|
|
|
PAST ACTION ALERTS -
2006 |
|
|
Issued:
October 24, 2006
Catholic Advocate Network
Catholic Diocese of Sioux Falls
PRAYER ALERT
Dear Priests, Deacons,
Respect Life Representatives, CAN Legislative
Liaisons, and Friends:
To focus our prayer efforts
leading up to Election Day on November 7th (just
2 weeks away), with the help of several Priests
and others, we have created 4 new documents that
are now available on the
CAN Website. Links to
these documents are provided below. Our
hope is that the faithful from across our
diocese and beyond will be united in prayer,
beginning this Sunday, October 29th, with a
Novena, and ending with 33 hours of Eucharistic
Adoration and an Evening Prayer and Vigil.
Please read through the "Devotionals
Overview" document for further
details. (Many of you will also be
receiving a packet in the mail containing copies
of all of these.)
NEW
"Together
With Jesus for Life and Families"
Praying for
Success on Referred Law 6 & Constitutional Amendment
C
Devotionals Overview
Immaculate Conception Novena
Eucharistic Adoration Sign-up Sheet
Evening Prayer & Vigil Program
Let us remember in our prayers,
Bishop-elect Paul J. Swain, who begins the
celebration of his Ordination and Installation
tomorrow (Wednesday) evening. The Ordination and
Installation ceremony will be televised (and
webcasted) live on KELO on Thursday, October 26th,
beginning at 2:00 p.m. For further details visit: www.sfcatholic.org.
And please pause for a minute and
pray:
Saint Michael the Archangel,
defend us in battle.
Be our protection against the wickedness and snares
of the devil.
May God rebuke him, we humbly pray;
and do Thou, O Prince of the Heavenly Host -
by the Divine Power of God -
cast into hell, satan and all the evil spirits,
who roam throughout the world seeking the ruin of
souls.
Amen |
Catholic Advocate Network
Catholic Diocese of Sioux Falls
ACTION & INFO ALERT
Dear Priests, Respect
Life Representatives, CAN Legislative Liaisons,
and Friends:
As we near Election Day, this
email is meant to cover the most frequently
asked questions about this election year.
Please read the following, and then pass this
through your own email networks. The
topics addressed in this email include:
1. CD Audio of the 2006 Ballot
Issues Mass Address by Bishop Aquila with Kayla
Brandt and Megan Barnett;
2. Permissible
Lobbying Activity in the Parishes;
3. Permissible Use of Yard Signs;
4. Voter Registration and Absentee
Voting;
5. The VoteYesForLife Campaign;
and
6. The 2006 South Dakota Family
Policy Council Voter's Guide
1. CD Audio of the 2006 Ballot Issues
Mass Address by Bishop Aquila with Kayla
Brandt and Megan Barnett
The feedback that we are
hearing from across the diocese regarding the CD
audio message that Bishop Aquila asked to be
played at Mass this month, that
includes testimony from Kayla Brandt, a post
abortive woman, and Megan Barnett, a survivor of
sexual assault who gave her child life, has been
phenomenal. Priests and others have shared
with us the impact this message is having on the
faithful, and how it has brought many to tears.
We have made this message available on
the Catholic Advocate Network (CAN) website at
www.sfcatholic.org/can, on the
Campaign to Affirm HB 1215
and Constitutional
Amendment C pages. You can listen
to it and share it with all those who may not
have heard this powerful message.
Some priests have reported
that when they tried to play the CD, it played
Bishop Aquila's message, but then stopped at the
start of the testimony of Kayla Brandt, or did
not work at all. If your parish has a
defective CD, please contact us and we will send
you one that works properly.
2. Permissible
Lobbying Activity in the Parishes
We are continuing to
field questions from Priests, parishioners,
and others on what a Church can and cannot
do during an election, especially
considering the host of issues on the ballot
this year. The IRS rule is this: a
Church may attempt to influence legislation
(which includes bills, resolutions,
ballot measures, etc.),
commonly known as lobbying, without
jeopardizing its tax exempt status, as long
as the lobbying activity is not a
"substantial part" of its overall
activities. However, a Church is prohibited
from directly or indirectly participating,
or intervening, in any campaign, on behalf
of, or in opposition to, any
individual candidate running
for office.
Thus, the Church has the
right to get involved in the political
process to help urge the citizens of South
Dakota to vote "Yes" on Referred Law 6 and
Constitutional Amendment C because these are
ballot issues and are not dealing with
candidates' or political parties' campaigns
for office. This lobbying activity can
take the form of prayer, preaching, or
educational efforts - whether by books or
pamphlets, posters, CDs, DVDs, yard signs,
t-shirts, forums or rallies,
financial contributions, etc. Of
course, this includes the use of
any diocesan materials developed for the
campaign. However, a parish needs to
exercise prudence when using any outside
materials, as they may not be in line with
Church teachings, or may include information
that is not permissible.
