Personhood Bills and Ballot Initiatives
RESOLVE opposes all Personhood initiatives and urges all Americans to VOTE AGAINST any anti-family legislation as it undermines access to safe and reliable infertility medical treatments. Click here to read RESOLVE’s Policy Statement on Personhood legislation, which includes a full explanation of how Personhood legislation and/or Amendments will impact people with infertility.
What is the difference between a Bill and a Ballot Initiative?
A ballot initiative is an attempt to get an issue in front of voters in a state. A Personhood Ballot Initiative would be an attempt to have voters in a state pass a Personhood Amendment or Initiative that would change a state constitution or amend state statutes defining when life begins. Each state has its own process for how any initiative gets on a ballot in November. To date, the states listed here have Personhood ballot initiatives “in process”, meaning proponents of Personhood are following the procedures to get a Personhood Initiative on the ballot this November. At its core, a ballot initiative is taking a particular issue to the general public and letting them decide. A Personhood bill is a bill introduced in the state legislature, either in the House or Senate or both, and must proceed along a specific process to get a final vote in the full House and Senate. The bill would then need to be signed into law by the Governor. A bill would only be voted on by the elected officials in a state and would not be open to public vote.
Personhood Bills and Ballots have been introduced in 9 states. Here is the status of each of these legislative initiatives in each state:
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State: Alabama Bill Number: SB 205
Added: February 15, 2013
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State: Arkansas Bill Number: SB 417
Added: March 15, 2013
- Short Description of Bill: A so-called "personhood" bill to give legal rights to newly fertilized microscopic embryos (i.e., when life begins). An Act to modify the definition of an unborn child in the Criminal Code and in wrongful death actions from the current 12 weeks gestation to conception. This bill has been amended to protect IVF and will no longer negatively impact infertility medical treatments.
- Does RESOLVE support or oppose this Bill: RESOLVE has no position on the amended bill. Without the amendment, RESOLVE opposes the bill.
- Current status of the Bill in the legislative process: The bill has passed the Senate and the House Judiciary Committee. The bill was amended by the House Judiciary Committee on March 14 and the amended bill now goes before the full Arkansas House for a vote. If it passes, the amended bill will have to be voted on again by the Arkansas Senate.
- Link to Bill: SB 417 Amendment
- Local Volunteer Needs: If you are interested in helping RESOLVE your state's advocacy issues, please email us at info@resolve.org.
- Read RESOLVE’s Personhood Policy
- Parents Against Personhood
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State: Iowa Bill Number: HF 138
Added: February 8, 2013
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State: Iowa Bill Number: HF 171
Added: February 21, 2013
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State: Kansas Bill Number: HB 2253
Added: February 12, 2013
- Short Description of Bill: This is an omnibus abortion bill with some "personhood" language to give legal rights to newly fertilized microscopic embryos (i.e., when life begins).
- Does RESOLVE support or oppose this Bill: RESOLVE opposes this bill.
- Current status of the Bill in the legislative process: The bill was introduced and referred to the Committee on Federal and State Affairs.
- Link to Bill: http://www.kslegislature.org/li/b2013_14/measures/documents/hb2253_00_0000.pdf
- Local Volunteer Needs: If you are interested in testifying or providing outreach to your Kansas legislators on this bill, please contact RESOLVE at info@resolve.org.
- Read RESOLVE’s Personhood Policy
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State: Mississippi Bill Number: HCR 14
Updated: February 12, 2013
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State: Mississippi Bill Number: HB 819
Updated: February 12, 2013
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State: North Dakota Bill Number: SB 2303
Updated: March 25, 2013
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State: Oklahoma Bill Number: House Bill 1029 (HB1029)
Added: January 16, 2013
- Short Description of Bill: A so-called "personhood" ballot to give legal rights to newly fertilized microscopic embryos (i.e., when life begins).
- Does RESOLVE support or oppose this Bill: RESOLVE opposes this bill.
- Current status of the Bill in the legislative process: The bill was introduced and posted as of January 14, 2013.
- Link to Bill: http://oklegislature.gov/BillInfo.aspx?Bill=HB1029
- Local Volunteer Needs: If you are interested in testifying or providing outreach to your Oklahoma legislators on this bill, please contact RESOLVE at info@resolve.org.
