(Charleston – January 17, 2014)  West Virginians for Life (WVFL) has worked to prevent the expansion of abortion funding through the health care polices offered in the New Health Care Exchange. We have explained that 24 states have already passed Abortion Opt-Out provisions as allowed under the new ACA law, and that West Virginia is overdue in passing its own Abortion Opt-Out provision. We have pointed out that West Virginia is numbered among only fourteen states which have no restrictions on public funding of abortion in any form within their state during all nine months of pregnancy. It was also pointed out that states considered historically liberal, including Maine, Delaware, the District of Columbia, New Hampshire and Rhode Island, all restrict the funding of abortion in some way.

West Virginia has not passed a pro-life law since 2010. Now a new study reveals just how far behind West Virginia has fallen in comparison with other states. According to the Guttmacher Institute’s year-end report, pro-life laws on abortion have been increasing nationally in recent years at historic rates. From 2011 to 2013, no less than 205 abortion restrictions were enacted in the U.S. That’s more than the total number enacted for the entire decade between 2000 and 2010. It would appear that the nation has been increasing its support for pro-life positions, while, at the same time, West Virginia legislators have not taken a single vote on pro-life issues.

These regulations break down into four basic categories.

• Increased regulations of abortion clinics such as requiring doctors who perform abortions to have hospital admitting privileges.
• Limits on insurance coverage of abortion, particularly within the new health exchanges that have been set up to sell coverage under the Affordable Care Act.
• Bans on abortion after 20 weeks of pregnancy.
• Limits on abortions that rely on pills rather than surgery (referred to as “medical” abortions).

The time for waiting is over.

The lack of support for pro-life legislation over the years, especially in light of the progress made by the rest of the nation, justifies a new approach this legislative session. Yes, WVFL will use the committee process as its primary means of passing legislation. At the same time, it should be understood that we will now score those votes that either directly or indirectly hinder or prevent the passage of the Abortion Opt-Out Bill. This includes the moving of the Opt-Out to the inactive calendar, as well as a vote which lays over a motion to discharge, and, of course, a vote which prevents the discharging of a committee.

These are the appropriate actions to take:

• in light of the fact that the Abortion Opt-Out was not allowed to pass last year before the exchanges became active;
• in light of the fact that there has been little progress in advancing legislation in recent years;
• in light of the fact that legislators across this nation have been willing to act in support of pro-life legislation;
• in light of the fact that the House leadership has chosen to make it much more difficult to discharge legislation.

Please remain vigilant!

Your help will be needed in the days ahead, now that the Regular Session has begun. Please help others to be informed about where their legislators stand on the Abortion Opt-Out issue. We have included a list of supporters below.

Working at the State Capitol, I will keep you informed through email and social media so you will be able to respond when calls are especially needed. I am looking forward to the development of the pro-life conversation in the days ahead as legislators respond to their pro-life constituents.

• Plan to attend the Pro-Life Rally on February 11^th under the dome at the State Capitol.

• Sign the Opt-Out Petition either electronically online or print out the petition.  Deadline to receive petitions is February 10.

• Contact your representatives and tell them to vote to opt-out of funding of abortion.

Below is a list of those West Virginia State Legislators who have signed the WVFL questionnaire indicating they support the Abortion Opt-Out legislation. If your representative(s) are on this list, please call and thank them for their support. If they are not on this list, call and let them know that you want them to support the Opt-Out Legislation. This list is also available as a pdf document.

