February 28, 2024
Since the start of 2024, Students for Life Action (SFLAction) has been engaging in multi-day lobby and engagement efforts with staff and student leaders in multiple states across the nation. These lobby days not only help establish strong, grassroots connections between the Pro-Life Generation and legislators and their staff, but also motivate students, volunteers, and voters to help push meaningful and life-saving legislation.
SFLAction has engaged pro-life lawmakers in numerous states, including:
- Florida
- Georgia
- Idaho
- Iowa
- Indiana
- Kentucky
- Kansas
- Nebraska
- New Hampshire
- Oklahoma
- South Carolina
- Virginia
- West Virginia
- Wyoming
Future Lobby Day events are planned for Ohio, Pennsylvania, and North Carolina. Below are highlights from select lobby day efforts in key states where we’re pushing to ensure abortion is kept off the ballot and pro-life protections are further enshrined into law.
Nebraska – January 8, 2024
“A group of ten students and volunteers came out for the event, and we spent the day delivering stacks of petitions to the Senate Speaker’s office and the Governor’s office. The staff we gave the petitions to at the Governor’s office seemed very supportive of the bill, which was excellent.
We also had meetings with Senator Mike McDonnell, Senator Lynn Walz, and Senator Robert Clements, thanking the latter specifically for his support of the Heartbeat Abortion Protection Act. In turn, Senator Clements graciously said that being pro-life is his number one priority.
Senator Mike McDonnell, a pro-life Democrat) was likewise glad to engage with SFLAction, and we thanked him for supporting the Nebraska Heartbeat Act as a co-sponsor last session. He noted that Senator Merv Riepe – a pro-abortion Republican — continues to block pro-life legislation this session.
We split into groups to deliver the remaining letters and flyers to other Senator’s offices, and one of our groups was able to meet with Senator Albrecht who introduced the Heartbeat Act last session. She too noted that Senator Riepe had joined with the Democrats at the last minute to torpedo the bill.
Naturally, we tried to speak with Senator Merv Riepe at his office – but he wasn’t available. How convenient…but you can’t blame us for trying — again! The best we could do with this office was talk with his assistant and explain the importance of the Nebraska Heartbeat Act.
Overall, our presence, engagements, and conversations seemed to leave quite an impression, especially with the media were at the Capitol as it wasn’t very busy during our time there.”
Idaho – January 8, 2024
“As one of the most pro-life states in the country, Idaho is an important incubator state for innovative future pro-life legislation. We plan to be active defending existing laws and fighting to increase enforcement to save every life from the violence of abortion, and export winning ideas to other red states.
But during our most recent Lobby Day at the Idaho state capitol building in Boise, SFLAction distributed informational materials to the state senators about upcoming prolife legislation. We were able to secure fruitful conversations with State Senators Tammy Nichols, Brian Lenney, and Scott Herndon. They were supportive of our work and glad to learn about the Clean Water for All Life Act.”
The same day as our lobby event, Idaho scored another pro-life victory when the SCOTUS rejected an attempt to stop Idaho’s abortion prevention legislation from going into effect.”
South Carolina – January 9, 2024
“SFLAction visited the South Carolina state house on the first day of the legislative session and even though there were hurricane force winds and stormy weather, students from the local area made the trek out to Columbia, SC.
Throughout the day we were able to deliver over 2,000 petitions from concerned citizens of South Carolina to the Speaker of the House, Murrel Smith Jr, and the Senate President Thomas Alexander. The Pro-Life generation showed up to show that we want our state abortion free!”
Virginia – January 10, 2024
“Natalee Wilson, the Virginias Regional Coordinator for Students for Life of America (SFLA), as well as two students from Virginia lobbied at the Virginia General Assembly on the first day of session in Virginia. This session stands to be challenging for pro-life legislators with a House and Senate that both have a pro-abortion majority and looking at the possibility of a constitutional amendment that will enshrine abortion into Virginia law, so lobbying for pro-life legislation is going to be extremely important for the future of Virginia.
Wilson and her students met with three amazing pro-life delegates and thanked them for their hard work in fighting for the preborn as well as talking about them about chemical abortion, protecting life at conception, maternity and paternity leave, and the Clean Water for All Life Act.
Two of the delegates, Delegate Earley and Delegate Griffin, are SFLA alumni. Beyond talking with these legislators, they also dropped off packets with 65 legislator’s offices, having many conversations with legislative aides, who were encouraged by their presence in the General Assembly.
It was a pleasure to be able to go and speak with our legislators on the very first day of session. Their hope-filled spirits inspired myself and my students to continue to fight for life in law! We know that Virginia can be a pro-life state and we won’t stop being a voice for the voiceless until the preborn are protected at conception in Virginia law!”
To learn more about SFLAction’s Engagement the Youth Vote, click here.
Georgia – January 9, 2024
“The Georgia Lobby Day was one for the ages – rain, cold, and tornado warnings. We’re certain we drove past one on the way to the Capital. We were skeptical at first that we would get a good showing and were preparing to do the Lobby Day with a skeleton crew – thankfully the turnout was still strong.
Our efforts weren’t wasted – we were able to talk to a lot of staff and legislators that supported our policy views on defending life and restricting abortion in the State of Georgia. We were able to grab some time to speak with Rep. Mitchell Horner – an excellent experience for the students to see how to engage with legislators, and that was a good experience for the students.
We left materials with the staffers and wrapped up the day!”
Kansas – January 9, 2024
“We hit the ground running, delivering petitions to the Senate President’s office, the House Speaker’s office, and State Senator Thompson’s office. SB 286, the Protection at Conception Bill, still sits in his committee. We also delivered information about prolife laws and SFLAction letters to over a hundred legislator’s offices.
Following us doing the rounds for several offices, we held meetings with Representative Murphy, who introduced the Protection at Conception (HB 2492), and two of the co-sponsors of the bill, Representative Brett Fairchild and Representative Scott Hill. We also had a strong meeting with Representative Rebecca Schmoe who said she would support the House Protection at Conception bill.
Overall, it was successful – there were eight representatives total that signed onto the House Protection at Conception bill. Now, SFLAction’s Protection at Conception bill is filed in both the Kansas Senate and House.”
West Virginia – January 11, 2024
“Prior to 2022 West Virginia had been taking gradual pro-life steps each year. In September 2022 the legislature passed a Life at Conception Act, which while not perfect, seeks to end the predatory abortion industry in West Virginia (Acts for the Legislature, page 2547).
The abortion lobby has been trying to fight the new protections for the preborn to no avail. This past August, a federal judge denied GenBioPro, a manufacturer of mifepristone, the ability to challenge the law. West Virginia’s life-loving protections still stands!
Even with West Virginia standing strong in support of its Life at Conception Act there is still work to be done to combat the impacts of deadly Chemical Abortion drugs. There are two SFLAction inspired bills to do just that: the Clean Water for All Life Act, and the An Act to Oppose Chemical Abortion Trafficking.
Lori Cascio, the Field Operations Manager for Students for Life and a Martinsburg, WV resident, delivered hundreds of Chemical Abortion Prevention & Clean Water Act petitions to the offices of Senate Speaker Blair (who covers Lori’s district) and House Speaker Henshaw.
Beyond the speakers’ offices, Cascio and her team visited 61 legislator’s offices in a few hours with packets on Chemical Abortion and more from SFLAction. Additional materials were left with pro-life legislators to encourage them to continue the conversation for Students for Life with their colleagues throughout the session.”
Oklahoma – February 6, 2024
“Students and representatives of Students for Life at UTSA (University of Texas San Antonio) and St. Mary’s University traveled for the Lobby Day. We went door to door, visiting representatives and state senators who have historically voted in favor of pro-life bills. We left materials asking them to ensure that exceptions are not added to the already pro-life laws in Oklahoma. We also asked that they support child tax credits and paid family leave and that they support the “Oklahoma Clean Water for All Life Act,” sponsored by Senator Nathan Dahm.
In addition to the lobby day, we also went out into the community to educate voters! We went door to door leaving literature letting the community know how to reach their legislators and why they should ask them to defend life. Altogether, we were able to reach over 600 homes. We were able to wrap up our trip by attending Rose Day, an annual pro-life day of action where we thank them for protecting life, where we heard from legislators, Governor Kevin Stitt, and Josiah Presley, an abortion survivor who shared his testimony. It was wonderful getting to attend the Rose Day Rally and get to know about the local pregnancy help organizations that serve Oklahoma.”
READ ABOUT THE CHEMICAL ABORTION WASTEWATER BILLS MOVING IN
WEST VIRGINIA AND OKLAHOMA: Students for Life Action Applauds Three States for Starting the Innovative Work of Protecting the Environment from Chemical Abortion Pill Pollution in Our Water
Florida – February 7, 2024
“SFLAction was a co-sponsor at the rally alongside Florida Voice for the Unborn, Priests for Life, Suncoast Catholic, Liberty Counsel, and Florida Preborn Rescue. Representative Mike Beltran (R-District 70-Hillsborough and Manatee County) and Representative Webster Barnaby (R-District 29-Volusia County) were also present at the Florida Supreme Court, encouraging the pro-life generation to keep fighting and standing for life.
Representative Beltran confirmed he and Representative Borrero (R-District 111-Miami-Dade County) are working on a bill to prohibit all abortions in Florida, with the exception of the life of the mother.
The bill’s name is HB 1519; Termination of Pregnancies and is currently under review in the Healthcare regulation subcommittee as of January 132024. The bill, if enacted into law, would, “Prohibit person or entity from purposely performing or attempting to perform abortion; provides exception; provides penalties; revises requirements for court to issue order authorizing minor to consent to termination of pregnancy.”
Florida does not want limitless abortion on the ballot this November – that is clear from the election results in November 2022. The voters have already spoken and the voters have chosen life. I hope the Florida Supreme Court will realize this and defend life.”
Iowa – February 8, 2024
“While door knocking, we had the opportunity to talk to many concerned Iowan voters, who one would think would be burnt out from the presidential race, that was not the case. Instead, we spoke to 30 excited voters who were all passionately pro-life. We informed them that we are asking people to encourage their local legislators and legislative leaders in the state to support HF 510, a bill aimed to Protect life at Conception, and HF 146, aimed to stop dangerous Chemical abortion pills, which Students for Life Action is partnering with Rep. Jeff Shipley to advance. They all recognized the significance of this legislation with one person saying, “I will happily call my lawmakers to ensure the innocence of life is protected.”
Later at the Capital, we spoke to lawmakers from both the House and Senate of Iowa, to ask them for their support of HF 510 and HF 146. While stated earlier, it is important to call legislators and voice our support for the Pro-Life movement, it makes a bigger splash seeing them in the peoples’ house.
While there, we spoke to many legislators and encouraged them to remain vigilant in their pro-life convictions and asked them personally to support HF 510 and HF 146. By doing this and getting a verbal commitment face to face, it is more difficult for people to go back on their word. Lobby days are the days that we can show exactly what the Pro-Life Generation is made of. By showing up in mass numbers, talking to our legislators, and getting our classmates, family, friends, and neighbors on the ground we can create an unstoppable movement.”
Throughout 2024, SFLAction’s legislative agenda will include, but is not limited to:
- Life at Conception Acts to protect all preborn babies.
- Heartbeat Abortion Prevention Acts to protect babies at the universal sign of life, a heartbeat.
- Chemical Abortion Prevention Acts to end Chemical Abortion heavily restrict or eliminate distribution of these dangerous medications.
- Clean Water for All Life Acts to hold Chemical Abortion vendors accountable for polluting our wastewater system.
In addition to our legislative agenda, some of our goals included:
- Opposing any efforts to weaken existing pro-life laws, including efforts aimed at removing legal protections from certain babies, that discriminate against them based on the circumstances of their conception or a medical diagnosis.
- Defunding the abortion industry.
- Encouraging family friendly and work friendly employment strategies, including more paid family leave, child tax credits and more.
Beyond our efforts to ensure the passage of pro-life legislation, we’re engaging state leaders to keep abortion out of their states once the law has removed it. Yet, numerous states are also facing down ballot initiatives and signature collection campaigns to try and get abortion on the ballot in 2024.
Through direct engagements with partner grassroots organizations and our new Decline to Sign campaign, SFLAction is working to stop the abortion industrial complex before they even get to the voting booth.
LEARN MORE: Abortion IS on the Ballot: The Top Pro-Life Ballot Initiatives for 2024