As we contend in prayer for the final end of the altar on which more than 63 million infants in America have been sacrificed through Roe v. Wade, the Church faces new challenges through state-level pro-infanticide bills. Democrat legislators in states like California, Colorado, and Maryland spent the better portion of their 2022 Session advancing the death culture agenda while labeling it social justice, women’s health care, and health equity.  If reports are accurate, their efforts seemed increasingly focused on changing State Constitutions to codify abortion on-demand.

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Until recently, the idea of taking action to negate the laws passed during the legislative session probably did not break the Top 50 on our list of things to do.  However, facing anti-God and anti-constitutional antics against our liberty, intercessors sense the call to action.  Following the model of our Founding Fathers, we choose to exercise our civic duties and rights to oppose tyranny and we pray that these actions become normative again.  For example, in Maryland, despite surviving the governor’s veto, Article XVI Sec. 3 of our Constitution allows voters to force the egregious Abortion Care Access Act/HB937 to a referendum in November.  A referendum occurs when proposed legislation or recently passed legislation, as is the case with HB937 in Maryland, is put before the electorate for vote.  Referendums are both nouns and verbs, because in the true fashion of our Founders’ intent that States are governed by the people, referendum protections provide “the power to approve or reject at the polls, any Act, or part of any Act, of the General Assembly”.

Still, there are some requirements.  Forcing the Abortion Care Access Act (HB937) to referendum in November requires the petition of 3% of the total number of registered voters during the most recent gubernatorial election.  In Maryland, 3% equals 118,621, because state data reflects that there were just over 3,954,000 registered voters in 2018.  The Campaign to Protect Women has taken up our cause for life. However, the first one-third or approximately 39,540 petitioners must do so on or before June 1^st, within thirty days of the General Assembly’s passage of HB937.  Once successful, The Campaign to Protect Women will have an additional thirty-days to secure the remaining 2%.

The synopsis of Maryland’s Abortion Care Access Act (HB937) summarizes the intent of the bill, repeating language that assures funding of Planned Parenthood and NARAL,  “Establishing the Abortion Care Clinical Training Program in the Maryland Department of Health to ensure that there are a sufficient number of health professionals to provide abortion care…”   The bill removes any of Maryland’s current loosely regulated parental notification rights for minors and mandates that health insurers cover the costs of abortion.

The floor debate on this bill centered on social justice and a person’s right to quality healthcare. However, this bill does the opposite of what was promised. It ensures compromise of “quality healthcare” by expanding who can provide abortion services. Essentially, this bill negates the requirement for a Medical Doctor’s training, degree and licensure. Not only that, this bill mandates that Maryland taxpayers fund an annual appropriation of $3,500,000 to provide training opportunities for others in the healthcare or medical profession who wish to perform abortions.  Frighteningly, during debate in the state chamber’s references about the opportunity for Nurses, Nurse Practitioners, Medical Assistants, and others were referenced. Can you imagine the negative health care and safety impact on these women and girls? Not to mention suffering babies, who in Maryland may likely be left to suffer and die after botched procedures. That is if the provider does not choose to finish the job post-natal. It is clearly codifying the protection of the likes of Philadelphia-based Kermit Gosnell’s so-called medical practice and is the farthest thing from quality women’s healthcare.

If you live in or know pro-life people in Maryland, please join me by signing the petition with The Campaign to Protect Women at https://www.campaigntoprotectwomen.org/.  Clear instructions for printing, signing and returning signed petitions are online.  Interestingly, unlike our votes, Maryland requires all referendum petitions be completed, submitted to the State and verified with paper petitions. Please also share this petition with Maryland pro-life family, friends, churches, neighbors and Senior Centers. Take time to help those who may need assistance signing, because every eligible voter’s signature has the potential to save thousands of lives.  We must act by May 29^th to allow sufficient time for the righteous warriors at The Campaign to Protect Women ample time to compile and present the necessary 1% by June 1st.

Isaiah 1:17 (ESV) says, “learn to do good, seek justice, correct oppression; bring justice to the fatherless, please the widow’s cause.”  With Roe v. Wade crumbling at our federal gates, the windows are open for us to seek justice and to correct the oppression toward women and preborn babies at our state gates as well.

For those in Colorado, California, Rhode Island, and other states, people like us need to oppose the radical pro-abortion legislation surely to be proposed in the wake of Dobbs. IFA’s state prayer groups are a great way to start getting involved in each of our states. Find out more here.

Let us pray:

Dear LORD, Your children have humbled ourselves, confessed our sin regarding the worship of Baal and the sacrifice of children, and have turned from our wicked ways. We trust and believe that You will heal our land and that our battle against abortionists in the States will be victorious. We declare that every abortion law, facility and provider pipeline in our nation and the States will have their funding severed and decree their access is denied. In Jesus’ Name. Amen.

What are you doing to fight abortion in the states? Share this article to encourage others in the fight for life.

Mavourene Robinson is a homeschool mom, author, and intercessor. A former Senior Professional Human Resources, Mavourene began full-time ministry in 2014. A life-long learner about the intersections of faith with international relations and public policy, Mavourene is actively engaged in the areas of government, education, religion and domestic policy. Photo Credit: Tessa Rampersad on Unsplash.