Life Lines™
Annapolis, MD | March 25, 2005
LIFE EVENTS
Pro-Life Speaker Jenny Maas, of Human Life Alliance, will be speaking to youth on the following dates: Thursday, April 14, 4 p.m., at Mount St. Mary's College, Emmitsburg, MD. Contact Rebecca Showalter, (202) 413-4781. Thursday, April 14, 7:30 p.m., at Towson University Union (Chesapeake Room), Towson, MD. Contact Brendon McElroy, (240) 426-5150. Friday, April 14, 7 p.m., at St. Martin of Tours Church, Gaithersburg, MD. Contact Beth Goslin, (301) 990-8303. Maas, who was conceived in rape, is one of the most outstanding young pro-life speakers in America. In addition to these talks, Ms. Mass will also be speaking at a number of local schools. For more information, please contact Cookie Harris at (410) 666-9411.
Thursday, April 14, 7 p.m. "A Culture of Life vs. A Culture of Death" Janet Smith, Ph.D., will speak at St. John Neumann Church, Annapolis, about what this clash of cultures means for those who call themselves Christian.
Saturday, April 16, 7:30 p.m. A benefit concert by tenor Mark Forrest will take place at St. Raphael Church, Rockville, MD. Proceeds will go to Birthright of Wheaton pregnancy center. The ticket cost is $20 per person, or six for $100. Children under 12 are admitted free. Advertising space in the program is also available. Tickets may be purchased after Sunday liturgies at St. Raphael's, or by contacting Toni Schierling, (301) 762-2007.
Thursday, May 5, 2005, National Day of Prayer. More on this to come.
Saturday, May 14, 9 a.m.-3 p.m. Pro-Life 101 Seminar. Scott Klusendorf, who has been called "the C.S. Lewis of the pro-life movement," will present a pro-life seminar at St. Ignatius Church, Hickory, MD. To register, contact Maryanne Czapla, (410) 256-9070. Mr. Klusendorf will also be speaking on the following dates: Friday, May 13, 7:30 p.m., at Immaculate Conception Parish, Towson, MD. Contact Marci Towle, (410) 337-2692. Saturday, May 14, 7 p.m., at the Knights of Columbus, Bishop Becker Council, in Elkton, MD. Contact Lucy Sneering, (410) 392-9033.
Saturday, May 14, Global Day of Prayer. The Mission America Regional Associate for this region is Judy Kesselman, (410) 515-4336.
LEGISLATIVE BILLS
Senate Bill 272 - Human Cloning
Prohibition Act of 2005 - SUPPORT
Synopsis:
Prohibiting a person from performing or attempting to perform human cloning,
participating in an attempt to perform human cloning, transferring or
receiving the product of human cloning, or transferring specified items
for the purpose of human cloning, providing a description of specified
items that may be produced resulting from scientific research using nuclear
transfer or other cloning techniques; establishing criminal and civil
penalties; etc.
Senate Action: 1/27/05 First Reading Education, Health & Environmental
Affairs; 2/16 Hearing 3/2 at 1 p.m.; 3/10 Unfavorable Report by Education
Health and Environmental Affairs
Sponsored By: Senators Stone, Harris, Brinkley, Colburn, DeGrange,
Dyson, Giannetti, Green, Greenip, Hafer, Haines, Hooper, Jacobs, Jimeno,
Middleton, Mooney, Munson and Stoltzfus
Senate
Bill 751 - Maryland Stem Cell Research Act of 2005 - OPPOSE
Synopsis:
Authorizing research that involves human embryonic stem cells, human embryonic
germ cells, and human adult stem cells; establishing the Maryland Stem
Cell Research Fund; requiring the Department of Health and Mental Hygiene
to administer the Fund; establishing the Stem Cell Research Commission;
prohibiting human cloning; altering the purpose for which money in the
Cigarette Restitution Trust Fund may be expended; etc.
Senate Action: 2/4 First Reading Education Health and Environmental Affairs
& Budget and Taxation; 2/16 Hearing 3/2 at 1 p.m.
Sponsored By: Senators Hollinger, Britt, Brochin, Conway, Exum, Forehand,
Frosh, Garagiola, Gladden, Grosfeld, Jones, Kelley, Kramer, Lawlah, McFadden,
Ruben, and Teitelbaum
Senate
Bill 918 - Health Insurance, Mandated Benefits, In Vitro Fertilization,
Coverage - OPPOSE
Synopsis:
Altering the circumstances under which specified health insurance carriers
are prohibited from excluding specified benefits for in vitro fertilization
from specified policies or contracts issued or delivered in the State
by the health insurance carriers; and prohibiting specified health insurance
carriers from refusing to issue a policy or contract that provides specified
benefits for in vitro fertilization based solely on specified facts.
