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On April 28th, all 50 states will be holding rallies in their respective capitols.

The Virginia Rally for Women’s Rights will be held at Nina F. Abady Festival Park in downtown Richmond from 2:00 to 4:00 pm.  Our Guest Speakers will include Delegate Kaye Kory (38th District), Delegate Charniele Herring (46th District) and Delegate Jennifer McClellan (71st District).  Women’s Strikeforce PAC founder and former Virginia delegate, Robin Abbott will speak along with Strikeforce Sponsor and former delegate, Katherine Waddell. Victoria Bragunier, President of the Richmond Chapter of the National Organization of Women, Caroline O’Shea of NARAL-Pro-Choice VA, Carolina Velez, a Domestic Violence Advocate with Safe Harbor, and Elizabeth Wong of ACLU-VA will also be speaking at the rally.

For more information about the Richmond rally:

facebook.com/groups/WOWVA

@WOW_VA on Twitter

For more information on your state’s rally:

www.unitewomen.org

www.wearewomenmarch.net

Don’t think women’s rights are under attack? Here is the state-by-state legislation:

National
Violence Against Women Act (1925) is still stalled in the Senate.
US House of Representatives passes the “Let Women Die Bill” HR 358: http://www.rhrealitycheck.org/article/2011/10/17/the-let-women-die-bill-of-2011-hr-358-forces-women-to-play-russian-roullette-in-their-hospital-emergency-roo0

 
Alabama
SB 5 Personhood (life at conception)
SB12/HB418 Requires ultrasound (Right to Know/See). Story about Alabama bill: http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2012/02/26/alabama-ultrasound-bill-governor-robert-bentley_n_1302298.html  
SB6/ SB96/ SB223 Physician guidelines regarding abortion or abortion-inducing drugs
SB10/HB112 Prohibit reg health ins coverage for abortion from health exchange plan
SB20 Prohibit reg private health ins coverage for abortion
SB335/HB112 Prohibits reg health ins coverage for abortion from FUTURE “Obamacare” ACA health insurance exchange
SB31 Adds unborn child to felony if exposed to drugs while pregnant
SB105/HB375 Health care providers can deny service based on their conscience (State equiv of Fed Blunt Amendment)
HB43 Removes Alabama from authority of Federal Affordable Care Act
The Alabama Supreme Court ruled doctors can be sued for the death of an unborn, pre-viable child. http://www.ama-assn.org/amednews/2012/03/12/gvsb0312.htm

 
Arizona
Arizona Legislature is considering bills to de-fund Planned Parenthood, allow doctors to withhold information from patients to prevent abortions, and to allow employers to opt out of contraception coverage for religious reasons. The contraception bill also would allow employers to demand women provide reasons for why they are using birth control and allow for firing if it is for non-medical reasons. Republican Rep. Terri Proud wants to make a law that would force women to witness an abortion before having an abortion.
The Arizona state Senate passed a bill that would allow doctors to conceal information about disabilities or deformities affecting a fetus in order to prevent abortions. http://rt.com/usa/news/lawsuit-arizona-birth-abortion-149/
Proposed Arizona prenatal nondiscrimination act allows men to block abortions. http://jezebel.com/5886575/prenatal-discrimination-act-is-actually-designed-to-let-men-block-abortions

 
Arkansas
Arkansas-based conservative group attempts to get a ballot initiative that would define life as starting at conception. The state’s Attorney General rejected the petition. http://parentsagainstpersonhood.com/2012/01/04/arkansas-personhood-rejected-by-attorney-general/
Colorado
A Colorado bill, which passes the state House, would increase penalties if a person hurts a woman and causes death or injury to her unborn child. Critics say it effectively criminalizes abortion. http://www.denverpost.com/breakingnews/ci_20192390/bill-personhood-status-fetuses-killed-or-hurt-by
Colorado’s Supreme Court approves a ballot initiative for a constitutional amendment that would prohibit a woman from terminating a pregnancy for any reason. http://www.rawstory.com/rs/2012/03/07/colorado-supreme-court-approves-anti-abortion-personhood-ballot-initiative/

 
Florida

 
Florida passes a bill requiring a 24-hour wait before an abortion, and requires that clinics be owned by doctors. http://www.rawstory.com/rs/2012/03/02/florida-house-passes-24-hour-wait-for-abortions/
Personhood Florida launched a two-year push to get a fetal personhood initiative on the ballot in 2014. http://floridaindependent.com/70707/personhood-florida-continuing-push-for-2014-amendment

 
Georgia
The house passed HB 954 (fetal-pain bill), which would ban abortions after 20 weeks even if the baby is not expected to live. http://www.lifenews.com/2012/03/01/georgia-state-house-passes-fetal-pain-based-abortion-ban/
Rep. Terry England, speaking on HB954, does not see a problem with requiring women to carry to term a fetus that is already dead or is not expected to survive outside the womb. “Life gives us many experiences,” he explained. “I’ve had the experience of delivering calves, dead and alive — delivering pigs, dead and alive. … It breaks our hearts to see those animals not make it.” http://www.rawstory.com/rs/2012/03/09/georgia-lawmaker-compares-women-to-cows-and-pigs/

