Responding with Love:
Legislative Proposals for a Sanctuary of Life from the North Dakota Catholic Conference
Like many North Dakotans, we rejoiced after the Dobbs decision. But as we said then: “We cannot . . . . rest with overturning Roe and legally protecting unborn life. Building a culture of life means making abortion unthinkable. This will require all parts of society to reexamine and address what they can do so that no woman ever feels that the death of her child is the answer to any situation. Businesses, families, churches, charities, and governments must support and implement policies and practices that are pro-family, pro-woman, and pro-child.”
The North Dakota legislature must also move forward with legislation reflecting the state’s love for all pregnant women, their children, new mothers, and families. To help build a sanctuary for life, the North Dakota Catholic Conference makes the following proposals for the North Dakota Legislative Assembly:
- Expand the Alternatives to Abortion Program to cover more services and individuals;
- Enact Sales Tax Exemptions for diapers and infant car seats;
- Strengthen the Pregnant Worker’s Fairness Act to protect pregnant employees;
- Establish a Life Resources Website to provide a one-stop location where women, families, and providers can find the help they need;
- Reduce the Costs of Adoption by providing an adoption tax credit and by covering the costs of home inspections;
- Close gaps in Medicaid and TANF when it comes to pregnant women and newborns; and
- Create a tax credit for donations to pregnancy centers, maternity homes, and adoption agencies.
This list is not exclusive. The conference encourages legislators to tackle other issues that impact pregnant women, unborn children, and families, such as the childcare crisis in the state. Some of the matters could possibly be addressed in other ways. We hope, however, that the list provides an essential foundation for the state’s contribution to making North Dakota a sanctuary for life.
Learn more about these proposals.
What We Do
The North Dakota Catholic Conference acts on behalf of the Roman Catholic bishops of North Dakota to respond to public policy issues of concern to the Catholic Church and to educate Catholics and the general public about Catholic social doctrine.
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North Dakota Catholic Conference
103 South Third Street, Suite 10
Bismarck, North Dakota
58501
1-888-419-1237
701-223-2519
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