Life Lines™
Annapolis, MD | April 18, 2005
LIFE EVENTS
Thursday, May 5, 2005, National Day of Prayer. For more information about planning local events in Maryland, please visit www.mdndp.org, or e-mail the Maryland State Coordinator, Mrs. Peggy Allen, mopalmer5443@aol.com. For more information on national events, taking place in Washington, D.C., visit www.nationaldayofprayer.org.
Thursday, May 12, 2005, 6:30-9:30 p.m. Rockville Crisis Pregnancy Center Banquet. A dinner (7:30 p.m.) and silent auction will be hosted at Covenant Life Church, 7501 Muncaster Mill Rd., Gaithersburg, MD. Tickets are $35. For reservations or more information, pease call (301) 770-4444.
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
The 420th Regular Session of the Maryland General Assembly began January 12, 2005 and adjourned April 11, 2005. The following is a summary of several of the victories and defeats that are significant for the protection of innocent human life. For more information on the legislative process, click here. Thank you for your prayers and support!
VICTORIES
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.
Sponsored By: Senators Hollinger, Britt, Brochin, Conway, Exum, Forehand,
Frosh, Garagiola, Gladden, Grosfeld, Jones, Kelley, Kramer, Lawlah, McFadden,
Ruben, and Teitelbaum
Senate Action: 4/11 - Favorable with Amendments
Report by Education Health and Environmental Affairs
Never reached Senate floor
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.
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
House Action: 3/26 - Third Reading Passed
(81-53)
Never reached Senate floor
House
Bill 398 - Murder and Manslaughter, Viable Fetus - SUPPORT
Synopsis: Establishing that a prosecution may be instituted for
murder or manslaughter of a viable fetus under specified conditions; defining
"viable"; and providing exceptions for lawful acts by a licensed
medical professional or pregnant woman.
Note: For more information on Pro-Life Maryland's updated position
regarding this bill, click here.
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 Action: 3/26 - Third Reading Passed (108-20)
Senate Action: 4/9 - Third
Reading Passed (36-10)
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.
Sponsored By: Senator Gladden
Senate Action: 3/29 - Unfavorable Report by Finance
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.
Sponsored By: Delegate Rosenberg
Died in Rules and Executive Nominations
DEFEATS
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.
Sponsored By: Senators Stone, Harris, Brinkley, Colburn, DeGrange,
Dyson, Giannetti, Green, Greenip, Hafer, Haines, Hooper, Jacobs, Jimeno,
Middleton, Mooney, Munson and Stoltzfus
Senate Action: 3/10 - Unfavorable Report by Education
Health and Environmental Affairs
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.
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 Action: 3/31 - Unfavorable Report by Health
and Government Operations
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.
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
Died in Health and Government Operations
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..
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
Died in Health and Government Operations
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.
Sponsored By: Delegates Shewell, Aumann, Bartlett, Dwyer, Edwards,
Impallaria, Kach, Kelley, Mayer, McComas, McDonough, Myers, Shank, Simmons,
Smigiel, Stocksdale, Trueschler, and Walkup
House Action: 3/25 - Unfavorable Report by Health
and Government Operations
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.