legislature

Highlights from Appreciation Rally

April 19, 2013 Filed in: abortion | Bismarck Diocese | legislature | video

Bismarck Tribune: Rally at the Capitol to say thanks

April 18, 2013 Filed in: abortion | Bismarck Diocese | legislature

Bishop David Kagan of the Bismarck Catholic Diocese thanked everyone in attendance for their “support for the cause of life.”

Kagan said with the passage of the abortion laws, “North Dakota is second to no other state in our nation” in valuing of all human life from conception to death.

Kagan chose to end his remarks with a 2005 quote by Pope Emeritus Benedict XVI:

“We are not some casual and meaningless product of evolution. Each of us is the result of a thought of God. Each of us is willed, each of us is loved, each of us is necessary.”

Christopher Dodson, director of the North Dakota Catholic Conference, echoed much of what Pavone told the crowd.

“This is the future of North Dakota, the future of our country,” Dodson said. “It’s a violent act (abortion); a sign that we have failed as a society. We can do better.”

Dodson said he had one thing to say to pro-choice individuals who argue that the abortion laws “turn back the clock” in North Dakota.

“That clock was broke 40 years ago,” Dodson said, in reference to the 1973 Roe v. Wade decision legalizing abortion.

Read the full story . . .

KXNews: Over 1,000 at Pro-Life Thank You Rally

April 18, 2013 Filed in: abortion | legislature

Pro-Lifers Gather At Capitol To Say “Thank You”

Pro-Life Celebration and Appreciation Rally

April 12, 2013 Filed in: abortion | legislature

Testimonies Posted

March 16, 2013 Filed in: legislature

The following testimonies from the North Dakota Catholic Conference are now online:

House Bill 1305 – Prenatal Nondiscrimination Act – Senate

HCR 3037 – Repeal of Blaine Amendment

HCR 4009 – Constitutional Right to Life

SB 2368 Abortion After Ability to Feel Pain House Testimony

SB 2303 Protection of Unborn Life – House

SB 2305 – Physician Privileges

House Bill 1456 – Abortion After Detectable Heartbeat – Senate Testimony

E-Newsletter February 23

February 24, 2013 Filed in: abortion | education | health care | human embryos | legislature

Cross-over Approacheth

The House and Senate will finish work next week on all the bills that were introduced in their respective chamber. They are expected to finish Thursday, after which they will take a few days off and return March 6.

There are no committee hearings of interest to the North Dakota Catholic Conference scheduled for next week, but a few important bills, such as the Education Fairness bill (HB 1466), will be coming to the floor for a vote.

Action Alerts

These action alerts are still in effect:

HB 1466 – Support Fairness in Education

HB 1362 – Support Medicaid Coverage

Conference Joins Over 20 Organizations in Support of Medicaid Coverage

The North Dakota Catholic Conference has joined over twenty other organizations in a joint letter expressing support for expanding Medicaid coverage in North Dakota.

As the letter states: “If North Dakota fails to exercise the Medicaid expansion option as it currently exists, thousands of residents will not have access to affordable coverage and the state will, in fact, be creating a coverage gap for the poorest individuals and families under 100% of poverty who will have no access to health care subsidies.”

The House will soon consider HB 1362, which would extend Medicaid coverage as proposed by Governor Dalrymple. Contact your House representatives and ask them to support HB 1362.

Chambers Pass Six of Seven Pro-Life Bills

With cross-over approaching, six of seven pro-life bills have passed their chambers of origin.

SCR 4009, a state constitutional amendment that states: “The inalienable right to life of every human being at any stage of development must be recognized and protected,” passed the Senate 26 – 21.

SB 2303 – Healthy embryo protection and health care for pregnant women. It passed the Senate by one vote, 24 – 23.

SB 2305 requires that abortionists have admitting privileges at a local hospital. It passed 30 – 17.

SB 2368 bans abortion after 20 weeks gestation. It passed the Senate 30-17.

HB 1305 prohibits abortion for sex selection or genetic abnormalities. It passed the House 64-27.

HB 1456 will ban abortion after the detection of a fetal heartbeat. It passed the House 63-28.

The only bill that has failed was SB 2302, which was, like SB 2303, an embryo protection bill.

All the Senate bills now go the House and the House bills will go to the Senate.

House Defeats Misguided Drug Test Bill

House Bill 1385 would have subjected parents in the Temporary Assistance for Needy Families (TANF) program to drug tests and denied them assistance if the test was positive.

