The 3 - August 20, 2023

This week's edition of The 3, focusing on three recent stories of relevance to the Christian community, features a new ruling by a federal appeals court that would limit distribution of the abortion pill, pending a decision by the U.S. Supreme Court.  Also, North Carolina lawmakers rejected the governor's vetoes that would ban gender-change surgeries and treatments, prevent biological males from competing against females in sports, and uphold parental rights.  Meanwhile, in California, another school board has pass a policy that would require school officials to inform parents if their children expresses an intent to identify as a gender conflicting with their biological sex. 

Federal appeals court turns back the clock on FDA abortion pill restrictions

Even though the Court stopped short of totally banning the abortion pill, nevertheless a three-judge panel of the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Fifth Circuit ruled last week that guardrails that had been removed by the current and a previous Administration should not have been removed and that the pill should not be available via mail.  The Washington Stand reports that the appeals court...

...ruled against laxer safety standards placed on the abortion pill by the Obama and Biden administrations. In the case, Alliance for Hippocratic Medicine v. U.S. Food and Drug Administration, a collection of doctors and OB-GYNs represented by the Alliance Defending Freedom argued the FDA had negligently abused its expedited approval of the chemical abortion drug mifepristone in 2000 for political purposes.

The article says that the court's decision...

• reduces the number of weeks mifepristone may be dispensed from 10 weeks to seven;
• stipulates that only a physician may prescribe the pill, also known as RU-486;
• ends telemed abortions by requiring an abortion-minded woman to have three in-person visits with a doctor: the first to confirm pregnancy and to take mifepristone, the second to take misoprostol, and a follow-up to check for adverse effects caused by the chemical abortion;
• bars abortion pills from being sent through the mail; and
• mandates that abortionists report all adverse events caused by mifepristone, not merely when the pill causes a woman’s death.

But, these measures will not be implemented, at least not just yet.  As The Washington Stand notes:

The Supreme Court issued a stay requiring the case to be fully adjudicated, possibly all the way to the High Court, before the appeals court ruling can take effect. Justices have not yet indicated if they plan to hear the case without a conflicting ruling from another court.

NC Legislature overrides governor's vetoes in areas of gender policy, parental rights

It was a night for overturning the vetoes of North Carolina Governor Roy Cooper in the state Legislature last week, and the bills that it had passed rejecting LGBT-friendly principles and affirming parents' rights were allowed to go through.  

As The Daily Citizen reports:

The North Carolina legislature overrode vetoes from Governor Roy Cooper to pass three family-friendly laws: House Bill 808 – Prohibiting “Gender Transition” of Minors; Senate Bill – 49, Parents’ Bill of Rights; and House Bill 574 – Fairness in Women’s Sports Act.

The North Carolina Family Policy Council (NC Family) celebrated the victories, saying the legislation “will significantly help children grow up in a healthy and safe environment.”

The article states:

NC Family noted that these drugs, hormones and surgeries “cause a host of medical problems.” The group pointed to Prisha Mosley, a North Carolina resident who began testosterone injections when she was only 17. She filed a lawsuit alleging that counselors and doctors committed fraud and medical malpractice when they encouraged her to transition, prescribed testosterone and removed her breasts.

North Carolina is the 20th state to pass “Help Not Harm” legislation, protecting vulnerable adolescent and teen girls like Mosley from damaging experimental procedures which stop normal development and cause physical and emotional injuries.

The Parents' Bill of Rights, according to the article, "...helps to 'clarify and codify parental rights as they relate to their child’s healthcare and education,' NC Family explained." Plus, it "encourages parental involvement in schools, keeps K-4 curriculum free of sex ed and gender ideology, and informs parents if their child requests to be referred to by a different name or pronouns at school.”  Passage of the third bill makes the Tarheel State the 23rd state to pass legislation preventing biological males from participating in female sports - the North Carolina bill addresses middle and high school, as well as college sports.

Advancement of parental rights continues in CA

Another school board in California has passed a policy that would require that parents be informed if school officials have knowledge about developments regarding their child's sexuality.  The California Policy Council reports on its website:

...the Murrieta Valley Unified School District approved a policy mandating staff members notify parents if a student wishes to “identify” as gender different from their biological sex. This makes it the second school district in the Inland Empire region to adopt such a policy.

The article goes on to say:

The proposal was put forth by board President Paul F. Diffley III and clerk Nicolas Pardue. It mirrored the most recent policy from Chino Valley Unified School District, which similarly mandates that staff inform parents if their child wants to change their name or pronoun in order to identify as a gender different from what is listed on their birth certificate..

FoxNews.com reported that "MVUSD's move came after California Attorney General Rob Bonta announced a civil rights investigation..." into the actions of the Chino Valley district.  

This comes against the backdrop of legislation in the Golden State that places limitations on parental rights.  CBN.com reported:

Parents in California could face jail time for speaking out on behalf of their children at school board meetings if the state legislature passes a bill that would criminalize any adult for disrupting or creating "substantial disorder."

Critics warn it is a way to stop parents from speaking out.

SB 596 was already passed in the California State Senate in May and is making its way through the floor of the lower chamber as lawmakers have broadened some terms in the law.

That article was linked to the My Faith Votes website, which announced a rally scheduled to have taken place earlier today at the State Capitol in Sacramento, led by Pastor Jack Hibbs of Calvary Chapel Chino Hills.  The article states:

Sacramento Rally for Parental Rights & Lobby Day is taking place to lobby against anti-parent bills:

• AB 665 - State-Sanctioned Kidnapping

• AB 957 - Judges Must Side with Gender Affirming Parents Over Custody

• AB 1078 - The State Taking Control Over Local School Boards

• AB 5 - Training Teachers to Profile Non-LGBTQ Affirming Parents

• SB 596 - Silencing Parental Free Speech.