May 15, 2024
“Protecting preborn babies in West Virginia is a full-time job, and we are celebrating those ready to get to work,” said SFLAction’s Kristan Hawkins. “The introduction of Chemical Abortion Pill legislation last session by Senator Patricia Rucker provided an opportunity to lead on life. The state’s ‘Abortion Prevention Act’ must be strengthened to stop the trafficking of dangerous Chemical Abortion Pills through mail and to hold pill pushers accountable for polluting the state’s water. With such critical issues being debated, Students for Life Action has been educating voters about the lives at stake.”
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Martinsburg, West Virginia (05-15-2024) – Students for Life Action (SFLAction) celebrates the election of SEVEN pro-life leaders in West Virginia’s state House and Senate primary races. SFLAction President Kristan Hawkins said, “After the historic Dobbs decision in 2022, West Virgina passed the Abortion Prevention Act with the intent to stop all abortions in the Mountaineer State, but it was watered down by pro-abortion forces. Those same individuals sought to defeat pro-life champions like Senators Patricia Rucker today. We’re glad to see they not only failed to defeat strong pro-life incumbents have a new ally in Delegate-elect Chris Anders, who will help lead the fight for Life in the House. West Virginians made their voices heard tonight and the result is good news for preborn children.”
Numerous successful candidates returned the Students for Life Action Candidate Survey and pledged to vote pro-life 100%, including:
- Senator-elect Christopher Rose – Senate District 2
- Senator-elect Brian Helton – District 9
- Senator-elect Tom Willis – Senate District 15
- Senator Patricia Rucker – re-elected – Senate District 16
- Delegate-Elect Lisa White – House District 96
- Delegate-Elect Chris Anders – House district 97
In addition, SFLAction President Kristan Hawkins personally endorsed successful candidate JB McCuskey for Attorney General.
In 2022, West Virginia’s Governor signed the Abortion Prevention Act into law. Since that time, SFLAction has remained active in West Virginia, working hard to ensure passage of legislation that would strengthen the state’s pro-life laws:
- In January 2023 & 2024, SFLAction worked with Sen. Rucker to introduce the West Virginia Clean Water for All Life Act (SB 278), which incorporated Red Bag Medical Waste language and regulations around the clear identification of “BIOHAZARDS.”
- In February 2024, SFLAction supported introduction of High-Risk Pregnancy Education Act (SB 558), which would require publicly-funded medical schools to teach the most current evidence-based, life-saving methods including abortion pill reversal, among other education provisions for doctors.
READ: Legislation Alert: West Virginia Introduces SB 558 High-Risk Pregnancy Education Act
- In March 2024, SFLAction worked with Sen. Rucker to introduce the Unborn Child Protection Act (SB 735), which would criminalize mailing abortion pills into West Virginia, and ensure that women who were preyed upon for abortion can sue anyone who participated in the mailing of those pills. Such efforts would use civil liability and strict criminal penalties to disrupt the willingness of out of state abortionists to mail the abortion pills into the state.
Leading up to the election, SFLAction sent over 17,300 text messages, made more than 20,100 phone calls, sent over 24,400 pieces of direct mail, and knocked on 1,523 doors across eight targeted districts.
“Congratulations to all the pro-life champions who won their primaries tonight – the Pro-Life Generation is proud to stand alongside you all and look forward to working with you all in the next legislative session,” said Hawkins.
For interviews, contact [email protected].
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The Pro-Life Generation (PLG) is an umbrella organization encompassing the most-cutting edge engagement opportunities for a Vote Pro-Life First Community. PLG includes Students for Life Action (SFLAction), a 501c4, along with its 501c3 sister organization, Students for Life of America (SFLA), that together make up the nation’s largest, pro-life youth organization, managing a grassroots political and policy operation engaging Americans of all ages but with a special emphasis on the largest segment of voters — the Youth Vote. Headquartered in Fredericksburg, VA, PLG/SFLA/SFLAction serves more than 1,400 groups on middle, high school, college, medical, and law school campuses in all 50 states. Our team has more conversations with this generation targeted by the abortion lobby than any other pro-life operation in the world, each week reaching more than 4 million across social media platforms and averaging 1.3 million video views. In addition to SFLA/SFLAction, PLG leads multiple initiatives to lead and serve the future of the pro-life movement including the Campaign for Abortion Free Cities, Standing With You, and the Demetree Institute for Pro-Life Advancement . Over more than 17 years, PLG CEO Kristan Hawkins has grown the operation into a nearly $20M organization, now preparing for an abortion-free America.
