A healthy handful of U.S. states are on a roll right now with writing and passing pro-life legislation (some of which pose a formidable challenge to Roe v. Wade – fingers crossed). But the award for the most creative and cheeky pro-life effort has to go to Republican Sen. Sine Kerr of Arizona who this week proposed essentially a Heartbeat Bill amendment… to some random bill about license plate design.
The Associated Press reported:
“It would confer all civil rights to unborn children, allow the father or maternal grandparents of an aborted child to sue, and ban the spending of any state money with organizations that provide abortion care. The measure would require fetal remains to be buried or cremated, and also forbids state universities from providing abortion care or counseling or referring anyone to an abortion provider.”
In addition, it would make it a felony for abortionists to commit an abortion after the baby’s heartbeat can be detected. The mother would not be charged in any way.
State Heartbeat Bills face tons of legal challenges that stem from the Supreme Court’s “precedent” set by Roe v. Wade and Doe v. Bolton (read more here about why that precedent is shaky at best). Pro-life lawmakers in Arizona are currently focused on a bill that would ban discrimination abortions on babies with Down Syndrome – another worthy cause.
It’s not currently clear what will happen with Sen. Kerr’s sly amendment addition, especially given that not every Republican Senator in Arizona can be counted on to vote pro-life. But boy, do we admire the spunk.
