With the anniversary of Roe vs. Wade just around the corner Americans United for Life (AUL) released their seventh annual “Life List” detailing the most pro-life states, based on issues ranging from abortion to euthanasia.
This year the AUL ranked Louisiana as the most pro-life state. The Pelican State was followed by Oklahoma, Pennsylvania, Nebraska and Arkansas.
The AUL listed Washington State, California, Hawaii, Vermont and Montana as the least pro-life states.
Arizona, Indiana, Kansas, North Carolina and Utah were rated the “most improved” states on pro-life issues.
The AUL ranked states using five piece of pro-life criteria including laws related to: abortion, unborn victims of violence, biotechnologies including stem-cell research, end of life issues and freedom of conscience for health care providers.
The pro-life group is intent on increasing the number of pro-life states and boasts that 2011 was a “watershed” for pro-life initiatives as 47 states considered more than 460 abortion-related measures, and actually enacted about 70 of them.
“The states are preparing for the day after Roe. And as the ‘Life List’ documents, we’re seeing tremendous gains in defending life in law,” said Charmaine Yoest, AUL president.
Alternatively, NARAL Pro-Choice America Foundation released their 21st edition of Who Decides? The Status of Women’s Reproductive Rights in the United States, which had similar findings — namely that 26 states adopted 69 “anti-choice” initiatives in 2011, which according to NARAL was the second-highest number since the NARAL began keeping track in 1995 — but reached a much different conclusion.
“Lawmakers waged a War on Women, and as a result, women in many states will see more political interference in their personal, private medical decisions,” said NARAL president Nancy Keenan. “In some cases, women could lose access to reproductive-health services they currently have.”
See the AUL’s full list:
1. Louisiana
2. Oklahoma
3. Pennsylvania
4. Nebraska
5. Arkansas
6. Missouri
7. Texas
8. South Dakota
9. North Dakota
10. Indiana
11. Kansas
12. Kentucky
13. Georgia
14. Arizona
15. Mississippi
16. Virginia
17. Ohio
18. Michigan
19. Idaho
20. South Carolina
21. Utah
22. