The 3 - April 16, 2023

This week's edition of The 3, highlighting three stories of relevance to the Christian community includes two stories dealing with the life issue: a new bill has been passed in Florida that would ban abortion when a heartbeat can be determined and the U.S. Supreme Court has put on hold a lower court ruling on the distribution of the abortion pill.  Also, an Oregon mother who wishes to adopt two children has challenged the state's policy that would force her to affirm a child's so-called "gender identity."

Florida "heartbeat" bill signed into law

A bill banning abortion "once a preborn baby's heartbeat is detected" has passed the Florida Legislature and has been signed by Governor Ron DeSantis, according to the CBN News website, which adds that "The measure will take effect only if Florida's current 15-week ban is upheld in an ongoing legal challenge before the state Supreme Court."

The article says that:

...Rep. Jenna Persons-Mulicka, who carried the bill in the Florida House, pointed out that real lives are stake in the abortion fight. “We have the opportunity to lead the national debate about the importance of protecting life and giving every child the opportunity to be born and find his or her purpose," she said.

CBN adds that:

The Susan B. Anthony Pro-Life America group also celebrated the development, tweeting, "This enormous triumph in the battle for human rights means tens of thousands of precious boys and girls will live and have the opportunity to pursue their dreams, bless the lives of others, and enhance Florida's communities."

Liberty Counsel does point out that the bill "provides exception if the 'woman obtaining the abortion is doing so because she is a victim of rape, incest, or human trafficking' or if the life of the mother is threatened. In cases of fatal fetal abnormalities, abortion is allowed until the third trimester."  It also notes other elements of the bill, including a prohibition on taxpayer funding for transportation out-of-state for abortions, a ban on mail order abortions, and funding for pro-life pregnancy resource centers.

Mat Staver, the Founder and Chairman of Liberty Counsel said, “We commend Governor DeSantis for signing the ‘Heartbeat Protection Act’ yesterday as well as the 15-week ban last year. Tragically, after the Roe and Casey abortion decisions were overturned, Florida has become a sanctuary for abortion. Now the Florida Supreme Court must establish this as a state that values unborn life according to the State Constitution.”   

Abortion pill case goes to high court, lower court rulings put on hold

The week began with pro-life celebration that a federal judge in Texas had ruled the Food and Drug Administration was incorrect when it approved the "abortion pill," known as mifepristone. An appeals court, the Fifth Circuit, essentially trimmed the ruling, but allowed some restrictions on the sale of mifepristone to remain in place, such as the current trend of mail order abortions. 

But, on Friday, after the Administration appealed the lower court action, the U.S. Supreme Court has put the lower court rulings on the abortion pill on hold.  Alliance Defending Freedom, which filed the original lawsuit on behalf of four pro-life organizations said, well, "business as usual," with Senior Counsel Erin Hawley stating:

“The entry of a brief administrative stay is standard operating procedure whenever the Supreme Court is asked to consider an emergency request like this one. It gives the court sufficient time to consider the parties’ arguments before ruling. We look forward to explaining why the FDA has not met its heavy burden to pause the parts of the district court’s decision that restore the critical safeguards for women and girls that were unlawfully removed by the FDA.”

Oregon mother not allowed to adopt because of refusal to acknowledge a child's "gender identity"

Jessica Bates is the mother of five children and, because she is a widow, is now a single mom, according to a Christian Post article that reports on Bates' attempt to adopt two more siblings from foster care. 

But, the state has placed restrictions on Jessica's ambition and Alliance Defending Freedom has filed a lawsuit on her behalf.  The article says:

The lawsuit follows the Oregon Department of Human Services’ refusal to grant Bates the certification required to become an adoptive parent after she informed the state that her religious beliefs prevented her from complying with a state law requiring prospective adoptive parents to “respect, accept and support” the “sexual orientation, gender identity, [and] gender expression” of the children they seek to adopt.

Furthermore, according to The Christian Post:

The lawsuit contends that the Oregon Department of Human Services is violating Bates’ First Amendment rights to Freedom of Speech, Association and Assembly as well as the Free Exercise Clause. It also cites the state and local officials’ behavior as violations of Bates’ right to “equal protection of the laws” under the Fourteenth Amendment. The complaint is seeking an order declaring the Oregon state law unconstitutional, preventing the state from enforcing it and awarding Bates attorney’s fees.