For more information
on the issue of political campaign activity,
or to review the IRS Tax Guide for Churches
and Religious Organizations, please visit
the
Political Responsibility
page of the CAN
website. If you have any
questions, please contact our office.
3. Permissible Use
of Yard Signs
The same rules
explained in #2 above apply to the
placement of yard signs on Church
property. A parish may place a
yard sign on its property as long as the
sign is attempting to influence an issue
on the ballot and is not related to a
candidate or political party. The
signs that say "Vote Yes for Life
on Referred Law 6" can legally be placed
on Church property. Of course,
such placement must be with the approval
of the Priest.
4. Voter Registration and
Absentee Voting
Please make every effort
to encourage and assist citizens to register
and vote. Assist fellow parishioners
who are in nursing homes or assisted
living, who cannot drive, or who may be
traveling or living outside the state
on election day (such as college students).
However, please keep in mind that the voter
registration deadline is October
23, 2006, and the registration
form or card must be received by the County
Auditor by this deadline to be eligible to
vote.
5. The VoteYesForLife
Campaign
The VoteYesForLIfe
campaign is the grassroots, statewide, South
Dakota citizen lead campaign, organized
to educate South Dakotans on the many harms
of abortion and the need to vote "Yes" on
Referred Law 6. Please consider
volunteering with the campaign. You
can contact the campaign headquarters
toll-free at 1-888-855-4580 or at
605-271-3975, or visit the website at
www.voteyesforlife.com, to
see how you can help. They are also in
need of funding. If you would like to
give to the cause, you can do so through the
website, or mail your check made out to
VoteYesForLife.com to
PO Box 461 Sioux Falls, SD
57101-0461.
6. 2006 South Dakota Family
Policy Council Voter's Guide
The "2006 South Dakota
Family Policy Council Voter's Guides" are
now being distributed across the state. It
is our legal opinion, as attorneys for the
diocese, that these guides are permissible,
and can be distributed in our parishes at
the priests' discretion. The IRS
regulations allow Churches to distribute
voting guides with the purpose of educating
voters on how candidates stand on various
issues. A permissible voter's guide
may not attempt to favor or oppose
individual candidates, it must include a
broad range of issues, and all candidates
must be given the opportunity to answer the
questions, among other requirements. (You
can read more about these regulations on
the Political
Responsibility page of the CAN
website.)
The benefit of the
SDFPC's guides is that they cover every
single legislative district in the state,
and they are often the only information
available to citizens about a
candidate's stance on various issues. The
guides may be accessed online at
www.sdfamily.org, and
can be ordered from the South Dakota Family
Policy Council by calling 1-877-SDFAMILY.
But remember that the
best way to learn about the candidates is to
contact them directly and ask them where
they stand on the important issues.
Most will be very excited to talk with you,
and be very thankful that you care enough to
personally contact them.
Finally, as Catholic
citizens, we are called to participate, each
according to our "position and role, in
promoting the common good." (CCC
#1913) Please take this opportunity to
embrace your right to participate in the
political process, and to help build a
culture of life in our state through prayer,
education, and action. Please continue
to use the documents found on the
CAN website, and if
there are any resources that you would like
to see added to our website, please do not
hesitate to contact us with your ideas.
May God bless you all in your efforts.
“The time has come to banish once and
for all from the continent every attack
against life.”
~Homily of Pope John Paul II,
Basilica of Our Lady of Guadalupe
|
Catholic Advocate Network
Catholic Diocese of Sioux Falls
FOLLOW-UP ON ELIJAH PAGE EXECUTION
It has been released
that Elijah Page will be
executed tomorrow, Tuesday, August
29, 2006 at 10:00pm.
Following is information on prayer
services to be help before and during
the scheduled execution of Elijah Page.
This information was released to the
press today. Please attend one of
the planned prayer services, or consider
conducting a service at your parish.
******************************
August 28, 2006
For Immediate
Release
Contact:
Jerry Klein
988-3745 work
360-6018 cell
Prayers to
be offered during time of execution
throughout Diocese of Sioux Falls
Prayer services at
Catholic Churches will be held in Sioux
Falls, Aberdeen and Yankton Tuesday
evening before and during the scheduled
execution of Elijah Page. In
addition, the Catholic Diocese of Sioux
Falls will participate in an ecumenical
prayer service in Sioux Falls.
In Sioux Falls the
service will be at 9:30 p.m. at St.
Joseph Cathedral. In Aberdeen the
service will be at the same time at
Sacred Heart Church. In Yankton, a
vigil at Sacred Heart Church will begin
following the 5:15 p.m. Mass and
continue on through the time of the
execution.
Also in Sioux Falls,
Vicar General Father Charles Cimpl will
represent the diocese at an ecumenical
service planned at East Side Lutheran
Church at 9:30 p.m.
Other parishes across
the diocese may also be holding
services.
By way of background,
the diocese has been active through its
Catholic Advocate Network (CAN) website
(www.sfcatholic.org/can)
and Catholics from across the diocese
have been contacting Governor Rounds and
asking him to intercede and prevent this
execution, and if he will not, to
explain to South Dakota citizens why Mr.