 
Idaho
The Idaho Senate passes a bill requiring an ultrasound for women seeking a abortion, as well as providing a list of providers of free ultrasounds. The catch? Those providers are mainly crisis-pregnancy centers run by pro-life groups and the ultrasounds performed there may not meet the requirement of the law, necessitating a second procedure. http://www.sltrib.com/sltrib/world/53750624-68/bill-idaho-ultrasound-abortion.html.csp

 
Kansas
Topeka decriminalized domestic violence in late 2011, hoping to balance their budget. http://www.nytimes.com/2011/10/12/us/topeka-moves-to-decriminalize-domestic-violence.html
Kansas offers a sweeping anti-abortion bill that would allow doctors to withhold information about birth defects, require women to hear a fetal heartbeat, and force doctors to inform women about a disproved link between breast cancer and abortions. http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2012/02/06/kansas-anti-abortion-bill_n_1258185.html

 
Louisiana
HCR11: Rep. Hoffman is sponsoring a resolution to ask federal Congress to defund and appropriate no future funding to Planned Parenthood.
SB593: Sen. Alario is sponsoring a bill that states fetal pain and viability is at 20 weeks, which would ban any abortion after 20 weeks of pregnancy.
SB330: Sen. Ward is sponsoring a bill that would criminalize the act of abortion if the abortionist is not a licensed physician.
Mississippi
Prevents legal abortions after six weeks, or when a fetal heartbeat is detected. For women having partial miscarriages where there is still a faint heartbeat, her life must be in critical danger before receiving medical care to treat the miscarriage. 10-25% of all pregnancies end in miscarriages.
“The bill would ban abortion after six weeks which violates Roe v. Wade. It would forces women to prove they have been raped. It would force women to be raped by the state. And it would define life as beginning at conception, a concept Mississippi voters overwhelmingly defeated last fall. ” http://www.addictinginfo.org/2012/03/16/mississippi-gop-passes-anti-abortion-bill-with-heartbeat-transvaginal-ultrasounds-personhood-and-anti-contraception-measures/
Mississippi SB 2692 
Mississippi passes a measure aimed at closing the state’s only abortion clinic. http://thinkprogress.org/health/2012/03/13/443890/mississippi-house-passes-measure-aimed-at-closing-the-states-only-abortion-clinic/

 
Missouri

 
HB 1075 Prohibits laws requiring pharmacies to carry any specific drug or device—Passed House 144-12 on 2-15; On Senate calendar for 2nd reading 2-27 
HB 1274 Abortion-inducing Drugs Safety Act Voted do pass in Health Care Policy Cmte, 2-8-12 
HB 1541 Conscience rights of medical workers—Hearing in House Health Care Policy Committee, 2-8-12; Referred to Rules Committee 2-29-12 
HB 1853 Prohibits a vasectomy from being performed on a man unless it is to save his life or prevent substantial and irreversible physical impairment introduced 3-1-12 
SB 658 
SB 772 Safety procedures for the use of abortion-inducing drugs; to be heard 3-6-12 in Senate Health, Mental Health Committee
SB 745 Allows crisis pregnancy centers to freely engage in religious practices; to be heard 3-6-12 in Senate Health, Mental Health Committee
SB 749 Protects certain religious employers from having to provide birth control coverage—on Senate informal Calendar 3-2; Sen. Justus offered a substitute 2-21 
HCR 41 Declares House’s opposition to birth control mandate—passed House 114-45 on 2-22; on Referred to Senate Rules Committee 2-27 
HCR 40 
SCR 22

 
Nebraska
Nebraska Republicans are trying to pass “Freedom Of Conscience Clause” that targets women’s health. http://www.addictinginfo.org/2012/03/10/nebraska-republicans-aim-to-pass-freedom-of-conscience-clause-that-targets-womens-health/

 
Nevada
Nevada anti-abortion groups proceed with ballot initiatives to protect “prenatal” persons and prohibit abortion.  http://www.necn.com/03/02/12/APNewsBreak-Nevada-anti-abortion-measure/landing_politics.html?&apID=60075f43f7fc48b682665f497624381c

 
New Hampshire
The New Hampshire House passes a bill forcing doctors to tell women of a link between breast cancer and abortion, which has been scientifically disproved. http://thinkprogress.org/health/2012/03/15/444995/new-hampshire-house-bill-falsely-claims-abortion-causes-breast-cancer/
New Hampshire House votes on two bills: one banning third-term abortions and another that allows judges two business days before they have to decide whether a juvenile who does not want to inform her parents may have an abortion.  http://www.shakesville.com/2012/03/reproductive-rights-updates-az-ks-ms-nh.html
New Hampshire House approves a 24-hour waiting period for abortions. http://www.unionleader.com/article/20120314/NEWS06/703149951

 
Ohio
Attorney General Mike DeWine (R) approves language on a proposed personhood ballot initiative defining life as beginning at conception. http://www.nationalpartnership.org/site/News2?abbr=daily2_&page=NewsArticle&id=31466

