Alaska Personhood of Unborn Children Act (2010)
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The Alaska Personhood of Unborn Children Act may appear on the November 2, 2010 ballot in the state of Alaska as an indirect initiated state statute. According to the Alaska Division of Elections, the application was received on August 24, 2009. After a review of the application, it was certified by the Lieutenant Governor on October 22, 2009.[1]
The petition must gather 30,000 signatures from registered voters to send the ballot measure to the state ballot. According to reports, Alaska is the eigth state to launch such an initiative. Other states with similar initiatives are California, Colorado, Florida, Michigan, Missouri, Montana and Nevada.[2]
Proposed bill language
If the measure is enacted by Alaska voters, the bill language would read as follows:
- Be it enacted by the People of the State of Alaska that all human beings, from the beginning of their biological development as human organisms, including the single-cell embryo regardless of age, health, level of functioning, condition of dependency or method of reproduction, shall be recognized as legal persons in the state of Alaska.
Support
According to Judie Brown, president of the grassroots Catholic pro-life organization: “America’s last frontier could be America’s first state to recognize human rights for all. This amendment campaign is a historic step toward real social justice in Alaska and the nation.”
The Washington D.C. based American Life League has gone on record to support the measure, stating that it is “committed to the protection of all innocent human beings from the moment of creation to natural death."
Christopher Kurka, who introduced the bill, displayed his beliefs to Lifesitenews.com, stating why he thinks his opponents are wrong: "Even though they try to bring up all these distractions, they still have to focus on whether the unborn is a person, which is what the pro-life movement has needed to do. It's where we win the argument, it's where the real issue is. It's not a ban on a procedure .... It's asking whether or not the unborn is a person, and is going to be protected like the rest of us
Opposition
Planned Parenthood of Alaska stated their opposition to the measure, saying the result would lead to women who have miscarriages to be improperly investigated. According to group president, Clover Simon: "Worst-case scenario is we might be in a situation where women or doctors would have to report if a woman had a miscarriage and then she might be investigated as to why. There are a lot of potential and unintended consequences for these initiatives and because we don't really know what they are until it's put into practice, I think it's kind of scary for women."[3]
See also
- Alaska 2010 ballot measures
- 2010 ballot measures
- Alaska Initiative Law
- Alaska Senate
- Alaska House of Representatives
- Colorado Fetal Personhood Amendment (2010)
- Montana Life Begins at Conception Initiative (2010)
- Nevada Personhood Amendment (2010)
External links
References
- ↑ Division of Elections, "Petition status report"
- ↑ American Life League, "Alaska Personhood Amendment Launch", November 2, 2009
- ↑ Lifesightnews.com, "Alaska Introduces Personhood Initiative", November 2, 2009
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