Opinion: Protect Babies: Vote Yes on LR 131

This November Montanans will vote on an important referendum called "An Act Adopting The Born-Alive Infant Protection Act." This act will do just what the title states, protect babies that are born alive, even those born after a failed attempt to abort a child.

A few that are opposed to this protection are trying to spin this referendum to be about terminal babies or women's health. However, the ballot language is clear; "A health care provider shall take medically appropriate and reasonable actions to preserve the life and health of a born alive infant." This would not apply to infants born with terminal congenital anomalies. This initiative would not alter parental rights. It does support medical providers fidelity to their Hippocratic Oath 'Do no harm.'

LR 131 specifically prevents the intentional ending of an infant's life. This is not in any

way part of the abortion debate. LR 131 language simply puts in law that an infant born after a failed abortion attempt must be treated as a legal person, just as you and I were when we were born.

This is not a hypothetical concern. A bill in Maryland, "The Pregnant Person's Freedom Act of 2022", SB 669, would prohibit any form of investigation or penalty when a baby experiences a "perinatal death related to a failure to act." "Perinatal" is often defined as "the period that starts at the 20th to the 28th week of gestation and ends one to four weeks after birth." The Maryland bill would have protected those who callously allow a newly born child to die, who intentionally neglect the child, or who actively take steps to end the child's life.

The choice is up to Montana voters. Voting YES for LR 131 protects living, breathing, viable babies from having their lives intentionally ended. Voting against LR-131 is a precursor to potential infanticide in Montana. The compassionate choice is YES for LR-131.