Montanans waking up to the news about Kansas:
State government control of your reproductive health care is *also* on the ballot here in November.
In at least three separate ways, actually. 🧵
#mtpol #mtnews
State government control of your reproductive health care is *also* on the ballot here in November.
In at least three separate ways, actually. 🧵
#mtpol #mtnews
First: if Rs pick up two seats in the legislature, they'd have a supermajority.
A supermajority can place initiatives on the ballot to directly amend our Constitution and exclude abortion care from the right to privacy. They could even call a new constitutional convention.
A supermajority can place initiatives on the ballot to directly amend our Constitution and exclude abortion care from the right to privacy. They could even call a new constitutional convention.
Second: our Supreme Court affirmed in 1999 (Armstrong) that Montana's constitutional right to privacy includes abortion care.
PSC chair Jim Brown is running against current justice Ingrid Gustafson for the Supreme Court, and if elected would choose not to uphold that precedent.
PSC chair Jim Brown is running against current justice Ingrid Gustafson for the Supreme Court, and if elected would choose not to uphold that precedent.
Third - there is a "born alive" initiative on the ballot in November, LR-131.
It purports to be about abortion care, but its *main* effect would be to force parents undergoing late miscarriage or other pregnancy complications to have their infants resuscitated at delivery.
It purports to be about abortion care, but its *main* effect would be to force parents undergoing late miscarriage or other pregnancy complications to have their infants resuscitated at delivery.
To be clear, Montana law *already* makes it a felony to "purposely, knowingly or negligently" cause the death of any viable infant (meaning, any baby able to survive outside of the womb, even with artificial assistance in a NICU) -- which is as early as 22-23 weeks gestation.
LR-131 criminalizes doctors and nurses (with up to 20 years in jail!) for not acting to "preserve the life and health" of an infant -- even if born far too early to survive.
In tragic cases like this, we usually wrap the baby for parents to hold for their last moments together.
In tragic cases like this, we usually wrap the baby for parents to hold for their last moments together.
I can't tell you how appalling it would feel to forcibly cause pain to a pre-viable infant who has zero chance at survival.
Resuscitation - breathing tubes, IVs, chest compressions - is not kind, nor ethical.
Resuscitation - breathing tubes, IVs, chest compressions - is not kind, nor ethical.
My neonatology colleagues are appalled by this. One tells me she would go to jail if that's what it meant.
LR-131 = what happens when people pursue their extreme beliefs about abortion without knowing or caring about the many complications that can befall a pregnancy.
LR-131 = what happens when people pursue their extreme beliefs about abortion without knowing or caring about the many complications that can befall a pregnancy.
So, yeah, voting matters. Especially this November.
Vote for Democratic legislators.
Vote to retain Ingrid Gustafson for Supreme Court.
Vote no on LR-131.
👆These are the votes that let you do your own health care decision-making.
Spread the word. #mtpol #ReproductiveFreedom
Vote for Democratic legislators.
Vote to retain Ingrid Gustafson for Supreme Court.
Vote no on LR-131.
👆These are the votes that let you do your own health care decision-making.
Spread the word. #mtpol #ReproductiveFreedom
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