More Legislative Victories

In recent days, we have had some more legislative victories supporting North Dakotan's right to life and I wanted to share these important updates with you.

Thanks to all of those that helped us contact our legislators, SB 2030 passed and is now awaiting the Governor's signature and SCR 4002 failed.

As an update SB 2030 is described as:

A BILL for an Act to provide an appropriation to the state board of higher education for the higher education challenge matching grant program; excludes institutions that sponsor, partner with, apply for grants with, or provide a grant subaward to any person or organization that performs, or promotes the performance of, an abortion unless the abortion is necessary to prevent the death of the woman, and not participating or sponsoring any program producing, distributing, publishing, disseminating, endorsing, or approving materials of any type or from any organization, that between normal childbirth and abortion, do not give preference, encouragement, and support to normal childbirth.

On the other hand SCR 4002 was a resolution declaring September 23rd as Fourth Trimester day. We had opposed this bill on the grounds that it would desensitize the meaning of life- trimesters in pregnancy being important to birth.

Thank you for all of your help in making sure that these bills reached the outcomes that we desired. With your help, we have been very successful in defending life and we can continue to do so in the future.

Count Us Out Resolution

Last week, the state legislature of North Dakota passed a very important resolution regarding our position on the Equal Rights Amendment (ERA.) The legislature gave approval to formally notify Congress that our 1975 ratification of the Equal Rights Amendment expired on March 22, 1979. This measure is informally known as the "Count Us Out" resolution.

This move comes on the backdrop of the US House of Representatives effort to remove the expired deadline for ratifying the ERA. Now ratified by 38 states, the ERA has received support from enough states to become an amendment except that the deadline has passed.

North Dakota's step to communicate that its ratification deadline had passed is critical to ensure that the ERA does not become an amendment and make North Dakota a leader on important life issues.

Those in support of the ERA have openly argued the importance of the ERA's passage as an effort to expand abortion rights.

Thankfully, arguments asking courts to remove the deadline for the ERA has consistently failed and even the justice department has explained that the most recent move from congress was not possible.

All said, we are proud to be leading the country on issues concerning life and we are proud of the actions that our state legislature has taken.

You can read a full update highlighting our efforts from National Right To Life here.

Crossover Update

We are now officially half way through the North Dakota state legislative session. That means that bills will now “crossover.” Any bills that passed in the house will now be considered in the senate and vice versa.

So… we still need your help to make sure that critical life related bills pass in this legislative session! Here are some of the bills that we are still keeping an eye on:

HB 1035

This bill covers many different issue areas, but there is a small section that addresses unborn children who survive abortion procedures making them a child in need of protection, therefore protecting by the state of North Dakota. Please click on the bill number and scroll to this text found on the bottom of page 22 and the beginning of page 23.

Action Item: Contact your legislator and ask them to support the bill

Passed the House Chamber on 02/15/21. 90 yeas 4 nays. Will be assigned to a ND House Committee after crossover.

SB 2030
A BILL for an Act to provide an appropriation to the state board of higher education for the higher education challenge matching grant program; excludes institutions that sponsor, partner with, apply for grants with, or provide a grant subaward to any person or organization that performs, or promotes the performance of, an abortion unless the abortion is necessary to prevent the death of the woman, and not participating or sponsoring any program producing, distributing, publishing, disseminating, endorsing, or approving materials of any type or from any organization, that between normal childbirth and abortion, do not give preference, encouragement, and support to normal childbirth.

Action Item: Contact your legislator and ask them to support the bill

Passed in the ND Senate on 02/18/2021 with 29 yea 18 nay. Will be assigned to a ND House Committee after crossover.

SB 2145
A BILL relating to access to long-term care facilities in case of a declaration of disaster or emergency; and to declare an emergency.

Action Item: Contact your legislator and ask them to support the bill

Passed in the ND Senate on 02/17/2021 with 47 yea 0 nay. Will be assigned to a ND House Committee after crossover.

SCR 4002
A concurrent resolution declaring September 23, 2021, as Fourth Trimester Care Day in North Dakota.

Action Item: There is no such thing a “fourth trimester” and it is very important that we do not use language that would desensitizes the meaning of life. While we support the concept of this bill, which is to raise awareness for mothers who have just given birth, we are asking to change Fourth Trimester to phrase that is more appropriate. Post-partum day would be an example.

Passed the ND Senate Chamber. Will be assigned to a ND House Committee after crossover.

SCR 4010
A concurrent resolution clarifying the 1975 ratification by the 44th Legislative Assembly of the proposed 1972 Equal Rights Amendment to the Constitution of the United States only was valid through March 22, 1979.

Action Item: Contact your legislator and ask them to support the bill

Passed the ND Senate Chamber. Will be assigned to a ND House Committee after crossover.

Thank you for your attention to these critical issues and please contact Sierra Heitkamp at Director@NDRL.org.

