Proud to live in the most Pro-Life state in America: Louisiana

Report: Louisiana Most Pro-Life, Washington Most Pro-Abortion

by Steven Ertelt | Washington, DC | LifeNews.com | 1/19/12
The national pro-life legislative group Americans United for Life has released its seventh annual ranking of states across the country based on the way each deals with a comprehensive list of life issues – from abortion to euthanasia.
For the second time in three years, Louisiana tops the list, followed closely by Oklahoma, Pennsylvania, Nebraska, and Arkansas. Indiana was listed as the most improved state last year.
Benjamin Clapper, the executive director of Louisiana Right to Life, told LifeNews he is delighted to learn his state is the most pro-life in the country.
“Since 1970, Louisiana Right to Life has worked diligently to ensure that Louisiana law protects human life as much as possible,” he said. “AUL’s ranking recognizes this great undertaking, and the success we have achieved in defending life at our state legislature.”
“Specifically, we have made great strides over the past five years to reach this #1 position. Our legislation has been cutting-edge, and it is saving lives today,” Clapper added. “While we are pleased with a first in the nation ranking, we know our work is far from complete. We will not rest until Louisiana is abortion-free and all innocent human life is protected under law.”
Louisiana led the way by passing the Signs of Hope Act, Obamacare Abortion Opt-Out, Ultrasound Before Abortion Act, Abortion Facility Closure Ability, Health Care Rights of Conscience Act, Choose Life License Plate Re-Authorization, and Human-Animal Hybrid Ban all since 2009. Before that it approved the Cord Blood Donation Education Act, Ban on Public Funding of Human Cloning, and “Trigger” Law Banning Abortion on Overturn of Roe v Wade.
Washington, California, Hawaii, Vermont, and Montana come in as the least life-affirming states, while Arizona, Indiana, Kansas, North Carolina, and Utah rate as the “most improved.”
AUL president Charmaine Yoest said that the remarkable gains for life at the state level reveal that many state legislators are creating a blueprint for legislative changes when Roe v. Wade is ultimately overturned. She told LifeNews that 2011 — which produced a record number of pro-life laws passed at the state legislative level was a watershed year in the defense of life. Forty-seven states considered more than 460 abortion-related measures, ultimately enacting more than 70 of them.
“As the legal arm of the pro-life movement, the AUL legal team has created the legal architecture for reversing Roe v. Wade,” said Dr. Yoest. “The states are preparing for the day after Roe. And as the Life List documents, we’re seeing tremendous gains in defending life in law.”
Yoest noted that AUL legislative involvement was significant. During the 2011 state legislative session: at least 86 bills were introduced in 32 states that were based in whole or in part on AUL’s model language and/or on which AUL consulted and advised.
AUL’s experts testified 21 times, supporting 20 pro-life bills and opposing legislation in Hawaii that would have compromised healthcare freedom of conscience and the pro-life group distributed more than 1,600 copies of our model legislation (with accompanying policy guides) to individuals in 47 states, the District of Columbia, and overseas nations.
One of the key tools for state legislators who wish to advocate for constitutionally sound and effective pro-life policies is Defending Life, AUL’s guidebook of Model Legislation. This year’s soon-to-be released guidebook will include 43 pieces of model legislation, including legislation restricting insurance coverage of abortions within state Exchanges created pursuant to the Affordable Care Act, President Obama’s healthcare plan. AUL’s model legislation has already been used by five states to opt out of Obama’s healthcare law.
The full state ranking from AUL is below:

1. Louisiana
2. Oklahoma
3. Pennsylvania
4. Nebraska
5. Arkansas
6. Missouri
7. Texas
8. South Dakota
9. North Dakota
10. Indiana
11. Kansas
12. Kentucky
13. Georgia
14. Arizona
15. Mississippi
16. Virginia
17. Ohio
18. Michigan
19. Idaho
20. South Carolina
21. Utah
22. Alabama
23. Tennessee
24. Minnesota
25. North Carolina
26. Wisconsin
27. Colorado
28. Florida
29. Rhode Island
30. Maine
31. Delaware
32. New Hampshire
33. West Virginia
34. Illinois
35. Wyoming
36. Iowa
37. Alaska
38. Massachusetts
39. New Mexico
40. Maryland
41. Nevada
42. Connecticut
43. New Jersey
44. New York
45. Oregon
46. Montana
47. Vermont
48. Hawaii
49. California
50. Washington