Tag: 20 weeks
Update: West Virginia Legislature Advances Bill to Ban Abortion
Posted on February 9, 2015 in Life by Nathan Cherry
I recently wrote about the intentions of the West Virginia legislature to reintroduce a bill to ban abortion after 20 weeks during this year’s legislative session.
This is important for several reasons. First, West Virginia is one of just nine states that has absolutely no restrictions on abortion; none. A woman can have an abortion the day she is due to deliver her baby and no one would say a word. If that is not shocking check your moral pulse. Somehow, despite the fact that an overwhelming majority of West Virginians are pro-life, our lawmakers have never tried to defend the unborn. This bill would change that.
Another reason this is important is because it protects the most helpless citizens of our state. Those that can’t speak for themselves, can’t fight back, would be protected from an awful death. Most people have never seen an abortion and if they did, they’d look away. It’s nothing short of torture. Pieces are pulled out and oftentimes entire babies are pulled out and left to die. That’s not a practice we want happening in our state.
Last, the body of evidence showing that unborn children can feel pain at 20 weeks is growing exponentially. Only the most callous, science-denying person would dare challenge the notion that unborn children at 20 weeks can feel pain. That makes abortion murder AND torture.
Though the bill was passed last year, our “pro-life” governor vetoed it because he was advised it was “unconstitutional.” I guess the other dozen states that have similar laws on the books and have seen those laws withstand judicial challenge are just better than West Virginia. Or maybe facts are pesky things that just get in the way. Either way, the bill is advancing this year (HB2568) and will no doubt pass the legislature with another bi-partisan majority. The difference this time is that should Go.v Tomblin veto it, there is a very good chance the legislature will have the votes to override the veto and see the bill signed into law. We should be praying for such an end. Then West Virginia would join the other 40-some states that have at least one abortion limiting law on the books.
The picture in this post is that of Scotland Riles. Scotland was miscarried at 20 weeks. But this tragic story has an element of hope and purpose as the father, Tommy Riles, shares the story of his son. Rather than simply having their son removed and discarded as a mass of tissue, the Riles family, as a result of their faith, chose to go through labor and give birth to their son.
After the labor and delivery process, the Riles family spent time with their son, singing, praying, and talking to him. Tommy wrote a letter to his son in which he told him he was proud of his son. Part of that letter says:
W.Va. House Approves 20 Week Abortion Bill
Posted on February 18, 2014 in Life by Nathan Cherry
WOWKTV.com is reporting: “A West Virginia House of Delegates committee has voted to pass a bill to limit abortions after 20 weeks. The proposal passed Monday in the Committee on Health would prohibit abortions after 20 weeks unless a physician deems a woman’s medical complications pose a risk to her life or would cause irreversible physical impairment. This does not include a woman’s psychological or mental condition.”
This is great news in light of the failure of our lawmakers last week to approve another bill to limit abortions after 20 weeks. I’m not sure why our lawmakers, many of them claiming to be pro-life, can’t accurately represent the people of West Virginia by enacting common sense health and safety regulations on the unregulated abortion industry in our state. Are they afraid of doing what’s right and making the people that elected them happy?
One curious note to this article came when it said: “The bill would also compel physicians who perform abortions after 20 weeks to do so in such a way that provides the best opportunity for the unborn child to survive. Under the bill, all abortions would be reported to the Division of Health and anyone who performs an abortion in violation of the bill would face felony charges.”
How exactly do you perform an abortion “in such a way that provides the best opportunity for the unborn child to survive”? Is there a method of abortion that encourages life? This is a strange report that hopefully will be answered by lawmakers as this bill progresses.
Let’s call and email our lawmakers and let them know that we support this bill and want to see it signed into law in order to protect both women and children in West Virginia. You can find all your elected officials contact information at the West Virginia Legislature website.