HB 1147 Fails!

This week, HB 1147 failed in the North Dakota State Legislature. This was a bill that we opposed and we cannot thank you enough for your continued engagement on these critical issues this session. Every legislative session, critical life issues are heard in front of our state legislature and public input on those issues is so important to making sure our values are represented in Bismarck.

In case you missed it, here is a summary of the bill that was defeated:

HB 1147 relates to public employees covered by self-insurance and the payment of fertility treatments if they are diagnosed as inferitile. This legislation allows for practices approved by a licensed physician to achieve a pregnancy that results in a live birth with healthy outcomes (as stated more than once throughout the bill's text). Because of the wording of this bill, there is no protection against "selective reduction," also known as "reduction abortions." This is the practice of reducing the number of fetuses in a multiple pregnancy, such as twins or triplets. The procedure is most commonly done to reduce the number of fetuses in a multiple pregnancy to a "safe" number.

Now that we are halfway through session, bills will cross over to the other respective chambers.

Next week we will be providing a crossover update and let you know all of the bills we will be following for the second half of session!

Upcoming State Senate Resolution- SCR 4010

The state senate of North Dakota is considering Senate Concurrent Resolution No. 4010, clarifying that North Dakota's 1975 ratification of the Equal Right Amendment lapsed on March 22, 1979. We have referred to this pro-life measure informally as the "Count Us Out" resolution.

In recent years there have been two important developments that fully justify adoption of SCR No. 4010. First, many leaders and attorneys associated with prominent pro-abortion organizations now openly proclaim that they intend to employ a federal ERA to reinforce and expand federal constitutional “abortion rights,” and they believe the ultimate result will be the invalidation of hundreds of state and federal pro-life laws and policies. Indeed, they have already successfully employed state-constitution ERAs in that fashion in several states.

There has also been a national scheme has emerged to evade the ratification requirements contained in Article V of the U.S. Constitution, and to “air drop” into the Constitution the 1972 ERA language. For example, Democratic attorneys general from Virginia and other states are currently urging a federal judge in Washington, D.C., to rule that the 1972 ERA has already been ratified – and in so doing, they are counting North Dakota as a ratifying state. We respectfully suggest that it is time for the Legislative Assembly to take note of this ongoing subterfuge and to formally say, “Count us out,” through adoption of SCR No. 4010.

A vote for Senate Concurrent Resolution 4010 is a vital pro-life vote. Thank you for your kind attention to our position on this important matter.

North Dakota Giving Hearts Day

By: NDRL Staff

We are proud to announce that NDRL will be joining “Giving Hearts Day” this year!

Giving Hearts Day is a fund that is set up to support many great charities and non-profits like us across North Dakota and Northwestern Minnesota. Year over year giving hearts have made a difference in so many lives and that is why we have decided to join them as we continue to promote the sanctity of life.

This is another way that you can help us advocate for life here in 2021 and perhaps help out some other great organizations at the same time!

Last year alone giving hearts day raised $19.1 million dollars last years and $90 million since 2008!

For all of our great supporters, we would love to have you involved with this very exciting opportunity with your most generous donation.

If you would like to support this effort please make sure to use this link on Thursday to make a contribution or you can make your contribution early here:

Thank you for your continued support of our organization! With your support we have been able to introduce new website and email updates this year to keep you engaged with critical life related issues.

Continue to stay in touch for more updates!

Extremely Concerning Assisted Suicide Bill Upcoming

By: NDRL Staff

In the last month and in coming months there will be a lot of attention on Bismarck due to the current legislative session. For us, we are always particularly interested in the very important right to life issues that our elected officials are faced with.

This year, one bill that is particularly concerning is HB 1415 that representatives Anderson, Dobervich, Hager, Hanson, Nelson, and Schneider have introduced. HB 1415 would allow for assisted suicide right here in North Dakota.

From conception until natural death, it is critical that we preserve the sanctity of life.

For all of those that also believe in the sanctity of life in North Dakota, this is a very concerning bill and will require our will and strength to ensure that it does not pass.

On Monday, February 1st, this bill was debated in the House Human Services Committee. We need your help to call or email Chairman Weiz and member of this committee to ask for a "do not pass recommendation" on this bill! You can find the link to contact these members here:

https://www.legis.nd.gov/assembly/67-2021/committees/house/human-services

We will continue to provide updates via social media and email, but here are a few steps to follow the bills that are heard in Bismarck:

1.)    Follow NDRL and your other North Dakota Pro-Life organizations concerning the upcoming pro-life

2.)    Submit your online or written testimony in support of life!

3.)    Find your legislator: www.legis.nd.gov

4.)    Contact your legislator in support of pro-life legislation

5.)    Contact friends and family and help them reach out to their legislator

6.)    Subscribe to our email list to follow along with any important updates!

If you have any questions please make sure to contact Sierra Heitkamp at director@ndrl.org and learn more!