Page’s execution is an absolute
necessity.
The Diocese has also
been encouraging prayer: for the family
and friends of the victims, that they
will continue to receive healing through
the grace of our Lord Jesus Christ; for
all the public officials involved in
this scheduled execution; for Governor
Rounds, that he will discern God’s will
and apply the teachings of our Catholic
faith on the death penalty; and for
Elijah Page.
******************************
|
|
Catholic Advocate Network
Catholic Diocese of Sioux Falls
PRAYER AND ACTION ALERT
Dear Friends:
The first execution in South Dakota since 1947
is scheduled to take place sometime next week at
the South Dakota Penitentiary. The
definite day and time has not been released.
There are only two people that have the ability
to stop this execution: Governor Mike
Rounds, who has stated that he is reviewing the
case, but doesn’t plan to intervene; and Elijah
Page, who has voluntarily relinquished his right
to appeal his death sentence. All Mr. Page
has to do to halt his execution is to request
that the appeals process be restarted.
Many of the teachings of the Catholic Church on
this important issue are contained in the
principles found in sections 2263 thru 2267 of
the Catechism. The Compendium of the
Catechism, a synthesis, summarizes these
principles in the following sections:
466. Why must human life be respected?
Human life must be respected because it is
sacred. From its beginning human life
involves the creative action of God and it
remains forever in a special relationship with
the Creator, who is its sole end. It is not
lawful for anyone directly to destroy an
innocent human being. This is gravely contrary
to the dignity of the person and the holiness of
the Creator. “Do not slay the innocent and the
righteous” (Exodus 23:7).
467. Why is the legitimate defense of persons
and of society not opposed to this norm?
Because in choosing to legitimately defend
oneself one is respecting the right to life
(either one’s own right to life or that of
another) and not choosing to kill. Indeed, for
someone responsible for the life of another,
legitimate defense can be not only a right but a
grave duty, provided only that disproportionate
force is not used.
468. What is the purpose of punishment?
A punishment imposed by legitimate public
authority has the aim of redressing the disorder
introduced by the offense, of defending public
order and people’s safety, and contributing to
the correction of the guilty party.
469. What kind of punishment may be imposed?
The punishment imposed must be proportionate to
the gravity of the offense. Given the
possibilities which the State now has for
effectively preventing crime by rendering one
who has committed an offense incapable of doing
harm, the cases in which the execution of the
offender is an absolute necessity “are very
rare, if not practically non-existent.” (Evangelium
Vitae). When non-lethal means are
sufficient, authority should limit itself to
such means because they better correspond to the
concrete conditions of the common good, are more
in conformity with the dignity of the human
person, and do not remove definitively from the
guilty party the possibility of reforming
himself.
Catholics from across the diocese have been
contacting Governor Rounds and asking him to
intercede and prevent this execution, and if he
will not, to explain to South Dakota citizens
why Mr. Page’s execution is an absolute
necessity. Governor Rounds contact
information is available on the Contact page of
the CAN website at
www.sfcatholic.org/can.
Now is the time to unite in prayer across the
state for the family and friends of the victims,
that they will continue to receive healing
through the grace of our Lord Jesus Christ; for
all the public officials involved in this
scheduled execution; for Governor Rounds, that
he will discern God’s will and apply the
teachings of our Catholic faith on the death
penalty; and for Elijah Page.
Please pray with your family and consider having
adoration, prayer services, or vigils in your
parishes.
|
|
We have added a special
feature to the
Campaign to Affirm HB 1215 web page, a
Prayer Calendar. Please be sure to sign on
any time that you pray to affirm HB 1215.
May we all be joined in prayer in His Name....
|
ISSUED: July 31, 2006
Catholic Diocese of Sioux Falls Campaign to Affirm
HB 1215 (Referred Law 6)
Dear Friends:
Pope John Paul II once
said: "[W]e are facing an enormous and dramatic
clash between good and evil, death and life, the
“culture of death” and the “culture of life”. We
find ourselves not only “faced with” but
necessarily “in the midst of” this conflict: we
are all involved and we all share in it, with
the inescapable responsibility of choosing
to be unconditionally pro-life.” (Evangelium
Vitae, "The Gospel of Life", 28).
This past legislative
session, the South Dakota legislature passed the
Women's Health and Human Life Protection Act (HB
1215). Pro-abortion individuals and
groups, including Planned Parenthood and
the inappropriately named "South Dakota Campaign
for Healthy Families", have collected enough
signatures to place this bill on the November 7,
2006, ballot for a vote of the people. The
bill will be entitled "Referred Law 6", and a
"Yes" vote will affirm the bill, while a "No"
vote will kill it.
South Dakota is "in the midst
of" a great spiritual battle against the culture
of death, as HB 1215 has brought the issue of
abortion to the forefront in our state.
The Catholic Diocese of Sioux Falls has created
several prayer and educational aids:
-
Letter to the Faithful
from Apostolic Administrator Bishop Samuel J.
