Update: The Senate begins today at 1 p.m. and there are 30 bills on the calendar today. Our prediction is that HB 954 could be on the floor for debate in the late afternoon or early evening. If you want to watch the debate live, click the link here.
In the meantime, thanks so much for everyone's letters, calls and faxes. There is still time if you haven't had a chance to contact your Senator and the Lt. Governor yet -- your voice and efforts are vitally important to defeating HB 954.
Dear ,
We've called, we've faxed. We've emailed, we've written letters. We lobbied and we walked around the Capitol to show how fed up we are of legislation that puts politics above women's health.
On March 19, the Senate Health & Human Services Committee voted by a voice vote to pass HB 954, despite testimony by women, doctors, perinatologists, hi risk-OB-Gyn's, and law professors -- who all rose in opposition to this misguided bill.
Supportive Senators introduced amendments to protect the health of women in Georgia, and all were shot down by close margins in a voice vote. The Committee Chair Renee Unterman (R-Buford) even refused to officially record all of these votes, except for the first amendment.
Now, your action is more urgent than ever. HB 954 is scheduled to go to the Senate floor on Monday, March 26. HB 954, if passed into law, will hurt real women and families at their most critical personal moments -- see some of those stories of women and families to the right.
Please urge your Senator and the Lt. Governor to oppose HB 954. Let them know that you don't want the Georgia legislature to strip women's medical decision-making at their most critical and personal moments.
If you need more information, please email Elizabeth or Janelle or call us at 404.248. 5445.
Your voice and efforts are vitally important to defeating HB 954, and we urge you to take the following actions.
- Contact your own State Senator and the Lt. Governor to oppose HB 954. The message and contact information is below.
- If you are available, please come down to the state capitol to watch the debate on the Senate floor live. Please email Elizabeth or Janelle and let us know you are coming and we will send you further instructions. The Georgia Senate starts at 1 p.m. on Monday. If you can, please wear black.
Thank you!! Let's not let the Georgia legislature second-guess the decisions of women and families like those described to the right! |