National Abortion Federation Blog: Saporta Reporter
| News about reproductive choice from the President and CEO of the National Abortion Federation, Vicki Saporta. |
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We continue to mourn the loss of our friend and colleague, Dr. George Tiller. Dr. Tiller was a dedicated physician who provided quality abortion care to women, at great personal sacrifice and risk. He is truly a hero to his fellow abortion providers and his patients. Dr. Tiller’s office is filled with letters from women, thanking him for the excellent, compassionate care he provided. Many of these women say Dr. Tiller saved their lives.
Since his tragic death, we have received messages from some of his patients and from people around the world who are saddened and outraged. We feel it is important to share these words and tributes to our beloved colleague and friend. For the first time, we will enable comments on our blog so that all of you can share your condolences or offer memories of Dr. Tiller. We invite you to join us in honoring a true American hero, Dr. George Tiller.
Post your comments, condolences, and personal memories of Dr. Tiller
Newsweek Examines Anti-Choice Legislative Strategy
Yesterday, Newsweek.com featured an article about the efforts of abortion opponents to put “personhood” initiatives on ballots across the country. Led by the new anti-choice organization Personhood USA, these initiatives aim to revise state constitutions to define a fertilized egg as a person. Seven state-level groups are currently gathering signatures for 2010 ballots. A similar amendment was strongly defeated by Colorado voters in 2008.Labels: ballot initiatives, state legislation
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California Voters Reject Proposition 4
Parental notification laws like Proposition 4 endanger the health and safety of teens. Today, California voters once again rejected this type of dangerous barrier for teens attempting to access abortion care. While parents rightly want to be involved in the decisions of their teenage daughters, good family communication cannot be legislated. California already leads the nation in the rate of parental communication about issues concerning sexual activity, according to the National Campaign to Prevent Teen Pregnancy. However, involving a parent is not a realistic option for many young women seeking to terminate a pregnancy, and some young women may delay seeking care or even resort to dangerous alternatives if forced to involve a parent in their decision. That is why many professional groups in California, including the California Medical Association and the California Nurses Association, opposed this harmful proposition. This is the third time California voters have rejected a parental notification provision. Two similar measures were defeated in 2005 and 2006, by margins of 52.6 percent to 47.4 percent, and 54.2 percent to 45.8 percent, respectively. Labels: ballot initiatives, California, parental involvement, state legislation
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South Dakota Voters Reject the Nation’s Most Restrictive Abortion Ban
This ban would have threatened the lives and health of South Dakota women, and potentially set a dangerous precedent for our country. Today’s vote is a victory not only for women in South Dakota, but for women throughout the nation. This is the second time South Dakota voters have protected a woman’s right to access abortion care by defeating an abortion ban. In 2006, the South Dakota legislature passed an abortion ban, which Governor Mike Rounds signed into law. Citizens in South Dakota banded together in opposition to the legislation, and gathered enough signatures to defer implementation of the ban pending a statewide referendum. That year, South Dakota voters rejected the abortion ban by a margin of 55 percent to 45 percent. Although abortion opponents proposed another abortion ban this year, the citizens of South Dakota have again voted not to outlaw abortion. The South Dakota Campaign for Healthy Families, the organization originally created to fight the abortion ban in 2006, once again played an integral part in the ban’s defeat. NAF also sent staff to South Dakota to help campaign against this dangerous initiative. Labels: abortion bans, ballot initiatives, South Dakota, state legislation
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Colorado Voters Reject Amendment Defining a Fertilized Egg as a Person
Washington, DC—Today, Colorado voters rejected Amendment 48, which would have redefined "person" in the state constitution and granted constitutional rights from the moment of conception. “This amendment was nothing more than an attempt to outlaw all abortions in Colorado,” said Vicki Saporta, National Abortion Federation (NAF) President and CEO. The so-called “Definition of Person” Amendment would have eliminated a woman’s right to make private health care decisions. In addition to outlawing abortion, the amendment was so far-reaching that it could have banned commonly used birth control methods like the pill, IUDs, and emergency contraception. Women suffering from illnesses such as cancer could have even been refused life-saving medical treatment because of the risks it might pose to a fertilized egg. Leading lawyers, doctors, and even Colorado Governor Bill Ritter opposed this amendment. The Executive Board of the Colorado Gynecological-Obstetrical Society voted unanimously to oppose this ballot initiative citing that the “moment of fertilization is not a medical definition of pregnancy and as such represents inappropriate intrusion into the practice of medicine.” “Amendment 48 was another attempt by abortion opponents to substitute political ideology for scientific evidence and the citizens of Colorado did not let them succeed,” said Saporta. Labels: ballot initiatives, state legislation
