2020 Regular Session ENROLLED
SENATE CONCURRENT RESOL UTION NO. 61
BY SENATOR HEWITT AND REPRESENTATIVES AMEDEE, BACALA,
BEAULLIEU, CARRIER, CORMIER, COX, DESHOTEL, EDMONDS,
EDMONSTON, FARNUM, FIRMENT, FONTENOT, FRIEMAN,
GADBERRY, GAROFALO, HORTON, ILLG, TRAVIS JOHNSON,
KERNER, MCCORMICK, MCKNIGHT, MIGUEZ, MINCEY,
MOORE, CHARLES OWEN, PRESSLY, RISER, ST. BLANC,
THOMAS, THOMPSON, W HEAT AND WRIGHT
A CONCURRENT RESOL UTION
To recognize May 2020 as Louisiana Abortion Recovery Awareness Month and commend
Louisiana Abortion Recovery Alliance, Abortion Recovery Helpline of Louisiana,
Rachel's Vineyard Louisiana, Pregnancy Resource Centers of Louisiana,
International Abortion Recovery Helpline, Speak Hope, Life Freedom Alliance,
Operation Outcry Louisiana, and Silent No More for their support and service to
women suffering from abortion-related trauma.
WHEREAS, the purpose of Abortion Recovery Awareness Month is to encourage
and promote healing opportunities and to enlighten society to the physical and emotional
suffering and aftermath of abortion on women and their families; and
WHEREAS, it is the highest priority of the legislature to protect women and future
generations from known dangers that impact their lifelong health and wholeness; and
WHEREAS, the abortion industry fails to adequately provide women with full
disclosure of known physical, psychological, and emotional risks and complications of
abortion procedures that can affect a woman for a lifetime; and
WHEREAS, science confirms there are potential psychological effects, including
depression, anxiety, substance abuse, addictions, relationship struggles, self-destructive
behaviors, and suicide attempts; and
WHEREAS, the evidence that there is a causal connection between abortion and
mental and emotional injuries is supported by three independent sources of evidence: (1) the
testimony of women themselves who testified as to their injuries, (2) mental health
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professionals who have successfully diagnosed and treated women after an abortion, and (3)
statistically validated medical studies controlling for a large number of confounding factors
which have been published in peer reviewed journals, both nationally and internationally;
and
WHEREAS, as it relates to the testimony of women who have suffered mental and
emotional injuries after an abortion, a total of one hundred and eighty women from all over
the United States filed affidavits in the court case, Gonzales v. Carhart, 550 U.S. 124,
(2007), informing the United States Supreme Court justices of the negative physical and
psychological suffering that accompanied their prior abortions; and
WHEREAS, the United States Supreme Court recognized abortion-related trauma
and upheld the federal partial birth abortion ban in Gonzales v. Carhart, 550 U.S. at 159,
opining that "(r)espect for human life finds an ultimate expression in the bond of love the
mother has for her child … it seems unexceptionable to conclude some women come to
regret their choice to abort the infant life they once created and sustained" and "(s)evere
depression and loss of esteem can follow"; and
WHEREAS, the United States Supreme Court, in reaching its decision in Gonzales
v. Carhart, was influenced by and referred to an amicus brief and one hundred and eighty
affidavits filed by women who had suffered from abortion-related trauma; particularly, the
court found persuasive the affidavit filed by Sandra Cano, the plaintiff in Doe v. Bolton, 410
U.S. 179 (1973), who asked the high court in Gonzales v. Carhart, to effectively overturn
her earlier decision in Doe v. Bolton due to the profound emotional injuries that Cano
suffered; and
WHEREAS, in upholding the Louisiana Unsafe Abortion Protection Act (Act 620
of the 2014 Regular Session), the United Sates Court of Appeals for the Fifth Circuit found
persuasive the testimony of Cynthia Collins, a woman who suffered hemorrhaging from an
emergency dilation and curettage procedure and emotional trauma from abortion; and
WHEREAS, Norma McCorvey, who was the plaintiff "Roe" in Roe v. Wade, 410
U.S. 113 (1973), subsequently stated that she regretted her participation in that court case
and greatly desired to protect women from the emotional and physical harms of abortion;
and
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WHEREAS, the legislature reconfirms its commitment to the Louisiana Safe Haven
Law, by which a woman may safely and confidentially leave her unwanted child in a safe
haven facility and thereby avoid the pain of abortion; and
WHEREAS, it is important and helpful to the people of our great state, that the
legislature recognizes May as Abortion Recovery Awareness Month, so that women who
have been harmed by abortion can come forth to receive the help and healing they need and
others can be warned of the risks and pain of abortion.
THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED that the Legislature of Louisiana does hereby
recognize May 2020 as Louisiana Abortion Recovery Awareness Month for the state of
Louisiana and the citizens of our great state, and citizens everywhere are encouraged to
discuss, evaluate and promote awareness of the harms and risks of abortion, and also to
promote healing and hope to those harmed by abortion.
BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that Louisiana Abortion Recovery Alliance, Abortion
Recovery Helpline of Louisiana, Rachel's Vineyard Louisiana, Pregnancy Resource Centers
of Louisiana, International Abortion Recovery Helpline, Speak Hope, Life Freedom
Alliance, Operation Outcry Louisiana, and Silent No More Awareness Louisiana are hereby
commended for their support and service to women suffering from abortion-related trauma.
BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that a copy of this Resolution be transmitted to
Louisiana Abortion Recovery Alliance, Abortion Recovery Helpline of Louisiana, Rachel's
Vineyard Louisiana, Pregnancy Resource Centers of Louisiana, International Abortion
Recovery Helpline, Speak Hope, Life Freedom Alliance, Operation Outcry Louisiana, and
Silent No More Awareness Louisiana.
PRESIDENT OF THE SENATE
SPEAKER OF THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES
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