 
Oklahoma
Trying to pass a personhood amendment, SB 1433, declaring a fertilized egg is a person, which could make birth control illegal and partial miscarriages unable to treat until the woman’s life is in danger. http://newsok.com/oklahoma-senate-passes-personhood-act-saying-life-begins-at-conception/article/3649308
HR 1595 mandates that a 34-item questionnaire be filled out by abortion providers for each procedure. The questionnaire doesn’t include the woman’s name or “any information specifically identifying the patient,” but it does ask for age, race, level of education, marital status, number of previous pregnancies, and the county in which the abortion was performed, information which opponents of the bill argue would be enough to identify a woman in a small town. The questionnaire also asks about the mother’s reason for the abortion, her method of payment, and even what type of insurance she has, as well as whether the fetus received anesthetic and whether there was “an infant born alive as a result of the abortion.” http://jezebel.com/5376502/new-oklahoma-law-will-put-details-of-all-abortions-online
Heartbeat informed consent act (SB1274) http://www.reuters.com/article/2012/03/07/us-oklahoma-abortion-heartbeat-idUSTRE82609J20120307
Oklahoma attempts to cut funding to Planned Parenthood. http://newsok.com/oklahoma-lawmaker-says-by-cutting-funds-to-planned-parenthood-bill-harms-women-children/article/3649472/?page=1

 
Pennsylvania
Requires all women seeking a legal abortion undergo a medically unnecessary vaginal ultrasound probe (with exceptions for rape and incest). Pennsylvania’s governor suggests women “close their eyes,” during the procedure.
 Pennsylvania HB 1077 (ultrasound bill) requires technicians give women personalized results and “strongly encourages” women to view the screen during the ultrasound.
Pennsylvania Gov. Corbett tells women to just close their eyes. http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2012/03/15/tom-corbett-ultrasound-bill-pennsylvania_n_1348801.html
Rep. Daryl Metcalfe is drafting a bill that would ban funding for all family planning and women’s health services, including preventive care. He is directly targeting Planned Parenthood and similar PA health centers that offer abortion: http://www.pennlive.com/midstate/index.ssf/2012/04/lawmaker_readies_bill_to_cut_f.html

 
Rhode Island
Rep. Karen MacBeth, a self-described conservative Democrat, introduces a bill requiring ultrasounds before an abortion. http://news.providencejournal.com/breaking-news/2012/03/ri-bill-to-requ.html

 
Tennessee
The Tennessee legislature proposes a bill that would publish the names of doctors who provide abortions, as well as potentially identifying women who undergo the procedure. http://www.chicagotribune.com/news/nationworld/la-na-nn-tennessee-abortion-bill-20120319,0,2256987.story

 
Texas

 
Requires all women seeking a legal abortion undergo a medically unnecessary vaginal ultrasound probe, including rape victims. http://feminist.org/blog/index.php/2012/02/16/tx-ultrasound-law-to-go-into-effect/

 
Texas HB 15, called “Women’s Right to Know” which modifies Section 171.012 of the Health and Safety Code.
Texas Gov. Rick Perry implements a law that excludes Planned Parenthood from the Medicaid women’s health program, causing the Department of Health and Human services to revoke federal funding for family planning via Medicaid to the state. http://www.msmagazine.com/news/uswirestory.asp?ID=13527

 
Utah
Gov. Gary Herbert signs a law requiring a 72-hour wait to obtain an abortion. http://www.businessweek.com/news/2012-03-21/utah-governor-signs-72-hour-abortion-waiting-period-bill
The Utah state legislature passes a bill that would ban sex education in schools. However, Gov. Herbert (R) vetoed it. http://www.parkrecord.com/ci_20216508/governor-rejects-sex-ed-bill

 
Virginia
Gov. McDonnell signs into law a measure requiring an ultrasound prior to obtaining an abortion; however, a controversial provision requiring a transvaginal ultrasound was removed after significant pressure. http://www.google.com/hostednews/ap/article/ALeqM5j8HgnFMNbBrI0mmEGd3DDTnEZkGQ?docId=7648c83887b84792a3208c61205f0720
The Virginia House of Delegates passes a bill that would define life as beginning at conception. http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2012/02/23/virginia-personhood-bill-defeated-senate_n_1297463.html

 
Washington
Federal judge rules Washington pharmacists cannot be required to dispense Plan B if they have a moral objection. http://www.pharmalot.com/2012/02/washington-pharmacists-dont-have-to-sell-plan-b-2/

 
Wisconsin
SB 507 requires “the Child Abuse and Neglect Prevention Board to emphasize non-marital parenthood as a contributing factor to child abuse and neglect” http://chicagoist.com/2012/03/07/wi_grothman_parenthood_abuse.php
While speaking on SB507, Representative Don Pridemore spoke against divorce, even in cases of abuse. http://www.todaystmj4.com/news/local/142161793.html
Wisconsin Republicans attempt to repeal the Equal Pay Enforcement Act. http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2012/02/24/equal-pay-enforcement-act-wisconsin-scott-walker_n_1299750.html?ref=tw