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NAF Staff in the Field: Fighting South Dakota’s Proposed Abortion Ban – Update 3
 Our weekend of activism culminated in a well-attended visibility event at a busy intersection in the middle of Rapid City. Even though the traffic was constant, drivers took the time to honk in support, sometimes slowing to wave. Some drivers pulled over to talk with us and get literature on the ban, and one driver even signed up to volunteer with the Campaign for Healthy Families. By the weekend’s end, our group of volunteers had documented more than 100 new supporters and had widely distributed boxes of bumper stickers and voter guides. One of the most rewarding aspects of our time in South Dakota has been meeting the campaign staff and volunteers here in Rapid City and from the neighboring states of Wyoming and Montana. An abortion provider from Oregon even joined the group and shared some of her experiences in providing abortion care. In between phone calls and campaigning, we discussed how abortion access and availability varied in each of our home states. Hearing about the barriers women face when obtaining abortion care in different states reminded us of the importance of our work here in South Dakota and back in DC. As we prepare to go home, I know we will not forget all of these stories and the amazing people we encountered in Rapid City. Labels: abortion bans, ballot initiatives, South Dakota
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NAF Staff in the Field: Fighting South Dakota’s Proposed Abortion Ban – Update 2
 After our successful first day of phone banking and holding our "No on 11" signs at a busy downtown intersection, we were eager to hit the streets and meet the people of Rapid City. We set out in teams and canvassed tree-lined, hilly neighborhoods covered in Halloween décor and political signs. Our targets were undecided voters, and our mission was to make sure they knew that the ban was back on the ballot this year. Armed with maps, bottled water, and bags of Healthy Families literature, we made our way into the heart of Rapid City. We were impressed with the diversity of supporters: young mothers, senior citizens, and baby boomers. They all agreed that the exceptions were too broad and took away important decision-making from women, their doctors, and their families. Abortion in South Dakota is already rare and heavily regulated. We talked with people about how IM 11 would introduce big government into family decision making, and the harmful ways this ban would threaten a woman’s health. Labels: abortion bans, ballot initiatives, South Dakota
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NAF Staff in the Field: Fighting South Dakota’s Proposed Abortion Ban - Update 1
Staff members from the National Abortion Federation traveled to South Dakota this week to work with the South Dakota Campaign for Healthy Families (SDCHF) to campaign against Initiated Measure 11, which would ban abortion in the state with limited exceptions. This week our blog will feature their reports “from the field” about this closely watched ballot initiative.
Unfortunately, this is not the first time abortion opponents have tried to ban abortion in the state. In 2006, South Dakota passed a broad abortion ban, but SDCHF was able to collect enough signatures to defer implementation of the ban pending a statewide referendum. Voters in South Dakota defeated the ban by a margin of 55% to 44%.
Upon arriving in Rapid City, the first thing we noticed was the lack of skyscrapers. Being city girls, a lack of tall buildings and concrete was pretty shocking. However, the political signs that followed us to the campaign office made us feel far more at home than we anticipated. We were greeted at the office by warm, friendly people whose kindness was trumped only by their dedication. They explained how difficult it already is for women in Rapid City to obtain abortion care because the city's reproductive health clinic doesn't provide abortions, and the closest clinic is located nearly 400 miles away in Sioux Falls.  Our first activity was to increase campaign visibility by joining a diverse group of campaign workers and volunteers holding signs against Initiated Measure 11 at one of Rapid City's busiest intersections. We received many reactions from passers-by, including a large number of honks and waves from fellow supporters. Being active on the issue in public made us realize just how divisive abortion is in the state of South Dakota, and gave us new drive for our evening's phone banking to educate voters and urge them to vote “no on 11.” Labels: abortion bans, ballot initiatives, South Dakota
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Gov. Schwarzenegger Signs Legislation Protecting Providers and Patients from Violence
This past Friday, California Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger signed SB 1770 to extend the state’s Reproductive Rights Law Enforcement Act by five years. Originally passed in 2006, the Reproductive Rights Law Enforcement Act requires the state to collect and analyze information on anti-reproductive rights crimes. There have been several cited cases of violence against clinicians and patients in California, including this year’s attempted arson of an abortion clinic in Northern California. SB 1770 provides law enforcement with essential tools in the fight to keep California providers and patients safe from anti-abortion violence and harassment. Learn more about state clinic protection bills.Labels: ballot initiatives, California, safety, state legislation
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Arizona Senate Rejects Bill Preventing Nurses from Providing Abortion Care
Yesterday, the Arizona Senate defeated a House-passed bill preventing advanced practice nurses from providing abortion care. This bill would have contradicted last month’s decision by the Arizona Board of Nursing that it is within the scope of practice of appropriately trained advanced practice nurses in the state to provide early aspiration abortion care. A nurse's scope of practice is determined by the state Board of Nursing based upon specified guidelines established in the Nurse Practice Act for that state. Professional boards are charged with making these types of scope of practice decisions due to their extensive knowledge of the profession, and their judgments should be respected. >Learn more about the role of advanced practice clinicians in abortion care.Labels: advanced practice clinicians, ballot initiatives, state legislation
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Senate Questions Anti-Choice Judicial Nominee
Yesterday, the Senate Judiciary Committee held a hearing on anti-choice Richard Honaker’s nomination for a lifetime appointment as a federal district judge to the U.S. District Court for the District of Wyoming. Throughout his career, Richard Honaker has worked to undermine a woman’s right to access abortion care. While in the Wyoming Legislature, Honaker introduced two bills that would have created a near total-ban on abortion in the state. When the bills failed, Honaker then served as counsel to an organization formed to place the abortion ban on the 1994 Wyoming state-wide ballot. Wyoming voters overwhelmingly rejected the measure. Honaker has repeatedly stated his view that legal abortion is the equivalent of murder, and has criticized Supreme Court decisions establishing the legal right to an abortion. His statements and writings on the role of religion in the law also raise concerns about whether he would follow established precedent if the resulting decision would be inconsistent with his personal beliefs. Given his extensive history of anti-abortion activism and his extremist legal philosophy, Honaker is clearly an inappropriate judicial candidate and his confirmation to the court would threaten the reproductive rights of women in Wyoming. Read NAF’s statement opposing Richard Honaker’s nomination.Labels: abortion bans, access, anti-choice, ballot initiatives
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Lawsuit Filed To Block Anti-Abortion Ballot Initiative in Missouri
Mary Hickey, a St. Louis woman that is represented by lawyers for Planned Parenthood in Missouri, filed a lawsuit earlier this month seeking to prevent a petition drive to place an anti-abortion initiative on the November 2008 Missouri ballot. The lawsuit argues that if enacted, the initiative would “render virtually all abortions unlawful," and thus violate a woman's constitutional right to obtain abortion care. The initiative’s sponsor is the Elliot Institute, an out-of-state organization based in Springfield, IL. In 2006, the same organization unsuccessfully tried to put a proposal against stem-cell research on Missouri’s ballot. Labels: abortion bans, ballot initiatives, stem cell research
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On the 34th Anniversary of Roe v. Wade, the National Abortion Federation Releases its 2006 Legislative Report
As our nation today commemorates the 34th anniversary of Roe v. Wade, the National Abortion Federation (NAF) released its 2006 Legislative Report. While abortion rights remained under attack in 2006, there were several notable victories at the federal and state levels that could lay the groundwork for future pro-choice legislative victories.
"Legislative attacks on women's reproductive freedom are all too common," said Vicki Saporta, President and CEO of NAF. "Women deserve to have access to safe, legal, and accessible abortion care. At the same time that we celebrate what Roe v. Wade has done to improve the lives and health of American women, we must remain vigilant in opposing attempts to further restrict abortion access."
The report examines key events in 2006, including the confirmation of Samuel Alito, the introduction of sweeping abortion bans in several states, successful campaigns against restrictive state ballot initiatives, the enactment of protective measures for abortion providers, the defeat of anti-abortion legislation on Capitol Hill, and the 2006 elections.
"NAF will continue to work on the state and federal levels to ensure that abortion is safe, legal, and accessible to promote health and justice for women," said Saporta.
