H.J.R. 17

1

RESOLUTION URGING FEDERAL
2 CONSTITUTIONAL AMENDMENT TO PROTECT
3 THE LIFE OF THE UNBORN
4 2000 GENERAL SESSION
5 STATE OF UTAH
6 Sponsor: Glenn L. Way
7 Martin R. Stephens
8 Gerry A. Adair
9 Jeff Alexander
10 Chad E. Bennion
11 Ron Bigelow
12 DeMar Bud Bowman
13 Melvin R. Brown
14 Katherine M. Bryson
15 Don E. Bush
16 Craig W. Buttars
17 Blake D. Chard
18 David N. Cox
19 Greg J. Curtis
20 Margaret Dayton
21 Marda Dillree
22 Ben C. Ferry
23 Lloyd W. Frandsen
Kevin S. Garn
David L. Gladwell
Wayne A. Harper
Thomas V. Hatch
John W. Hickman
David L. Hogue
Kory M. Holdaway
Bryan D. Holladay
Dennis H. Iverson
Bradley T. Johnson
Keele Johnson
Susan J. Koehn
Rebecca D. Lockhart
Joseph G. Murray
Lowell A. Nelson
Evan L. Olsen
Loraine T. Pace
Tammy J. Rowan
Carl R. Saunders
Jack A. Seitz
Raymond W. Short
Richard M. Siddoway
Gordon E. Snow
Marlon O. Snow
Nora B. Stephens
Michael R. Styler
John E. Swallow
Jordan Tanner
Matt Throckmorton
David Ure
Richard L. Walsh
Bill Wright
David L. Zolman

24 A JOINT RESOLUTION OF THE LEGISLATURE URGING THE UNITED STATES
25 CONGRESS TO SEND TO THE STATES A CONSTITUTIONAL AMENDMENT
26 PROTECTING THE LIFE OF THE UNBORN.
27 Be it resolved by the Legislature of the state of Utah:
28 WHEREAS, it is estimated that since Roe v. Wade, the 1973 United States Supreme
29 Court's decision legalizing abortion, no other issue has triggered more divisive and passionate
30 debate among the people of the United States which continues today;
31 WHEREAS, since the Roe v. Wade decision nearly 40 million abortions have been
32 performed in the United States;

33 WHEREAS, statistics show that between 3,500 and 3,700 abortions are performed annually
34 in the state of Utah;
35 WHEREAS, scientific evidence clearly demonstrates that the life of a human being begins
36 at conception;
37 WHEREAS, compelling arguments can be made that abortions should be permitted in
38 cases of rape or incest or when the life or health of the mother is threatened;
39 WHEREAS, most abortions performed are merely the means to terminating an unwanted
40 pregnancy;
41 WHEREAS, on October 30, 1999, in Nashville, Tennessee, an extremely delicate but
42 successful spinal operation was performed on a 21-week old fetus still young enough to be legally
43 aborted, and focused the nation's attention on the viability and sanctity of an unborn human life;
44 WHEREAS, there is a growing number of individuals who, prior to their birth, survived
45 abortion procedures, enjoy happy and productive lives today, and stand as living proof that life,
46 when permitted to continue in its natural course, is filled with limitless possibilities in contrast to
47 its termination by abortion;
48 WHEREAS, many Americans on both sides of the abortion issue consider it equal in
49 importance to other basic issues resolved in previous amendments to the constitution such as free
50 speech and the abolition of slavery; and
51 WHEREAS, beyond the rhetoric of whether the issue should be framed as the right to life
52 or the right to choose, it is fitting that the ultimate decision on this serious and weighty question
53 should be determined by those who must respond most directly to the voice of the people:
54 NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED that the Legislature of the state of Utah strongly
55 urge the United States Congress to send to the states an amendment to the United States
56 Constitution protecting the life of the unborn.
57 BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that a copy of this resolution be sent to the President of the
58 United States Senate, the Speaker of the United States House of Representatives, and the members
59 of Utah's congressional delegation.

Legislative Review Note
as of 2-11-00 12:35 PM

A limited legal review of this legislation raises no obvious constitutional or statutory concerns.

Office of Legislative Research and General Counsel