National pro-life group ranks Alabama 20th ‘most pro-life’ state

Americans United for Life, a national pro-life organization, yesterday released a report ranking the most pro-life and pro-abortion states in the country when it comes to passing pro-life legislation.

For the fifth year in a row, Louisiana tops the list of most pro-life states, followed by Oklahoma, Arkansas, Arizona and Pennsylvania.

The least pro-life states are unsurprisingly located in the northeast and on the west coast. Washington, California, Vermont, New York and Connecticut were ranked the least protective of the unborn.

Near the middle of the pack was Alabama, coming in at number 20.

“AUL has tracked states’ progress toward achieving a nation in which everyone is welcomed in life and protected in law,” said AUL President and CEO Dr. Charmaine Yoest. “Real pro-life momentum is reshaping the country as legislators craft protections for both mother and child, the victims of an avaricious abortion industry. Common-sense pro-life legislation saves lives and has broad public support in light of what we’re learning about the health risks of abortion for women.”

But even though Alabama hasn’t yet risen to the top tier of pro-life states, AUL recognized Alabama as one of their “All Star” states because of the strides that have been made since Republicans took over the legislature in 2010.

“Each of AUL’s All Stars enacted life-saving legislation to protect mother and child from an abortion industry more committed to its financial bottom line than protecting women from a dangerous procedure that is too often performed in substandard facilities,” said Dr. Yoest.

Alabama House Republicans included two bills in their 2014 legislative agenda that they classify as “pro-life” bills.

The Healthcare Rights of Conscience Act sponsored by Rep. Becky Nordgren, R-Gadsden, states that Alabama health care workers cannot be forced to provide a service that violates his or her conscience, specifically services relating to abortion, human cloning, human embryonic stem cell research, and sterilization.

The Adoption Tax Credit bill sponsored by Rep. Paul Lee, R-Dothan, gives Alabama residents who adopt an Alabama child either through private adoption or through the state foster care system a one-time $1,000 income tax credit, which would apply in the tax year in which the adoption was finalized.

Here is AUL’s full 2014 “life list” —

NARAL Pro-Choice America also released their state rankings, but rather than ordering the states, they simply graded each state on an A-F scale.

Alabama received an “F” from the pro-choice group, who said that Alabama’s governor, house and senate are all “anti-choice.”

They also released a map of their own, illustrating which states they believe are “pro-choice” and “anti-choice.”

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