NAF’s 2006 Legislative Report is available at www.prochoice.org.Labels: abortion bans, access, anti-choice, ballot initiatives, Roe v. Wade
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Voters Reject Abortion Restrictions
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NAF Staff in the Field: South Dakota Abortion Ban Referenda – Update 8
Staff members from the National Abortion Federation (NAF) are on the ground in South Dakota campaigning to repeal South Dakota’s abortion ban. Please read our blog this week to read our staff’s reports “from the field” about this closely watched ballot initiative and learn more about the “No on Six” campaign.We had a rally in front of the federal court house to get voters and the Sioux Falls Community energized. Jan Nicolay, co-chair of the South Dakota Campaign for Healthy Families , spoke out against the ban and invited others to do the same. Several community members came forward to express their opposition, including a young pregnant woman, a mother of four, a union leader, a high-school student, and a medical student at a local university. Even the arrival of anti-choice protesters couldn’t dampen the energy of the crowd, which filled the entire sidewalk in front of the courthouse. Afterward, we joined about 30 other volunteers with signs and marched up to the busiest Sioux Falls intersections to wave our signs and cheer against the abortion ban. Our supporters honked and cheered as they drove by in their cars during the busy lunch hour. After two hours outside in the chilly South Dakota wind, our fingers were numb but our spirits were high, and we returned to the office to continue our efforts to get out the vote with phone calls and mailings. Labels: abortion bans, anti-choice, ballot initiatives, South Dakota
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NAF Staff in the Field: South Dakota Abortion Ban Referenda - Update 1
 Driving along the flat, dusty stretch of Highway 29 between our hotel and campaign headquarters, we are all struck by the sheer number of yard signs reflecting various issues South Dakotans will be deciding on in a few days. In past elections, it may have been easier to predict the outcome for certain ballot initiatives based on voter history. However, on November 7, 2006, South Dakotans will vote on repealing the most restrictive abortion ban that outlaws abortion at all stages of pregnancy, with only a limited exception if necessary to save the life of the woman. In talking with one of the “ No on Six” organizers at our campaign headquarters, it is clear that repealing the abortion ban is not an issue that will be decided along party lines. Volunteers from every political party and from both sides of the abortion issue have showed up to help spread the word about the importance of repealing the restrictive ban. Democrats sit alongside Republicans and Independents stuffing voter guides to be mailed out. Self described pro-choice and anti-choice voters stop by to pick up “ No on Six” yard signs for their lawns. Labels: abortion bans, anti-choice, ballot initiatives, South Dakota
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Reports from the Field: South Dakota Abortion Ban
Staff members from the National Abortion Federation (NAF) are on the ground in South Dakota campaigning to repeal South Dakota’s abortion ban. Please read our blog this week to read our staff’s reports “from the field” about this closely watched ballot initiative and learn more about the “ No on Six” campaign. Earlier this year, the South Dakota legislature voted to deny women safe and legal access to essential reproductive health care services. House Bill 1215, which was signed by Governor Rounds in March, would prohibit abortion at all stages of pregnancy, with only a limited exception if necessary to save the life of the woman. The people of South Dakota banded together in opposition to this broad abortion ban, creating the Campaign for Healthy Families gathering enough signatures put the measure to a vote by South Dakotans on November 7th. Labels: abortion bans, access, ballot initiatives, South Dakota
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Oregon: Oppose Measure 43!
Oregon voters will also be asked to consider a parental notification ballot initiative this November. The Oregon proposal would require 48-hour written notice to a parent before a teen between the ages of 15-17 has an abortion. Oregon law already requires teens who are 14 or under to obtain parental consent for any medical treatment. This new provision could endanger our most vulnerable teens – those from abusive families, or victims of incest. Visit the No on Measure 43 website to learn more about this harmful initiative. Labels: ballot initiatives, Oregon, parental involvement
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California: Vote No on Proposition 85!
Last November, California voters rejected a parental notification ballot initiative by a margin of 52.6% to 47.4%. Unfortunately, proponents of the initiative managed to place it on the ballot with similar wording again this November. If the proposition passes, the health and safety of California teens may be placed in danger. While parents rightly want to be involved in the decisions of their teenage daughters, good family communication cannot be imposed by the government. Rather than tell their parents, some young women may resort to self-induced or back-alley abortions, risking serious injury and even death. >Learn more about the dangers of mandating parental involvement and visit the website of the No on Proposition 85 Campaign to learn more about this initiative. Labels: ballot initiatives, California, parental involvement
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Abortion Restriction Placed on Oregon’s November Ballot
Sixteen years after Oregon voters became the first in the nation to turn down a law mandating that parents be notified if their teenage daughter sought an abortion, the issue will be placed on the state’s November ballot. If the measure passes, parents of teens 15-17 must be given 48-hour written notice before their teen obtained an abortion. Medical providers that do not notify parents could face civil litigation for damages by the parents and suspension or revocation of their medical licenses. > View The Oregonian articleLabels: ballot initiatives, Oregon
