Americans United for Life today released its annual report about the most pro-life and pro-abortion states when it comes to passing pro-life legislation that protects women and unborn children. In a replay of last year’s best and worst, Louisiana was named most pro-life and Washington most pro-abortion.
Americans United for Life released the 2015 results after analyzing progress made legislatively or in litigation in 2014. The Life List takes into account the 50 states’ overall advances since Roe v. Wade toward re-building a culture of life, including events of the last year.
After Louisiana and it’s first place ranking, the most pro-life states are Mississippi, Kansas, Oklahoma, and Arkansas.
For the 6th year in a row, Washington ranked as the worst state for life for failing to protect women from an unmonitored and under-regulated abortion industry, followed by Vermont, Oregon, California and New Jersey.
“In the last 4 years, states have enacted more than 200 pro-life laws protecting women and girls from abortion industry abuses,” said AUL President Charmaine Yoest. “Abortion advocates thought that an anti-life blockade in the U.S. Senate would mean an end to pro-life victories. But equipped with tools like Defending Life, legislators and pro-life Americans worked together at the state level nationwide to protect women and girls from an abortion industry that puts profits over people.”
Although Louisiana ranked first, AUL indicated Oklahoma, Mississippi, Arizona, Texas, and Indiana performed the best in 2014 in terms of advancing pro-life legislation.
AUL also examined whether state were protecting women from dangerous abuses in the abortion industry. After Kermit Gosnell, more Americans are aware of the fact that the abortion industry puts women’s lives and health at risk with abortions and by not following the basic health and safety laws and standards that legitimate medical centers are held accountable for following.
So, what’s the Louisiana’s secret?
Dorinda Bordlee, chief counsel of Bioethics Defense Fund, says there is no secret. “The success of Louisiana is based on it’s generous and loving people, their elected officials, and a collaborative coalition of policy leaders who listen to the voices of post-abortive women.”
A New Orleans native, Dorinda recognizes that “the legal counsel and creative model legislation drafted by Bioethics Defense Fund would not be effective without the leadership of Louisiana Right to Life, the Louisiana Family Forum, the Louisiana Catholic Conference, Louisiana Abortion Recovery, and the people across the state who value the dignity of women and children.”
Only nine states offer strong legal protections for women; 16 states provide moderate protection, 12 states offer minimal protection and sadly, 13 states are ranked as dangerous for their failure to regulate the abortion industry by holding them accountable for the conditions they create that can endanger women.
“Pro-life model legislation has been a game changer,” said Dr. Yoest. “New in Defending Life this year are enhanced protections in AUL’s enforcement model, part of the Women’s Protection Project, which provides families with the legal means to hold dangerous abortion clinics and deadly abortionists accountable. Consistently, AUL has developed innovative and constitutionally sound laws to protect women and their unborn babies. That trend continues today. The abortion industry should be put on notice that they will not be allowed to keep profits high and standards low.”
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Here is the ranking of the most pro-life states:
