The Young Democrats of Atlanta chose a big day to kick off their annual citizen lobbying efforts down at the Georgia state capitol on Wednesday.  Up before the House judiciary subcommittee were two controversial measures: House Resolution 536, which would legally define in the Georgia constitution that a "person," and all the legal protections a person deserves, is recognized at the moment an egg is fertilized; and House Bill 1, which would make any termination of pregnancy, beginning at the moment of fertilization, a felony murder punishable by death or life in prison. 

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A panel of doctors was arrayed before the subcommittee, most of whom testified against HR536 because of its broad legal implications, which they argued would stifle or outlaw such things as in vitro fertilization and certain forms of birth control, as well as raise legal and ethical concerns for doctors treating pregnant women who encounter illness or complications. 

While the goal of HR536 is ostensibly to end abortion, its definition of life at the earliest possible biological stage -- and the attachment of "the inviolable right...to life" to that moment of fertilization -- would effectively mean that several  forms of birth control, including some hormonal pills or shots and intra-uterine devices (IUDs), which prevent implantation of the early blastocyst into the uterine wall (thus preventing pregnancy), are terminating human life.  According to HB1, which also states that a "fetus is a person for all purposes under the laws of this state from the moment of conception,"

'Abortion' means the intentional termination of human pregnancy with an intention other than to produce a live birth or remove a dead fetus....  Such term does not include a naturally occurring expulsion of a fetus known medically as a 'spontaneous abortion' and popularly as a 'miscarriage' so long as there is no human involvement whatsoever in the causation of such event.

 

Thus, intentionally taking or using a form of birth control which by its nature interferes with a fertilized egg, zygote, or blastocyst after "the moment of conception," could be considered an abortion.  HB1 continues,

Any person performing an abortion in this state shall be guilty of a felony and, upon conviction, shall be punished as provided in subsection (d) of Code Section 16-5-1.

Section 16-5-1 (d) applies to felony murder, punishable by death or life in prison. 

The section of HB1 which specifies "no human involvement whatsoever in the causation" of a miscarriage also raises questions about the legal jeopardy faced by women who, through their own choices or actions, encounter health complications which result in miscarriage.  According to a medical study, that morning cup of coffee might be skirting the law for pregnant women, as it may increase the likelihood of miscarriage.

One of the chief proponents of both measures, Jennifer Hodges of Pro-Life Unity, argued that what is more disturbing than the legal implications of the proposed laws is "the eugenics program that is in effect, that has started in the late 1800s and has evolved into the slaughter of 40,000 children year in Atlanta."  She asserts that this has resulted in a "huge hole in the work force...and an artifically built-up economy because we have illegal aliens coming in."