The North Dakota Catholic Conference opposed the bill as counterproductive and inconsistent with the spirit of charity that should inform assistance programs.

Apparently, the House of Representatives did not like the bill either and defeated it by a 19 to 72 vote.

Thank you to everyone who contacted their representatives to express concern about this bill.

Action Alerts Status

February 20, 2013 Filed in: legislature

These action alerts are still in effect:

HB 1466 – Support Fairness in Education

HB 1362 – Support Medicaid Coverage

HB 1385 – Oppose Misguided Drug Testing for Poor

Crowd Enjoys Appreciation Mass and Dinner

February 1, 2013 Filed in: legislature

Legislators and conference board members enjoy the social.

The Appreciation Mass and Dinner for Legislators and Public Officials occurred January 31 at the Cathedral of the Holy Spirit in Bismarck. It was an enjoyable event. Thank you to everyone who made it possible.

Bishop David Kagan and Senator Tim Mathern

Upcoming Hearings of Interest

January 12, 2013 Filed in: legislature

01/14/2013 09:00 AM (Date)
SB 2109 (Bill Number)
Relating to eligibility determinations for the children’s health insurance program. (Bill Description)
Senate Human Services (Committee)
Red River (Committee Room)

01/14/2013 09:00 AM
SCR 4003
Resolution recognizing School Choice Week
Senate Education
Missouri River

01/14/2013 09:00 AM
HB 1050
Pilot grant program for at-risk American Indian students and for the support of community-based services;
House Education
Pioneer

01/14/2013 09:00 AM
HB 1012
Human Services Appropriation
House Appropriations – Human Resources Division
Sakakawea

01/14/2013 09:30 AM
HB 1034
Study health care reform
House Industry, Business and Labor
Peace Garden

01/14/2013 10:30 AM
SB 2068
Relating to decreasing residential child care facility bed capacity to increase psychiatric residential treatment facility bed capacity.
Senate Human Services
Red River

01/14/2013 11:00 AM
SB 2081
Prohibiting Medicaid pregnancy services to gestational carriers
Senate Human Services
Red River

01/14/2013 02:30 PM
HB 1012
Human Services Appropriation
House Appropriations – Human Resources Division
Sakakawea

01/15/2013 08:30 AM
HB 1012
Human Services Appropriation
House Appropriations – Human Resources Division
Sakakawea

01/15/2013 10:30 AM
HB 1040
Relating to the appointment of an emergency guardian and requirements of guardianship proceedingsHouse Human Services
Fort Union

01/15/2013 11:00 AM
HB 1093
Relating to the private practice of social work.
House Human Services
Fort Union

01/15/2013 11:15 AM
SB 2086
Relating to foster care providers.
Senate Human Services
Red River

01/15/2013 02:00 PM
HB 1113
Repeals faith-based and community initiatives program.
House Industry, Business and Labor
Peace Garden

01/15/2013 02:30 PM
HB 1012
Human Services Appropriation
House Appropriations – Human Resources Division
Sakakawea

01/16/2013 08:30 AM
HB 1012
Human Services Appropriation
House Appropriations – Human Resources Division
Sakakawea

01/16/2013 09:00 AM
HB 1035
Relating to the moratorium on expansion of basic care bed capacity and the moratorium on expansion of long-term care bed capacity.
House Human Services
Fort Union

01/16/2013 10:30 AM
SB 2108
Relating to services provided at the regional human service centers and to human service councils.
Senate Human Services
Red River

01/16/2013 02:30 PM
HB 1012
Human Services Appropriation
House Appropriations – Human Resources Division
Sakakawea

01/17/2013 08:30 AM
HB 1014
Protection and Advocacy
House Appropriations – Human Resources Division
Sakakawea

01/17/2013 10:30 AM
HB 1012
Human Services Appropriation
House Appropriations – Human Resources Division
Sakakawea

01/17/2013 02:30 PM
HB 1012
Human Services Appropriation
House Appropriations – Human Resources Division
Sakakawea

01/18/2013 08:30 AM
HB 1012
Human Services Appropriation
House Appropriations – Human Resources Division
Sakakawea

Act Now for Abstinence Education Funding

October 13, 2011 Filed in: education | legislature

Read the column and take action.

North Dakota Catholic Conference

Representing the Dioceses of Bismarck and Fargo

Categories