Bill Text: NJ ACR229 | 2018-2019 | Regular Session | Introduced


Bill Title: Proposes constitutional amendment to prohibit Legislature from funding abortion providers.

Spectrum: Partisan Bill (Republican 3-0)

Status: (Introduced - Dead) 2019-05-13 - Introduced, Referred to Assembly Women and Children Committee [ACR229 Detail]

Download: New_Jersey-2018-ACR229-Introduced.html

ASSEMBLY CONCURRENT RESOLUTION No. 229

STATE OF NEW JERSEY

218th LEGISLATURE

 

INTRODUCED MAY 13, 2019

 


 

Sponsored by:

Assemblyman  JOE HOWARTH

District 8 (Atlantic, Burlington and Camden)

 

Co-Sponsored by:

Assemblymen Wirths and Space

 

 

 

 

SYNOPSIS

     Proposes constitutional amendment to prohibit Legislature from funding abortion providers.

 

CURRENT VERSION OF TEXT

     As introduced.

 


A Concurrent Resolution proposing to amend Article VIII of the New Jersey Constitution by adding a new paragraph.

 

     Be It Resolved by the General Assembly of the State of New Jersey (the Senate concurring):

 

     1.    The following proposed amendment to the Constitution of the State of New Jersey is agreed to:

 

PROPOSED AMENDMENT

 

     Amend Section II of Article VIII by adding a new paragraph 10 to read as follows:

     10.  The Legislature shall not appropriate or allocate any moneys to any abortion provider.  As used in this paragraph:

     "Abortion" means the intentional termination of pregnancy, through pharmaceutical or mechanical means, on or before the anticipated date of natural fetal delivery, which termination procedure results in the death of the fetus.  "Abortion" does not include the inducement of labor or other methods used for the pre-term or full-term delivery of a fetus, when such methods are intended to produce a live birth.

     "Abortion provider" means any health care facility, organization, or practitioner who provides abortions to patients in New Jersey.

 

     2.    When this proposed amendment to the Constitution is finally agreed to pursuant to Article IX, paragraph 1 of the Constitution, it shall be submitted to the people at the next general election occurring more than three months after the final agreement and shall be published at least once in at least one newspaper of each county designated by the President of the Senate, the Speaker of the General Assembly and the Secretary of State, not less than three months prior to the general election.

 

     3.    This proposed amendment to the Constitution shall be submitted to the people at that election in the following manner and form:

     There shall be printed on each official ballot to be used at the general election, the following:

     a.  In every municipality in which voting machines are not used, a legend which shall immediately precede the question as follows:

     If you favor the proposition printed below make a cross (X), plus (+), or check (a) in the square opposite the word "Yes." If you are opposed thereto make a cross (X), plus (+) or check (a) in the square opposite the word "No."

     b.  In every municipality the following question:

 

 

CONSTITUTIONAL AMENDMENT TO PROHIBIT THE STATE FROM FUNDING ABORTION PROVIDERS

 

 

YES

  Do you approve amending the Constitution to prohibit the State from funding abortion providers?  This change would ensure that providers of abortion in the State will not receive any State funds in the future. 

 

 

INTERPRETIVE STATEMENT

 

 

NO

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

  The proposed amendment would make abortion providers ineligible for any State funding.  This change would ensure that State funds will no longer be used to support the activities of any person or entity that provides abortions in the State.

  A "yes" vote will amend the Constitution to prohibit the Legislature from giving any funding to providers of abortion.  This means that the Legislature will be unable to use State funds to support the activities of any person or entity that provides abortions.

  A "no" vote will leave the Constitution unchanged.  This means that the State will continue to be able to use State funds to support the activities of any person or entity that provides abortions.

 

STATEMENT

 

     This constitutional amendment would prohibit the Legislature from appropriating or allocating any funding to abortion providers.  "Abortion" is defined to mean the intentional termination of pregnancy, through pharmaceutical or mechanical means, on or before the anticipated date of natural fetal delivery, which results in the death of the fetus.  "Abortion" does not include labor inducement or other methods used for pre-term or full-term delivery, when such methods are intended to produce a live birth.  "Abortion provider" is defined to include any health care facility, organization, or practitioner who provides abortions to patients in New Jersey.

     If approved by the voters, the proposed amendment would make abortion providers ineligible for any State funding, and it would thereby prevent any future Legislature from using State funds to finance or otherwise support the abortions or other services being offered by these providers.

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