In anticipation of Saturday’s anniversary of Roe v Wade, the pro-life group Americans United for Life (AUL) released their “Life List” Thursday, ranking all 50 states on how they deal with life issues such as abortion and euthanasia.
Oklahoma earned the distinction of being the most pro-life state, followed by Louisiana, Pennsylvania, Arkansas, then Texas.
Washington state was the least life-friendly, according to the ranking. Just ahead of the Evergreen State were New Jersey, Vermont, Hawaii, and California.
According to the executive summary, the rankings are based on laws dealing with end of life issues, bio-technology issues, such as stem-cell research, and protecting health care providers’ freedom of conscience. It also takes into account laws related to abortion such as informed consent, parental involvement, funding limits, and protection of unborn victims of violence.
The state-based approach to protecting life throughout the country has built a positive momentum for the group’s goals, AUL CEO and President Dr. Charmaine Yoest contends.
“We are seeing a cultural shift toward protecting life and rolling back the tide of unrestricted abortions that Roe v. Wade produced,” she said.
In conjunction with the release of the list, AUL also announced a national initiative to eliminate federal funding of abortion, specifically defunding Planned Parenthood. AUL is currently collecting signatures for a petition to show lawmakers “Life Counts.”
“Common ground on the abortion issue is possible when we begin with the fact that no tax money should go to abortion, a principle violated by the Democratic leadership in the health care law,” said Yoest. “The new pro-life leadership in the House will find that defunding Planned Parenthood, the nation’s largest abortion provider, is essential to protecting life.”