Aquila
- An educational booklet
entitled "Response
of the Catholic Diocese of Sioux Falls to the
Women's Health and Human Life Protection Act (HB
1215 - Referred Law 6)"
-
Prayer Card - "Prayer to
Affirm HB 1215 - Referred Law 6"
-
Prayer Guide - that
includes a Prayer Service for the specific
intent of a successful "Yes" vote on HB 1215 -
Referred Law 6
All four of these, which many
of you will also be receiving in hard copy
through the mail, are available in printable
formats on the
Campaign to Affirm HB 1215 page
of the Catholic Advocate Network (CAN) website
at:
www.sfcatholic.org/can. Please review
these documents and pass them on through your
networks to help in the education and prayer
campaign in support of HB 1215.
In addition, citizens from
across South Dakota, from different faiths, and
all walks of life (including farmers, pastors,
doctors, teachers, lawyers, counselors, and many
others) have formed a citizen led group called
“Vote Yes For Life” that is leading the campaign
to educate South Dakotans on the importance of
this bill, and to counter the pro-abortion
forces in our state. Part of their
educational campaign is a powerful DVD with
testimonies from South Dakota women.
Please visit their website at:
www.voteyesforlife.com.
Let us join in daily prayer
across our diocese and beyond, that hearts and
minds will be open to the truth about abortion
and that others will choose to be
"unconditionally pro-life" so that we can
prevail over the culture of death. If you
have any questions about this campaign, please
do not hesitate to contact our office.
|
ISSUED:
July 31, 2006
CAN Action Alert - Pending
Execution of Elijah Page
CAN ACTION ALERT
BACKGROUND
South Dakota is facing the first
execution in our state since 1947. At the end
of August, inmate Elijah Page is scheduled for
execution by lethal injection at the South Dakota
Penitentiary.
We recognize the concerns of the
family and friends of the victims and we pray that
they will continue to receive healing through the
grace of our Lord Jesus Christ. We acknowledge
the pain and outrage that comes with violent crime
and mourn with all who have lost loved ones.
Let us continue to provide support to the victims
and foster healing.
Yet, the Catechism teaches us that when modern
society has the ability to protect and defend itself
by non-lethal means, by rendering the unjust
aggressor incapable of further harm, then the state
authority should limit itself to such non-violent
means; further, the instances in which it is
absolutely necessary for the state to execute the
offender “are very rare, if not practically
non-existent”. (Catechism of the Catholic
Church # 2267)
As a society, we must seek solutions to crime that
respect the dignity of every human life, including
the hardened criminal, and preserve justice in this
state through non-violent means. Having Elijah
Page live in prison for the rest of his life is a
just punishment that is in conformity with the
common good, the dignity of the human person, and a
decision that will help defeat the culture of death
permeating our society. For more information,
please visit:
www.usccb.org/sdwp/national/deathpenalty.
TAKE ACTION
Please contact Governor Rounds and request that he
intercede and prevent the execution of Elijah Page.
Governor Round’s contact information is available on
the
South
Dakota page of the CAN website at
www.sfcatholic.org/can. And please pass
this email through your networks.
|
|
ISSUED: July 14, 2006
CAN ACTION
ALERT
Dear CAN Legislative
Liaisons, Respect Life Representatives, and Others:
Please review the
attached email action alert from the National Committee for
a Human Life Amendment regarding three stem cell bills set
for a vote in the US Senate. Within the email there is
a link to a prior action alert that was sent out before they
became aware of the vote date. Please review that
action alert as well as it contains more information.
Then contact Senator Johnson and Senator Thune.
Contact information is on the National page of the CAN
website at:
http://sio.midco.net/can/national.html.
Thanks!
|
 |
|
National
Committee for a Human Life Amendment, Inc. |
|
|
E-Mail Memo
|
| DATE:
July 12, 2006
TO: Diocesan Pro-Life
Coordinators, State Catholic Conference Directors,
Friends
FROM: Michael Taylor,
Executive Director
Vote Date Set for Senate
Stem Cell Bills
With regard to the package of
three stem cell bills (H.R. 810, S. 2754, S. 3504),
Senate Majority Leader Bill Frist (R-TN) has
announced that
the Senate will begin debate on
Monday, July 17 and complete all action by Tuesday,
July 18.
Also, Cardinal William Keeler,
Chairman of the Bishops’ Committee for Pro-Life
Activities, sent a policy letter to the U.S. Senate
strongly urging opposition to H.R. 810 and support
for S. 2754 and S. 3504. See:
nchla.org/docdisplay.asp?ID=145. The
letter is an excellent educational tool. Please use
the letter and its arguments in implementing the
July 10 NCHLA Action Alert.
Please continue to implement
the July 10 NCHLA Action Alert.
For a copy of the Action Alert, see:
nchla.org/actiondisplay.asp?ID=235.