Senate Members Contact Info
House Members Contact Info

Name			Party	District	Counties
Ambler, Delegate George			Rep	HD 42	Greenbrier, Monroe, Summers
Anderson, Delegate Bill			Rep	HD 8	Wood
Andes, Delegate Troy			Rep	HD 15	Putnam
Armstead, Delegate Tim			Rep	HD 40	Kanawha
Arvon, Delegate Karen “Lynne”			Rep	HD 31	Raleigh, Wyoming
Ashley, Delegate Bob			Rep	HD 11	Jackson, Roane
Azinger, Delegate Tom			Rep	HD 10	Wood
Barker, Delegate Josh			Dem	HD 22	Boone, Lincoln, Logan, Putnam
Boley, Senator Donna			Rep	SD 3	Pleasants, Roane, Wirt,  Wood
Border, Delegate Anna			Rep	HD 9	Wirt, Wood
Butler, Delegate Jim			Rep	HD 14	Mason, Putnam
Cadle, Delegate Scott			Rep	HD 13	Jackson, Mason, Putnam
Campbell, Delegate Denise			Dem	HD 43	Pocahontas, Randolph
Cann, Senator Sam			Dem	SD 12	Braxton, Clay, Gilmer, Harrison, Lewis
Canterbury, Delegate Ray			Rep	HD 42	Greenbrier, Monroe, Summers
Cooper, Delegate Roy			Rep	HD 28	Monroe, Raleigh, Summers
Cowles, Delegate Daryl			Rep	HD 58	Hampshire, Morgan
Eldridge, Delegate Jeff			Dem	HD 22	Boone, Lincoln, Logan, Putnam
Ellem, Delegate John			Rep	HD 10	Wood
Ellington, Delegate Joe			Rep	HD 27	Mercer, Raleigh
Espinosa, Delegate Paul			Rep	HD 66	Jefferson
Evans, Delegate Allen			Rep	HD 54	Grant, Mineral, Pendleton
Evans, Delegate David			Rep	HD 4	Marshall, Ohio
Faircloth, Delegate Larry			Rep	HD 60	Berkeley
Ferns, Delegate Ryan			Rep	HD 3	Ohio
Fitzsimmons, Senator Rocky			Dem	SD 1	Brooke, Hancock, Marshall, Ohio
Folk, Delegate Michael			Rep	HD 63	Berkeley
Frich, Delegate Cindy			Rep	HD 51	Monongalia
Gearheart, Delegate Marty			Rep	HD 27	Mercer, Raleigh
Green, Senator Mike			Dem	SD 9	McDowell, Raleigh, Wyoming
Hall, Senator Daniel			Dem	SD 9	McDowell, Raleigh, Wyoming
Hall, Senator Mike			Rep	SD 4	Jackson, Mason, Putnam, Roane
Hamilton, Delegate Bill			Rep	HD 45	Upshur
Hamrick, Delegate Danny			Rep	HD 48	Harrison, Taylor
Hartman, Delegate William			Dem	HD 43	Pocahontas, Randolph
Householder, Delegate Eric			Rep	HD 64	Berkeley
Howell, Delegate Gary			Rep	HD 56	Mineral
Ireland, Delegate Woody			Rep	HD 7	Pleasants, Ritchie
Kump, Delegate Larry			Rep	HD 59	Berkeley, Morgan
Lane, Delegate Patrick			Rep	HD 38	Kanawha, Putnam
Lynch, Delegate David			Dem	HD44	Nicholas, Randolph, Upshur, Webster
McCuskey, Delegate John			Rep	HD 35	Kanawha
Miller, Delegate Carol			Rep	HD 16	Cabell, Lincoln
Moye, Delegate Ricky			Dem	HD 29	Raleigh
Nelson, Delegate Eric			Rep	HD 35	Kanawha
Nelson, Delegate Joshua			Rep	HD 23	Boone
Nohe, Senator David			Rep	SD 3	Pleasants, Roane, Wirt,  Wood
O’Neal, Delegate John			Rep	HD 28	Monroe, Raleigh, Summers
Overington, Delegate John			Rep	HD 62	Berkeley
Pasdon, Delegate Amanda			Rep	HD 51	Monongalia
Perry, Delegate David			Dem	HD 32	Clay, Fayette, Nicholas, Raleigh
Raines, Delegate Suzette			Rep	HD 35	Kanawha
Reynolds, Delegate Doug			Dem	HD 17	Cabell, Wayne
Romine, Delegate Wm. Roger			Rep	HD 6	Doddridge, Pleasants, Tyler
Rowan, Delegate Ruth			Rep	HD 57	Hampshire, Mineral
Shott, Delegate John			Rep	HD 27	Mercer, Raleigh
Skaff, Delegate Doug			Dem	HD 35	Kanawha
Smith, Delegate Peggy Donaldson			Dem	HD 46	Lewis, Upshur
Smith, Delegate Randy			Rep	HD 53	Preston, Tucker
Sobonya, Delegate Kelli			Rep	HD 18	Cabell
Stephens, Delegate Dale			Dem	HD 17	Cabell, Wayne
Storch, Delegate Erikka			Rep	HD 3	Ohio
Sumner, Delegate Linda			Rep	HD 30	Raleigh
Sypolt, Senator Dave			Rep	SD 14	Barb, Gra, Hard, Min, Mon, Pres, Tayl, Tuck
Tomblin, Delegate Ted			Dem	HD 24	Boone, Logan, Wyoming
Unger, Senator John			Dem	SD 16	Berkeley, Jefferson
Walker, Delegate David			Dem	HD 33	Calhoun, Clay,  Gilmer
Walters, Senator Chris			Rep	SD 8	Kanawha, Putnam
Walters, Delegate Ron			Rep	HD 39	Kanawha
Westfall, Delegate Steve			Rep	HD 12	Jackson
Williams, Delegate Larry			Dem	HD 52	Preston
Young, Delegate Adam			Dem	HD 41	Greenbrier, Nicholas