Senate Action: 2/23 First Reading Senate Rules, 2/24 Re-referred Finance,
3/1 Hearing 3/23 at 1 p.m.
Sponsored By: Senator Gladden
House
Bill 398 - Homicide, Viable Fetus - SUPPORT *updated
position*
Synopsis:
Establishing that for specified murder, manslaughter, or other unlawful
homicide prosecutions and under specified conditions the victim may include
a viable fetus; defining "viable"; and providing exceptions for lawful
acts by a doctor or pregnant woman.
House Action: 1/31 First Reading Judiciary; 2/2 Hearing 2/17 at 1 p.m.;
3/21 Favorable with Amendments Report by Judiciary, Favorable with Amendments
Report Adopted, Second Reading Passed with Amendments; 3/23 Special Order
3/25 (Delegate
Rosenberg) Adopted
Sponsored By: Delegates Boutin, Aumann, Bartlett, Bates, Cluster, DeBoy,
Elliott, Glassman, Hogan, Impallaria, Jennings, Kelly, Krebs, McComas,
McDonough, Miller, Myers, O'Donnell, Shank, Shewell, Stocksdale, Stull,
Trueschler, and Weldon
House
Bill 699 - Unlawful Termination of Pregnancy - SUPPORT
Synopsis:
Providing that specified laws relating to homicide, assault, and physical
injury apply to a fetus; establishing that specified laws prohibiting
homicide, assault, and physical injury against a fetus do not apply to
acts committed by the woman pregnant with the fetus, acts committed during
a specified abortion, or acts committed in accordance with specified medical
practices; providing that a person may not be sentenced to death for the
murder of a fetus; etc.
House Action: 2/7 First Reading Health and Government Operations; 3/2
Hearing 3/16 at 1 p.m.
Sponsored By: Delegates Frank, Anderson, Aumann, Bartlett, Bates, Bohanan,
Boschert, Boteler, Boutin, Bozman, Bromwell, Burns, Cluster, Conroy, Costa,
C. Davis, DeBoy, Donoghue, Dwyer, Eckardt, Edwards, Elliott, Elmore, Fulton,
Gilleland, Glassman, Goodwin, Haddaway, Hogan, Impallaria, Jameson, Jennings,
Kach, Kelly, Krebs, Krysiak, Leopold, Mayer, McComas, McConkey, McDonough,
McKee, McMillan, Miller, Minnick, Myers, O'Donnell, Parker, Parrott, Proctor,
Shank, Shewell, Smigiel, Sophocleus, Sossi, Stocksdale, Stull, Trueschler,
Walkup, Weir, Weldon, and Wood
House
Bill 742 - Public Health, Abortion, Parental Notice - SUPPORT
Synopsis:
Prohibiting a physician from performing an abortion on an unmarried minor
unless the physician gave actual notice of the pending procedure to a
parent or 48 hours have elapsed since constructive notice was given; authorizing
a physician to perform an abortion on a minor if the physician receives
a notarized written statement from the parent stating that the parent
is aware of the pending procedure, a medical emergency exists, or the
requirement for parental notification is waived; authorizing a minor to
petition for waiver; etc.
House Action: 2/9 First Reading Health and Government Operations; 3/2
Hearing 3/16 at 1 p.m.
Sponsored By: Delegates Bohanan, O'Donnell, Shewell, Frank, Aumann,
Bartlett, Bates, Boschert, Boteler, Boutin, Bozman, Bromwell, Burns, Cluster,
Conroy, Costa, DeBoy, Donoghue, Dwyer, Eckardt, Edwards, Elliott, Elmore,
Gilleland, Glassman, Haddaway, Hogan, Impallaria, Jameson, Jennings, Kach,
Krebs, Krysiak, Leopold, McComas, McConkey, McDonough, McKee, McMillan,
Miller, Minnick, Myers, Parrott, Proctor, Shank, Smigiel, Sophocleus,
Stocksdale, Stull, Trueschler, Walkup, Weir, Weldon, and Wood
House
Bill 885 - Human Cloning Prohibition Act of 2005 - SUPPORT
Synopsis:
Prohibiting a person from performing or attempting to perform human cloning,
participating in an attempt to perform human cloning, transferring or
receiving the product of human cloning, or transferring specified items
for the purpose of human cloning; providing a description of specified
items that may be produced resulting from scientific research using nuclear
transplantation or other cloning techniques; establishing criminal and
civil penalties; etc.
