By Susan Brinkmann, OCDS
Staff Journalist
The pro-abortion group, NARAL Pro-Choice America, has released its annual report card which grades the states on their recognition of abortion rights.
According to CNSNews.com, the report entitled The Status of Women’s Reproductive Rights in the United States, uses a point system based on pro-life or pro-abortion governors, laws, access to contraceptives and abortion, spousal and parental consent, and late term abortion restrictions.
The states receiving the highest grade of an A+ include California and Washington. Connecticut, Maine, Maryland, and Oregon received an A. States receiving an A- include Alaska, Nevada, New Hampshire, New Jersey, New Mexico, New York, Vermont and Washington DC.
A total of nineteen states received an F.
Interestingly, in the 109-page report’s “key findings” section, the group reports a dramatic increase in the number of pro-life laws enacted in the U.S. since 1995. For instance, there were only 18 pro-life measures enacted in 1995. By 2010, that number had jumped to 664.
Nancy Keenan, president of NARAL, cites the negative effects of the mid-term elections in the report’s “From the President” letter.
“It is clear that the results of the 2010 elections could pose serious threats to the progress we celebrated in previous years’ reports,” says NARAL president Nancy Keenan in the report. “Some of our key pro-choice champions in Congress and in the states are not returning to their positions. Some of their successors hold the most extreme anti-choice views ever seen, and these changes mean women’s access to safe, legal abortion and other reproductive-health care could be further jeopardized.”
She went on to say: “Our opponents will attempt to equate their election with presumed public support for anti-choice policies. They are wrong. Americans are focused on our nation’s economic challenges.”
This is the 13th year that NARAL’s publication has included a report card on the states and the nation.
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