By Maria V. Gallagher, Legislative Director, Pennsylvania Pro-Life Federation
The Pennsylvania General Assembly was truly ahead of its time back in 1989 when it passed the Pennsylvania Abortion Control Act.
This landmark law was an omnibus measure which included protections for preborn babies in the later stages of pregnancy…parental consent…informed consent…a 24 hour waiting period for abortions…and protections against sex selection abortions.
The law became the basis of the U.S. Supreme Court decision Planned Parenthood v. Casey in 1992. The High Court upheld most of the provisions of the Act, striking a spousal notification provision. The Court’s decision ushered in an era when states were able to pass meaningful protections for preborn babies, even in light of the 1973 ruling Roe v. Wade, which legalized abortion in all 50 states.
With the High Court’s 2022 Dobbs decision, we have entered the post-Roe era. Sadly, however, some lawmakers in Pennsylvania want to turn back the clock on legal protections for preborn children and their mothers.
A co-sponsorship memo is circulating for a bill that would repeal the Abortion Control Act entirely and replace it with something called the Bodily Autonomy Act. The proposal would wipe out common sense abortion restrictions which are supported by a vast majority of the public.
At a time when Roe has finally been relegated to the ash heap of history, pregnant women and their babies in Pennsylvania face new legal threats. This is why it is imperative that we educate people about the wisdom of protective laws such as the Abortion Control Act.
Action Item: If you live in Pennsylvania, please urge your state representative to oppose the so-called Bodily Autonomy Act.