As you will recall, on June 29
the U.S. Senate entered into a unanimous consent
agreement for the consideration of three stem cell
bills:
• H.R. 810, passed by the
House last year, that would use federal funds to
promote the destruction of human embryos for stem
cell research (Stem Cell Research Enhancement Act);
• S. 2754 that would authorize
federally funded research using pluripotent stem
cells obtained without creating, harming, or
destroying human embryos (Alternative Pluripotent
Stem Cell Therapies Enhancement Act); and
• S. 3504 that would prohibit
the solicitation or acceptance of tissue from human
fetuses gestated for research purposes (Fetus
Farming Prohibition Act);
The agreement allows up to 12
hours of debate. Following debate, the bills will be
voted on without amendments in the following order:
S. 3504, S. 2754, H.R. 810. Each bill will require
60 votes to pass.
This information is being sent to you at your
request. To unsubscribe from NCHLA's e-mail
list, please send the message "unsubscribe" to info@nchla.org. |
|
SUPPORT
THE FEDERAL MARRIAGE PROTECTION AMENDMENT
TAKE ACTION:
Use the links and information on the National
Page of the
CAN Website
to contact Senator Johnson and Senator Thune and ask them to SUPPORT marriage
as between one man and one woman.
SUPPORT
"HOLLY'S LAW"
The Pro-Life Secretariat of the USCCB
sent this alert about the life-threatening risks to women
who use the abortion drug, RU-486:
"HOLLY'S LAW" STILL NECESSARY TO PROTECT
WOMEN FROM THE ABORTION DRUG RU-486
WASHINGTON--The U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA)
convened a public workshop in Atlanta on May 11 in response
to women's deaths from the abortion drug RU-486, also known
as "Mifeprex." It was co-sponsored by the Centers for
Disease Control (CDC) and the National Institutes of Health.
Five American women have died from infections after
undergoing RU-486 abortions, and another died from an
undiagnosed ruptured ectopic pregnancy. Over 800 others have
suffered serious or life-threatening adverse health effects.
Women in Canada, Sweden and the United Kingdom have also
died after taking RU-486.
Deirdre A. McQuade, Director of Planning and Information at
the USCCB Secretariat for Pro-Life Activities, attended the
event and observed: "Women seeking elective chemical
abortions remain at risk with RU-486 on the market. We
continue to call for the passage of Holly's Law to
temporarily suspend FDA approval of RU-486 while its
approval process is reviewed," Ms. McQuade said.
'Holly's Law' (H.R. 1079) is named in memory of Holly
Patterson, a young California woman who died from septic
shock after undergoing an RU-486 abortion. "The CDC workshop
is a constructive step, but no substitute for the provisions
in Holly's Law, as it neither addresses the distinct risks
posed by RU-486 nor offers any immediate protection of
women's lives," Ms. McQuade said."
TAKE
ACTION: Use the links and information on the National
Page of the CAN
Website to contact Representative Herseth and Senators
Johnson and Thune, and ask them to
SUPPORT "Holly's Law".
There has been much discussion recently about
immigration. Here is a link to the Statement of Most
Reverend Gerald R. Barnes, Bishop of San Bernardino, and
Chairman of the USCCB Committee on Migration, discussing the
recent Immigration Bill passed in the Senate:
If you have any questions about any of the
information in this email, please do not hesitate to contact our
office.
|
|
Issued: April 2, 2006
Below is a link to a flyer on a pro-life praise and worship event
planned for next weekend, again in Sioux Falls. The organizers
of this event are Julie Watts,
Pastor Bill Carpenter from City Church, and Lifelight praise band.
In a letter promoting this event, they ask the faithful of South
Dakota to join to "give God all the glory and honor, for moving
among His people to protect women from the ill effects of abortion
and to give unborn babies a chance to live and be loved."
If you have any questions please contact Julie Watts @ 605-334-1118.
City Wide Celebration Flyer
|
|
Issued: March 27, 2006
|
|
Issued:
March 6, 2006
CAN
INFO ALERT
Regarding the signing of HB
1215 by Governor Rounds
Statement from
Bishop Samuel Aquila
Apostolic
Administrator of the Diocese of Sioux Falls
"There is no
question about the church's position on abortion -
human life is sacred because it involves the
creative action of God. Life begins at
conception and remains forever in a special
relationship with God. None of us can claim
the right directly to destroy an innocent human
being. God alone is the Lord of life from its
beginning until its natural end.
We are dedicated to promoting
a culture that respects human life. There are
many approaches needed to do that, and clearly this
bill represents a significant effort. More
importantly, regardless of court rulings and laws,
we must be ardent in our efforts to transform the
hearts and minds of our fellow citizens. All
people must recognize human life is a gift.
Abortion destroys that gift, the life of a unique,
unrepeatable human being. It harms women as
well, and protecting both mothers and children is a
fundamental duty of the state.
Let us all pray that
God's will be done and let us continue to work
for the building up of a culture of life that
begins with the respect for human life from the
moment of conception."
****************************************************
CAN ACTION ALERT
Please contact Governor
Rounds and the legislators that supported HB
1215 and thank them!!
Email the Governor
PHONE: 605-773-3212
Below are
the official vote tallies on
HB 1215 for the House and Senate. You
can still use the webmail function to email the
legislators: AUTOMATED
WEBMAIL.
As the fight
now begins to defend this legislation, please know that
South Dakota is in the midst of a tremendous spiritual
battle. Let us all unite in prayer and ask St.
Michael, The Archangel, to intercede for the protection
of the Church, State, and Nation. Please pray the
following short prayer each hour:
Saint Michael the
Archangel,
defend us in battle.
Be our protection against the wickedness and snares of
the devil.
May God rebuke him, we humbly pray;
and do Thou, O Prince of the Heavenly Host -
by the Divine Power of God -
cast into hell, satan and all the evil spirits,
who roam throughout the world seeking the ruin of souls.
Amen.
HB 1215, House of Representatives, Do Pass
|
Boomgarden |
Yea |
Bradford |
Nay |
Brunner |
Yea |
|
Buckingham |
Yea |
Cutler |
Nay |
Davis |
Yea |
|
Deadrick |
Yea |
Dennert |
Nay |
Dykstra |
Yea |
|
Elliott |
Nay |
Faehn |
Yea |
Frost |
Yea |
|
Fryslie |
Yea |
Garnos |
Yea |
Gassman |
Yea |
|
Gillespie |
Yea |
Glenski |
Yea |
Glover |
Nay |
|
Hackl |
Nay |
Haley |
Nay |
Halverson |
Nay |
|
Hanks |
Nay |
Hargens |
Nay |
Haverly |
Yea |
|
Heineman |
Yea |
Hennies |
Nay |
Hills |
Yea |
|
Howie |
Yea |
Hunhoff |
Yea |
Hunt |
Yea |
|
Jensen |
Excused |
Jerke |
Yea |
Klaudt |
Yea |
|
Koistinen |
Yea |
Kraus |
Yea |
Krebs |
Yea |
|
Kroger |
Yea |
Lange |
Yea |
McCoy |
Yea |
|
McLaughlin |
Nay |
Michels |
Yea |
Miles |
Yea |
|
Murschel |
Nay |
Nelson |
Yea |
Novstrup |
Yea |
|
O'Brien |
Nay |
Olson (Ryan) |
Yea |
Pederson (Gordon) |
Yea |
|
Peters |
Yea |
Putnam |
Yea |
Rausch |
Yea |
|
Rave |
Yea |
Rhoden |
Yea |
Roberts |
Nay |
|
Rounds |
Yea |
Schafer |
Yea |
Sebert |
Yea |
|
Sigdestad |
Nay |
Street |
Nay |
Thompson |
Nay |
|
Tidemann |
Nay |
Tornow |
Yea |
Turbiville |
Yea |
|
Valandra |
Nay |
Van Etten |
Yea |
Van Norman |
Nay |
|
Vehle |
Nay |
Weems |
Yea |
Wick |
Yea |
|
Willadsen |
Yea |
|
Ayes |
47 |
Nays |
22 |
Excused |
1 |
Absent |
0 |
HB 1215, Senate,
Do Pass Amended
| Abdallah |
Yea |
Adelstein |
Nay |
Apa |
Yea |
| Bartling |
Yea |
Bogue |
Yea |
Broderick |
Yea |
| Dempster |
Nay |
Duenwald |
Yea |
Duniphan |
Nay |
| Earley |
Yea |
Gant |
Yea |
Gray |
Yea |
| Greenfield |
Yea |
Hansen (Tom) |
Yea |
Hanson (Gary) |
Nay |
| Hundstad |
Nay |
Kelly |
Yea |
Kloucek |
Yea |
| Knudson |
Nay |
Koetzle |
Yea |
Kooistra |
Nay |
| Koskan |
Yea |
Lintz |
Yea |
McCracken |
Nay |
| McNenny |
Yea |
Moore |
Yea |
Napoli |
Yea |
| Nesselhuf |
Nay |
Olson (Ed) |
Nay |
Peterson (Jim) |
Yea |
| Schoenbeck |
Yea |
Smidt |
Yea |
Sutton (Dan) |
Yea |
| Sutton (Duane) |
Nay |
Two Bulls |
Nay |
| Ayes |
23 |
Nays |
12 |
Excused |
0 |
Absent |
0 |
|
Governor Rounds is receiving a lot
of contact both from South Dakotans and
from out-of-state persons and organizations urging him
to sign HB
1215, the Women's Health and Human Life
Protection Act, and also urging him to veto it.
Please contact him by phone (605-773-3212) or email
him and
encourage him to sign this historic bill that was
delivered to him on February 28, 2006.
In addition, abortion advocates are
calling for an all-out boycott of the State of South
Dakota, and making this boycott known to the Governor.
Please contact all of your family and friends and
encourage them to vacation in South Dakota this year.