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South Dakota’s Abortion Ban Could Head to the Courts
South Dakota Attorney General said if voters approve an abortion ban it may be challenged in court and could be found to violate the U.S. Constitution. Passed by the state legislature and signed into law earlier this year, the law prohibits all safe abortion procedures at all stages of pregnancy and contains only a limited exception for the life of the woman. In June 2006, pro-choice activists gathered the required signatures to place an abortion ban repeal initiative on November’s ballot challenging the new abortion ban law before it takes effect. > Read the Associated Press articleLabels: abortion bans, ballot initiatives, South Dakota, state legislation
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Anti-abortion Amendment Fails to Make it onto the Ballot in Michigan
Due to a lack of petition signatures, a proposed constitutional amendment will not make Michigan's November ballot. The amendment would have altered Michigan's constitution to legally define a person as existing from the moment of conception. > View Associated Press articleLabels: ballot initiatives, Michigan
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Dangerous Parental Involvement Proposition in California
Last year, California voters considered Proposition 73, which proposed to amend the California constitution to require minors to notify a parent or legal guardian at least 48 hours before an abortion. Californians rejected Proposition 73 recognizing that these measures can endanger teens. Abortion opponents have collected enough signatures for a ballot initiative that will place a dangerous measure similar to Proposition 73 on the ballot this November. >View the California Healthline article on the 2006 ballot initiative For more information on this measure and Proposition 73, visit the Campaign for Teen Safety. Labels: ballot initiatives, California, parental involvement, state legislation
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South Dakota Secretary of State Chris Nelson certified this week that the required signatures had been gathered and the restrictive anti-abortion repeal initiative would appear on the ballot in November. Citizens of South Dakota will have a chance to repeal the state’s extreme ban on abortion. The South Dakota ban outlaws abortion, making it a felony for a doctor to provide an abortion and makes no exception for rape, incest, or to protect the health of the woman. In March 2006, NAF called the actions by South Dakota Governor Mike Rounds in signing into law the abortion ban, "a direct attack on American women and their reproductive freedoms." View NAF’s press releaseLabels: abortion bans, anti-choice, ballot initiatives, South Dakota
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The New York Sun has a story on NAF’s new report on the deceptive tactics of Crisis Pregnancy Centers. A taskforce of U.S. Catholic Bishops have concluded that the decision to allow pro-choice politicians to receive communion will rest in the hands of local bishops. The Internal Revenue Service is warning churches in South Dakota that they may lose their tax-exempt status if they campaign against the abortion ban, which may be on the ballot this November. Labels: abortion bans, ballot initiatives
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Tuesday, pro-choice activists in South Dakota turned in more than 37,000 signatures in support of a ballot initiative to overturn South Dakota's ban on abortions. The Toronto Star reports on the decision of Amnesty International's Canadian section to include reproductive health in its mission of advocating for human rights. Labels: abortion bans, ballot initiatives, Canada, South Dakota
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New Developments in Pharmacist Refusals
A pharmacist in Seattle refused to fill a prescription for antibiotics because it was called in by Cedar River Clinic, a local abortion provider. Read Seattle Times columnist Nicole Broder’s take on this disturbing development in pharmacy refusals. Kansas state attorney general Phill Kline has spent several years attempting to procure confidential patient records from two comprehensive reproductive health care clinics. A debate has started in the state over whether the court proceedings should be open to the public. Read the Kansas City Star article. The South Dakota-based Argus Leader reports that pro-choice activists have gathered approximately 10,000 of the 17,000 petition signatures they need to place the abortion ban on the November ballot. Labels: abortion bans, ballot initiatives, Kansas
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La Times Profiles Pro-Choice Activists in South Dakota
The LA Times has an inspiring story about the success of activists who are gathering signatures to place South Dakota’s abortion ban on the ballot. Yesterday the FDA declared a death previously reported after the use of mifepristone/misoprostol unrelated to abortion. Read the update.Anti-choice advocates in South Dakota have set up a legal fund to defend the ban if it is taken to court. But there has been a local controversy over whether donors to the fund can remain anonymous. Read the story in the Aberdeen American News>. Labels: abortion bans, anti-choice, ballot initiatives, medical abortion
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South Dakota: Still Front Page News
Today NAF was part of an Associated Press story on the South Dakota abortion ban. The Argus Leader reports that South Dakota Governor Mike Rounds is trying to distance himself from the abortion ban, which he signed into law yesterday. According to this second Associated Press story, Governor Rounds also says that if the abortion ban is put on the ballot this fall, he will not take a position on it. Read columnist Molly Ivin’s take on the South Dakota ban. Reuters reports that many women in Mexico who become pregnant through sexual assault are denied abortions, even though it is legal for rape survivors to terminate an unintended pregnancy. Labels: abortion bans, ballot initiatives, Mexico, South Dakota, state legislation
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