KILLED: Committee Votes Down Bill Protecting Underage Girls from Sexual Abuse, Recap + You're invited to Officer Holets Day in Santa Fe

Saturday, the House Consumer and Public Affairs Committee voted to kill HB 56, the Parental Notification of Abortion Act, in a 3-2 party-line vote. Democrats on the committee chose to side with the abortion lobby over the rights of parents and the health and safety of girls across New Mexico.

Representative Roybal Caballero, a Catholic legislator, claimed she considered the abortion decision "sacred" and used that reasoning to vote for killing this bill protecting young girls.

Rep. Eliseo Alcon, who also voted to kill HB 56, showed more concern about saving dying fish than protecting girls from sexual abusers who take them in for an abortion. 
  
Opponents of HB 56 ignorantly claim "the Legislature is not the best place to make individual medical decisions," despite the fact pro-abortion Rep. Deborah Armstrong who voted against the bill, sponsored 47 bills impacting "individual medical decisions" last year.

HB 56 addressed a loophole in state law allowing pregnant teens to be taken off school premises for an abortion without a parent's knowledge. The bill would require a parent be notified before an unemancipated minor can receive an abortion. Read the Albuquerque Journal story here.

Dr. Mary Rose Turner a 32-year practicing ER anesthesiologist (pictured below) shared expert testimony asking, "Would you want [forceps] inserted inside your daughter without your knowledge?" Dr. Turner further explained complications of uterine rupture, sepsis and the higher risks of complications without a complete family medical history, which only parents can provide.  
"Uterine perforation that results in life-threatening bleeding has led to death," Dr. Turner continued and described the danger of having a late-term abortion in an outpatient clinic. "When babies die of natural causes in the uterus after 13 weeks gestation, this same procedure is always performed in a hospital under general anesthesia, with blood immediately available for transfusion, personnel and instruments on hand to perform emergency hysterectomy if needed to save the mother's life."

"We're being webcast today and I hope everyone out there is watching," said Representative Bob Wooley, a committee member. "Remember when you go to vote next year, remember who voted to keep parents out of their daughters lives."

Above left: Moriarity High School student Olivia Marcus, who testified in support of HB 56.
Above right: Representatives Rod Montoya, David Gallegos and Rick Little during HB 56 committee hearing.

"According to countless studies, even those cited by Planned Parenthood, 60-80% of pregnant minors 15 and under are impregnated by adult males," said Elisa Martinez, executive director of New Mexico Alliance for Life. "Again, look no further than U.S. Gymnastics Dr. Larry Nassar, who sexually abused over 150 young women and girls. In this climate, why would we possibly want to exclude parental involvement?" Martinez pointed out that the Religious Coalition for Reproductive Choice, has actively opposed HB 56, while their website supports  parental notification and states, "New Mexico does no require parental consent or notification, (although some states do). Even though it may not be required by law, we strongly recommend that young woman discuss their pregnancy with their parents.

Representatives Eliseo Alcon (D - McKinley & Cibola), Deborah Armstrong (D - Bernalillo), Patricia Roybal Caballero (D - Bernalillo) voted to kill the bill, while representatives Monica Youngblood (R - Bernalillo) and Bob Wooley - (R - Chaves, Lea & Roosevelt), voted to advance the bill.

Officer Ryan and Mrs. Rebecca Holets Honored in Santa Fe

New Mexico Alliance for Life (NMAFL) invites you to celebrate compelling pro-life and adoption stories on Angels on Earth Day, in honor of Officer Ryan and Rebecca Holets at the legislature, in the morning session beginning at 10:00a.m. February 6th through noon.

Read more about the Holets' inspiring story here.