Call 1-800-372-7181
Call the toll-free Legislative Message Line and leave these messages. It is very easy. You will not have to speak to your legislator(s) – simply leave a message with the receptionist for “all legislators in (your) county.”
Double your impact by having your spouse call as well. Call on each bill on different days. (One call for the group of pro-life bills) When finished giving your message, ask the receptionist to “Copy my message to Senate President Stivers and House Speaker Osborne.” This will make your message reach Leadership.
Before Feb. 5, the Legislative Message Line is open from 7:00 am until 6:00 pm EST Mon-Fri. Beginning Feb. 5, you can call in the evening! It will be open 7:00 am until 9:00 pm EST Mon-Thurs, closing at 6:00 pm Fri.
You must leave YOUR message for legislators. Note: In fairness, each of these bill messages is written as though you favor the bill. If you DON’T want a bill passed, simply add the word “Don’t” before the written message below.
#1 “Pass The Adoption/Foster Care Protection Act – House Bill 160”
This bill will protect groups that do adoptions and foster care so they can maintain their own deeply-held convictions about marriage.
By Rep. J. Petrie. HB 160 ensures that faith-based providers of adoption and foster services can continue to provide services based on their core beliefs. It prevents state government from penalizing or punishing adoption and foster care providers because of their beliefs about marriage.
ADVOCATES SAY: Many people who provide adoption and foster services are motivated by faith. That same faith dictates their beliefs about marriage and family. These organizations provide faith-based support for families of similar faith who wish to place children or who wish to adopt or foster. Without HB160, such organizations will eventually be forced by the state to choose between honoring God or closing their doors. Then taxpayers would pick up the cost and children would suffer.
OPPONENTS SAY: This is a license to discriminate. Obergefell has affirmed the right of every person to marry who they choose. Two dads or two moms make just as good a family as any other family. It is time to end hate and discrimination. These discriminatory organizations should be closed.
#2 “Pass The Parents’ Bill of Rights Act – To be offered by Sen. West”
(Include “Sen. West” portion) This bill will protect the family by having government stand in support rather than against parents in tough situations.
This bill affirms parental rights as fundamental rights which includes the right of the parent to direct and consent to the medical care, education, upbringing and religious training of their children. It requires the state to have a compelling interest before it restricts parental rights.
ADVOCATES SAY: It is the parents’ right and responsibility to direct the care of their children. Historically parents’ rights have been considered fundamental rights. But, in 2000 a US Supreme Court opinion opened the door for reinterpretation. Since then there has been a disturbing trend of government allowing others to make decisions for children without parental consent or even knowledge. Children have been removed from homes without due process because a government official questioned a decision parents made for their child.
OPPONENTS SAY: This law isn’t needed. The United Nations says that parents already have rights and children must also. Children, in consultation with professionals should be able to make their own decisions. If the parents do not agree, a child should be given other guardians and allowed to determine for themselves what path they wish to take whether it be education, religion, medicine or any other area. Children’s rights to determine for themselves should be respected and overrule the rights of parents.
#3 “Pass Higher Education Free Speech Act – To be offered by Sen. Schroder”
(Include “Sen. Schroder” portion) This bill guarantees campuses will maintain First Amendment rights for all, contrary to many colleges today.
This bill requires state colleges and universities to adopt policies to protect the right of students and faculty to speak, write and learn without the threat of intimidation. It would also protect their right to invite speakers regardless of the popularity of their views.
ADVOCATES SAY: This legislation is needed because of the increasing amount of intimidation practiced by those who disagree with religious or conservative points of view. In light of the many recent events on college campuses across America where invited speakers with conservative views have been prevented from speaking, sometimes by university administrators, it’s time to protect the true academic environment, so all points of view can be shared peacefully.
OPPONENTS SAY: News reports overstate the problem of intimidation on college campuses. These situations are just more liberal students exercising their free speech rights. In addition, they say that there are some views that constitute hate speech. These views, they argue, should be prohibited, particularly those they regard as racist, sexist and homophobic.
#4 “Pass these Pro-Life Bills: Senate Bills 9 & 50 and House Bills 5 & 148”
Kentucky should be a leading state on the issue of the sanctity of life. These bills accomplish that objective.
Senate Bill 9 – Fetal Heart Beat Abortion Ban by Sen. M. Castlen. SB 9 (& HB 100 by Rep. R. Goforth) prohibits an abortion after the detection of a heartbeat, except for medical emergencies.
ADVOCATES SAY: The presence of a heartbeat indicates life. Furthermore, the unborn child has distinctly different DNA than its mother. Therefore, once a heartbeat is detected it is not just about a woman’s body, but abortion is the killing of an innocent individual person. The state has a compelling interest in protecting life.
OPPONENTS SAY: This law is unconstitutional. It is none of government’s business what a woman does with her own body. It should be up to the woman and her doctor to decide. Life begins once the baby is born.
Senate Bill 50 – Abortion Prescription Reporting by Sen. R. Mills. SB 50 clarifies in law that medications given by a physician with the intent of causing an abortion must be reported as an abortion and included in the statistical reporting done by the Kentucky Bureau of Vital Statistics.
ADVOCATES SAY: Chemical abortions are becoming more common and current law is unclear. Such abortions are a combination of potent medications that cause the death and expulsion of an unborn child and should be reported.
OPPONENTS SAY: This law is unnecessary because most abortions are already reported. This is another attempt to overturn Roe v. Wade. This is an undue burden on women and their physicians.
House Bill 5 – Human Rights Unborn Children Anti-Discrimination Act by Rep. M. Prunty. HB 5 prohibits abortion based solely on the sex, race or disability of the unborn child.
ADVOCATES SAY: We must resist efforts to create “designer babies” where children who do not meet certain “requirements” are discarded. A preborn child should not be killed simply because of their sex, race or perceived disability.
OPPONENTS SAY: It is a woman’s right to choose if she wants a child, which child, and under what circumstances. Government must not limit her choices. This is just another attempt to take away their reproductive freedom.
House Bill 148 – Post Roe v. Wade Abortion Ban by Rep. J. Fischer. Should either Roe v Wade be overturned or an amendment to the Constitution restores Kentucky’s authority to prohibit abortion, this bill would prohibit abortion except for the life or physical health of the mother.
ADVOCATES SAY: Innocent, helpless unborn children should not be denied the basic human right to life. Innocent life is precious and must be protected. Abortions are being used as birth control and even “celebrated” by their advocates. A society that condones the killing of its most helpless and innocent members is a society in decline.
OPPONENTS SAY: If abortion is not legal, women will die. They will be forced into back alleys again. This is nothing more than a patriarchal, regressive plot to subjugate women. It is a woman’s right, alone, to choose.