House Action 2/10 First Reading Health and Government Operations; 2/16
Hearing 3/3 at 1 p.m.
Sponsored By: Delegates Anderson, Aumann, Bartlett, Benson, Bohanan,
Boschert, Boteler, Boutin, Bozman, Bromwell, Burns, Cane, Cluster, Conroy,
Conway, Costa, C. Davis, DeBoy, Donoghue, Dwyer, Eckardt, Elliott, Elmore,
Frank, Fulton, Gilleland, Glassman, Haddaway, Healey, Hogan, Impallaria,
Jennings, Kach, Kelly, Kirk, Krebs, Krysiak, Leopold, Mayer, McComas,
McConkey, McDonough, McKee, McMillan, Miller, Minnick, Myers, O'Donnell,
Paige, Parker, Parrott, Petzold, Proctor, Rudolph, Shank, Shewell, Smigiel,
Sossi, Stocksdale, Stull, Trueschler, V. Turner, Walkup, Weir, Weldon,
and Wood
House
Bill 1183 - Maryland Stem Cell Research Act of 2005 - OPPOSE
Synopsis:
Authorizing research that involves human embryonic stem cells, human embryonic
germ cells, and human adult stem cells; establishing the Maryland Stem
Cell Research Fund; requiring the Department of Health and Mental Hygiene
to administer the Fund; establishing the Stem Cell Research Commission;
prohibiting human cloning; altering the purpose for which money in the
Cigarette Restitution Trust Fund may be expended; etc.
House Action: 2/11 First Reading Health and Government Operations; 2/16
Hearing 3/3 at 1 p.m. (Health and Government Operations); 2/21 Re-assigned
Health and Government Operations & Appropriations; 2/23 Hearing cancelled
(Health and Government Operations), Hearing 3/4 at 1 p.m. (Health and
Government Operations); 2/24 Hearing cancelled, Hearing 3/2 at 11 a.m.
Sponsored By: Delegates Rosenberg, Busch, Barkley, Barve, Benson, Bobo,
Branch, Bronrott, Cardin, Carter, V. Clagett, Conway, C. Davis, D. Davis,
Feldman, Franchot, Frush, Gaines, Goldwater, Goodwin, Gordon, Hammen,
Haynes, Heller, Hixson, Howard, Hubbard, James, Kaiser, King, Kirk, Krysiak,
Madaleno, Mandel, Marriott, McHale, McIntosh, Menes, Moe, Montgomery,
Nathan- Pulliam, Oaks, Paige, Parker, Pendergrass, Petzold, Proctor, Ramirez,
Ross, Stern, F. Turner, Vaughn, Weir, and Zirkin
HB
1356 - Adult Stem Cell Research Program - SUPPORT, w/modifications
Synopsis:
Requiring the Department of Health and Mental Hygiene to make grants to
qualified applicants conducting biomedical research using adult stem cells;
providing for the eligibility of grant applicants; requiring applications
for grants to be directed toward an institutional review board; providing
for the duties of the institutional review board; requiring the Department
to approve or deny scientifically reviewed applications under specified
circumstances; etc.
Note: For more information the proposed modifications, click here.
House Action: 2/11 First Reading Health and Government Operations; 2/28
Hearing 3/2 at 1 p.m.; 3/25 Unfavorable Report by Health and Government
Operations
Sponsored By: Delegates Shewell, Aumann, Bartlett, Dwyer, Edwards,
Impallaria, Kach, Kelley, Mayer, McComas, McDonough, Myers, Shank, Simmons,
Smigiel, Stocksdale, Trueschler, and Walkup
House
Bill 1532 - Health Insurance, Mandated Benefits, In Vitro Fertilization,
Coverage - OPPOSE
Synopsis:
Altering the circumstances under which specified health insurance carriers
are prohibited from excluding specified benefits for in vitro fertilization
from specified policies or contracts issued or delivered in the State
by the health insurance carriers; and prohibiting specified health insurance
carriers from refusing to issue a policy or contract that provides specified
benefits for in vitro fertilization based solely on specified facts.
House Action: 2/28 First Reading House Rules and Executive Nominations
Sponsored By: Delegate Rosenberg
Please contact your legislators
concerning these bills: TAKE
ACTION NOW
HOW CAN I SUPPORT THE WORK OF PRO-LIFE
MARYLAND?
· Click here
to bless us with a donation. We need your financial support to help
us during this Legislative Session.
· If you can volunteer your time and talents to work in our Annapolis
office during the 2005 Session, please contact us. Internships are available.
· Whatever you can do to join with us, it will make a difference.
Whatever your religious affiliation, we welcome your prayers.