Much time, education, and persuasion is being spent on moving our legislative priorities through the process at the Capitol. Along the way, we have found great opportunities to unite our passion for protecting the unborn with the hearts of men and women legislators who care and are willing to invest their time to make a difference for life.

Senate Bill 308 passed the Senate on February 11 with a vote of 38-16 in favor of the bill. SB 308 establishes the “Positive Alternatives for Pregnancy and Parenting Grant Program.” The purpose of the legislation is to promote healthy pregnancies and childbirth by awarding grants to nonprofit organizations that provide pregnancy support services. Senator Renee Unterman eloquently presented her legislation before the Senate and we are honored to work with her on this remarkable proposal. On February 19, we were elated to see initial funding for the program of $1,000,000.00 in the House’s proposed budget for FY 2017. We are seeking a total of $2,000,000.00 for the program. SB 308 is now assigned to the House Health and Human Services Committee.

House Bill 555, originally introduced in 2015, was amended in the House Insurance Committee and then passed the House of Representatives on February 17 with a vote of 119-51. HB 555, as passed by the House, will ensure that statistics regarding minors seeking abortion without parental notice are accurately reported to the Department of Public Health. Statistical accuracy is key to understanding our state policy related to abortions and to analyzing what changes or improvements need to be made in the future. HB 555’s path through the legislative process is not without disappointment – as two key provisions of the bill were struck in committee: a provision to ensure that all physicians communicate the informed consent process before all abortions and a provision to ensure the disposal of fetal remains is being accurately reported. Despite losing these provisions, we are confident HB 555 will work to accomplish one of our goals: accuracy in understanding abortion incidents in Georgia. HB 555 is now assigned to the Senate Health and Human Services Committee.

As indicated above, we have encountered additional opportunities to work with pro-life legislators and we want to voice our support for two other bills moving through the process:

Senate Bill 331 provides added protection for a mother when her child is conceived as a result of rape. The bill explicitly authorizes a court to deny custody or legitimation where the child is conceived in violation of Georgia’s rape statutes. SB 331 passed the Senate unanimously and is now assigned to the House Judiciary Committee. We support the passage of SB 331 as it addresses one reason why women may choose abortion – because of rape – and may help them to choose life for their child.

Senate Bill 3 is the “Supporting and Strengthening Families Act”. Sponsored by Senator Renee Unterman, the legislation passed the Senate with a vote of 43-10 in favor. SB 3 provides a statutory mechanism for parents to authorize a person of their choosing to care for and make decisions for their minor child on a short-term basis. Because this bill assists parents who cannot otherwise fulfill their parental duties and gives them an alternative to abandoning their child to the state, we support SB 3.

We will keep you updated with the progress on this legislation as well as any proposals affecting our mission to protect life.

The Georgia Life Alliance