In addition, if you are aware of any organizations or
groups who have national conferences or conventions,
encourage them to choose a South Dakota city for their
next function. And have them share their vacation
and conference plans with the Governor.
Also, at the close of session this
year, SB
154 was hoghoused, and passed to create the
Life Protection Litigation Subfund. See the
Enrolled version for the correct
language of this bill. The Governor has stated
that he is receiving financial contributions to support
the litigation costs to defend
HB 1215 (and any other litigation
dealing with abortion legislation). If you would
like to contribute to this fund, please endorse
your check to the "State of South Dakota Life
Protection Litigation Subfund"
and send your check or money order to:
Life Protection Litigation Subfund
Finally, please keep this issue in
your prayers as there is a battle taking place in our
country. As Fr. Frank Pavone of Priests for Life
commented:
"[W]hat is being
expressed in South Dakota is more than the result of
strategic planning and arguments on one or another
side of the fence. It is, instead, an expression of
a deep, unyielding longing rooted in the human
heart itself
saying that we must be free: we must be free
of tyranny, we must be free to protect our own
children, we must be free to shake off the yoke of
oppression, whatever form that yoke takes:
slavery, terrorism, or abortion. That yearning will
always express itself; it can never be shut out or
delayed.
Thank you all for your hard work this
legislative session. |
|
Today,
HB 1194, an act to prohibit the
distribution of contraceptives to public school
students, failed to pass
Senate Education. However,
it was successfully "smoked out" of committee, and will
be delivered to the floor of the Senate tomorrow with a
recommendation from the committee of "do not pass."
Therefore, in order for there to be debate on the floor,
and a vote by the full Senate, the Senate must first
vote to strike the "not" from the "do not pass."
(You can learn more about legislative intricacies like
these by reading the
Comprehensive Legislature Guide.)
Please contact the Senators in
your District and urge them to
SUPPORT
this bill, as it helps
ensure that parents' rights are not usurped when it
comes to their children's sexual health.
|
On Friday, February 17, 2006, HB
1198, the other abortion regulation bill
(almost identical to SB
185 which the Governor
has already signed) was hoghoused, which means that it
was replaced by a different bill. The bill that
replaced it is an amended form of HB
1216, which was previously defeated in
House Judiciary. To read the new text of the
bill, use this link:
Amendment (1198rb).
This bill will provide additional
protection for women in a crisis pregnancy, as we have
learned from the Report
of the SD Task Force to Study Abortion that
women are not truly informed before making an abortion
decision. The following are excerpts from information
provided to the Abortion Task Force by Planned
Parenthood:
In Their Own Words
What Planned Parenthood of
SD tells Women
Transcript of Planned
Parenthood’s Taped Telephone Message to Women (“Dr.
Ball’s Message”) as Played to the Abortion Task Force on
December 9, 2005:
“I am Dr. Ball, staff
physician for Planned Parenthood of Minnesota, North
Dakota, South Dakota, Sioux Falls clinic and I will be
performing your abortion. Based on the information
you have provided, the probable gestational age of the
fetus at the time of your abortion will be between 8 and
12 weeks. However, this calculation is not 100%
accurate and will be confirmed during your appointment.
Risks associated with all 1st
trimester abortions are rare. As there are two
methods of abortions, I will give you the risks for
both. For a surgical abortion the risks include,
but are not limited to, infection of the uterus, 1 in
500, incomplete procedure or retained tissue, 4 in 1000,
hemorrhage or excessive bleeding, 2 in 1000, and
perforation of the uterus, 4 in 1000 procedures.
For a medical abortion the risks include, but are not
limited to, infection of the uterus, 2 in 10,000,
ongoing pregnancy, 3 in 1000, hemorrhage or excessive
bleeding, 2 in 1000 procedures. In a small
percentage of patients, a surgical abortion will be
needed to complete the medical procedure. An
uncomplicated 1st
trimester abortion does not affect your ability to have
a normal pregnancy in the future and causes no increased
risks of infertility or ectopic pregnancy. Should
you decide to carry your pregnancy to term, the most
common risks are hemorrhage, infection, toxemia, kidney
failure, gestational diabetes, and prolapse of the
bladder. The most common cause of death in term
pregnancy is blood clots, especially those traveling
through the lungs. The overall risk of death from
term pregnancies is 10 times higher than death from a 1st
trimester abortion, but it is still very rare in the
United States. At the time of your abortion you
will be required to sign a statement documenting that I
have provided this information to you over the telephone
at least 24 hours before your abortion. Any
questions you have will be answered fully at the time
you are seen in our clinic. This is message #2.
Please provide this number to the staff member
scheduling your appointment.”
To listen to this tape
recording go to:
http://lightning.state.sd.us:8080/ramgen/80session/interim/abo120905.rm
The recording starts at
31:42 and stops at 33:52.
Further, as reported on
pages 15 through 18 of the Report of the South Dakota
Task Force to Study Abortion:
“Based upon the reporting
of the women on the forms reviewed by the Department of
Health, and the testimony of Ms. Looby and Dr. Ball, it
appears that Planned Parenthood does not voluntarily
convey other information about the fetus after women
listen to the doctor's taped recording.
In fact, what is
communicated to the women is misleading. Ms. Looby and
Dr. Ball played a video for the Task Force illustrating
what may be communicated to women about the abortion
procedure. In this video, reference is made to the
contents of the woman's uterus in dehumanizing and
misleading language. For instance, the video never
mentions that an unborn child, embryo, or fetus is even
present. It never refers to the unborn child in any way
that would imply the existence of a second patient. The
language used in the video simply implies that something
is removed but does not identify what it is except to
claim it is only "tissue:"
1.
"The uterus is then emptied by a gentle
suction."
2.
"As the uterus is emptied..."
3.
"A spoon shaped curette may be used to
feel the walls of the uterus to help ensure complete
evacuation."
4.
"Occasionally the contents of the uterus
may not be completely emptied."
5.
"To remove the tissue it may be necessary
to repeat the vacuum aspiration."
6.
"Very infrequently, the early abortion procedure
will not end the pregnancy."
7.
"If the pregnancy has not been ended, another
abortion procedure is recommended."
We find first that Planned
Parenthood fails to inform the pregnant mother in any
language that her unborn child is in existence. It is
impossible for a woman to give informed consent to an
abortion if she does not fully understand that her child
is in existence and that she is consenting to the
termination of the life of her child.
Second, the doctor who in
seeking consent to terminate the life of his or her
second patient (the child) cannot, in a professional or
moral sense, contend that proper authority has been
obtained from the mother if she is not fully aware that
she is giving such authority.
Dr. Ball and Ms. Looby
testified that the women who come to Planned Parenthood
sign a "consent" to have an abortion without first
speaking to the doctor. These consent forms are filled
out before the doctor sees the patient. A person
designated as a "counselor" provides whatever
information is told to the pregnant mother. However, Ms.
Looby admitted that these "counselors" are not licensed
and the only training they receive is from Planned
Parenthood.
The video played recites:
"If you have not done so
already, you will meet privately with a counselor. The
counselor reviews your medical history, answers any
questions you have about the abortion procedure,
provides after-care instructions and talks with you
about your birth control needs. The counselor also talks
with you about your decision to have an abortion. It is
important that this decision is yours and made of your
own free will. At the end of the counseling session,
you are asked to sign an informed consent indicating
that you understand the medical risks of the abortion
procedure." (Emphasis added).
Thus, the abortion doctor
sees the pregnant mother for the first time in the
procedure room, only after the consent form has been
signed and the woman has made her commitment to undergo
the abortion.”
In spite of the above taped
recording stating that “any questions you have will be
answered fully at the time you are seen in our clinic,”
testimony from Dr. Ball in front of the Abortion Task
Force proves otherwise. From page 16 of the
Abortion Task Force Report:
Following her testimony,
Dr. Ball was asked what she would tell a woman who asked
her "Is this a human life?" or "At what point in the
process does human life begin?" or similar questions.
Dr. Ball testified that she would refuse to answer these
questions. When pressed on this point, Dr. Ball stated
that it is a subjective matter for the woman to decide,
and an answer from her is nothing but her subjective
personal opinion. Thus, a woman who goes to Planned
Parenthood in Sioux Falls is not given scientific and
factual information necessary for her to understand that
the procedure will terminate the life of a human being,
even when the woman asks precisely if the abortion is
killing their baby.
The following are also
Planned Parenthood statements made in the above
referenced video that was played for the Abortion Task
Force (see page 15 of the Abortion Task Force Report):
1.
"Early abortion by vacuum aspiration is one of
the safest procedures in all of medicine."
2.
"A legal abortion, as it is performed in the
United States today, is a very safe procedure and
complications are rare."
3.
"The emotion most women experience after having
had an abortion is relief."
4.
"Women may have some mixed feelings at this time
but emotional problems after abortion are uncommon, and
when they happen, they usually go away quickly."
5.
"Serious long-term disturbances after abortion
appear to be less frequent than after childbirth."
6.
"The risk of dying from a full-term pregnancy and
childbirth is at least seven times greater than that
from early abortion." |
|
HB 1215, the abortion ban bill, will be
on the floor of the Senate either Wednesday or Thursday.
The vote to pass this bill without amendments is going to be
VERY close. Please contact all of the Senators and
urge them to
SUPPORT
this bill without exceptions.
(Our
Talking Points/Fact Sheet ON EXCEPTIONS explains why
we must resist amendments to include exceptions for rape and
incest, fetal anomaly, etc..)
We are at a pivotal time in
our State and Nation. It is a moral imperative that we
do all that we can to protect the lives of innocent children
and the health and interests of women and families.
None of us can predict the legal or political future of this
bill. What we do know for sure is that if nothing is
done, many more lives will be lost and harmed by abortion.
We must pray for, and do our part to build, a culture of
life. Passage of HB
1215 is a crucial step in that direction.
| |
