“We do not expect the building will open before Sine Die” read the statewide email to advocacy organizations that have been locked out of the Oregon Capitol since the latest legislative session began in January. That list of locked-out organizations includes Oregon Right to Life (ORTL). It is an extraordinary challenge for ORTL added to what is already daunting: working with a legislative supermajority radically in favor of abortion. We are granted no face-to-face access to legislators, video or phone testimony only and continuous technology hurdles that limit public access.
“We continue to be deeply frustrated and, frankly, perplexed as to why lawmaking isn’t essential enough to open the Capitol while numerous other critical services like schools, food and healthcare are all open and in-person,” says Reagan Knopp, ORTL’s Political Director. “This is without a doubt the least democratic session in the Oregon Legislature’s recent history.”
The ORTL team has done its best to push back digitally and remotely. The good news is the challenges of running a remote legislature have slowed the legislative process significantly, ensuring many bad bills will not make it through the process.
The House passed SJR 12 which will refer a constitutional amendment to voters in November 2022. Proponents say it guarantees a right to quality healthcare for every Oregonian. That problem, however, cannot be solved with a constitutional amendment. We oppose SJR 12 because we can read between the lines: this law will enshrine a right to state-funded abortion in the Oregon Constitution. We are so thankful that this legislation was opposed by all pro-life legislators.
We are fighting SB 199 which is currently in the Oregon House. It rewrites Oregon’s advance directive form in ways that encourage people to devalue their own life when they have (or may develop) an advanced, progressive illness. The government should not make judgement calls about when life has value and when it does not. We appreciate our pro-life legislators who have continued to oppose this legislation.
Finally, Planned Parenthood is trying to pass HB 2362, a direct assault on our pro-life and faith-based healthcare providers. If passed into law, HB 2362 would give the Oregon Health Authority (OHA) the ability to coerce pro-life medical entities into providing abortions. OHA will allow providers to reach more patients, but in exchange, they will be forced to provide abortions. Visit ortl.org/actionalert to contact your legislators today! Ask them to protect pro-life and faith-based healthcare providers by voting NO on HB 2362
