortionist Cesare Santangelo, and had been slated to be incinerated to create “energy” by Curtis Bay Medical Waste Services.

The pro-life activists and members of Congress are demanding Washington law enforcement and federal officials conduct thorough investigations, including autopsies, into the deaths of the infants.

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Susan Berry, PhD, is national education editor at The Star News Network. Email tips to [email protected].
Photo “Kevin Stitt” by Kevin Stitt. 

 

 

 

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