- Read RESOLVE’s Personhood Policy
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State: Oklahoma Bill Number: House Bill 1025 (HB1025)
Added: February 5, 2013
- Short Description of Bill: A so-called "personhood" ballot to give legal rights to newly fertilized microscopic embryos (i.e., when life begins). This bill will make non-therapeutic research on embryos illegal. However, this bill will allow for IVF and embryo transfers.
- Does RESOLVE support or oppose this Bill: RESOLVE opposes this bill.
- Current status of the Bill in the legislative process: The bill was introduced and posted as of February 4, 2013.
- Link to Bill: http://webserver1.lsb.state.ok.us/cf_pdf/2013-14%20INT/hB/HB1025%20INT.PDF
- Local Volunteer Needs: If you are interested in testifying or providing outreach to your Oklahoma legislators on this bill, please contact RESOLVE at info@resolve.org.
- READ RESOLVE’s Personhood Policy
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State: Oklahoma Bill Number: SB 2070
Added: February 21, 2013
- Short Description of Bill: A so-called "personhood" ballot to give legal rights to newly fertilized microscopic embryos (i.e., when life begins). This bill will make non-therapeutic research on embryos illegal. However, this bill will allow for IVF and embryo transfers.
- Does RESOLVE support or oppose this Bill: RESOLVE opposes this bill.
- Current status of the Bill in the legislative process: The bill was read a second time. It has been referred to the Public Health committee.
- Link to Bill: http://webserver1.lsb.state.ok.us/cf_pdf/2013-14%20INT/hB/HB2070%20INT.PDF
- Local Volunteer Needs: If you are interested in testifying or providing outreach to your Oklahoma legislators on this bill, please contact RESOLVE at info@resolve.org.
- READ RESOLVE’s Personhood Policy
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State: South Carolina Bill Number: HB3323
Added: February 19, 2013
- Short Description of Bill: A so-called "personhood" ballot to give legal rights to newly fertilized microscopic embryos (i.e., when life begins).
- Does RESOLVE support or oppose this Bill: RESOLVE opposes this bill.
- Current status of the Bill in the legislative process: The bill was introduced and referred to the Judiciary committee.
- Link to Bill: http://www.scstatehouse.gov/sess120_2013-2014/bills/3323.htm
- Local Volunteer Needs: If you are interested in testifying or providing outreach to your South Carolina legislators on this bill, please contact RESOLVE at info@resolve.org.
- Read RESOLVE’s Personhood Policy
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State: Washington Bill Number: House Bill 1259 (HB1259)
Added: February 25, 2013
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Ballot Initiatives
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State: Kansas Bill Number: HCR 5010
Added: February 12, 2013
- Short Description of Bill: A so-called "personhood" ballot to give legal rights to newly fertilized microscopic embryos (i.e., when life begins). This bill would amend the Kansas State Constitution.
- Does RESOLVE support or oppose this Bill: RESOLVE opposes this bill.
- Current status of the Bill in the legislative process: The bill was introduced and referred to the Committee on Federal and State Affairs.
- Link to Bill: http://kslegislature.org/li/b2013_14/measures/documents/hcr5010_00_0000.pdf
- Local Volunteer Needs: If you are interested in testifying or providing outreach to your Kansas legislators on this bill, please contact RESOLVE at info@resolve.org.
- Read RESOLVE’s Personhood Policy
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State: Mississippi Ballot Initiative:
Added: March 13, 2013
- Short Description of Ballot: A so-called "personhood" ballot initiative to give legal rights to newly fertilized microscopic embryos (i.e., when life begins).
- Does RESOLVE support or oppose this Bill: RESOLVE opposes this ballot initiative.
- Current status of the Bill in the legislative process: This ballot initiative was submitted to the Secretary of State and Attorney General. In order for the initiative to be placed on the ballot, there needs to be 108,000 signatures in order for the ballot to be voted on during the 2015 election.
- Local Volunteer Needs: If you are interested in providing outreach to your Mississippi legislators on this bill, please contact RESOLVE at info@resolve.org.
- Read RESOLVE's letter against this bill sent to Mississippi legislators.
- Read RESOLVE’s Personhood Policy
- Parents Against Personhood
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State: North Dakota Ballot Number: SCR 4009
Updated: March 25, 2013
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