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The special sub-committee hearings this week for SB 129, the so-called Religious Freedom Restoration Act (RFRA), have brought to light the real motives and intentions of this bill.
Several representatives and organizations have proudly cited the outcome of the Hobby Lobby case as a successful and appropriate application of the Federal RFRA.
The sponsor the the bill, Senator Josh McKoon, said, "the Green family, which owned Hobby Lobby, brought an action...over the mandate that would require them to pay for abortion inducing drugs. And without the [federal] Religious Freedom Restoration Act, they most certainly would have been compelled...to be a party to something they found completely abhorrent to their religious beliefs."
Religious beliefs continue to take precedence over the science of how birth control actually works. We don't need a RFRA in Georgia to give businesses more reason to deny birth control coverage to their employees. If this sounds outrageous to you, then help us to push back.
Yes RIGHT NOW... and tell your representative to vote NO on SB 129.
The sponsor of the bill has repeatedly been asked to clarify language around 'person', and instead use individual to mean a "natural person" and not a corporation, and to include language to make clear that no form of discrimination against LGBTQ folks is ok under this bill. He has flat out refused.
For months, proponents of RFRA have insisted that the bill has nothing to do with discrimination. But in rejecting common sense amendments yesterday clarifying that SB129 cannot be used to roll back existing civil rights protections-like Atlanta's LGBT non-discrimination law-our opponents can no longer hide behind their lies.
The so-called "religious freedom" bill is bad for Georgians who rely on birth control and bad for LGBTQ Georgians.
For more information, email Kwajelyn or Molly or call us at 404.248.5445.
Until Justice!
The Feminist Women's Health Center
Voice Beyond Choice Advocacy Program Team
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Help us put the ACT in Activism!
Strong Families Resolution Makes a Splash at the State Capitol
On Tuesday, March 24th, Feminist Women's Health Center joined several other organizations to applaud the introduction of HR 746, the Strong Families Resolution, championed by
According to Rep. Randall, "The Strong Families Resolution begins the conversation about maternal health and racial disparities within our healthcare system. Georgia leads the nation in maternal deaths and we should be doing everything we can as state legislators to address these issues."
"Protecting the health of the entire woman from annual checkups to postnatal care is the goal of the Strong Families' resolution," says Rep. Simone Bell. "By addressing the issues of working mothers and racial disparities in relation to access to healthcare, Georgia can work to strengthen families from within."
The resolution is the first action of the newly formed Thriving Families Georgia Coalition, which advocates for public policy that will improve access to affordable, comprehensive health care, remove barriers to workforce participation, address issues of racial disparity, and acknowledge all kinds of Georgia families.
We believe that All Georgia Families -- regardless of the shapes, sizes, ages, and formation they may come in, or the race, class, income, immigration status, involvement with the criminal justice system, disability status, religion, sexual orientation, or gender identities they may hold -- deserve to have the rights, resources, and recognition they need to thrive. The Strong Families resolution, HR 746 represents that collective vision for all Georgia's families.
Headed by Feminist Women's Health Center, the coalition will be driving support for the resolution over the summer. For more information about the coalition, visit www.ThrivingFamsGA.org
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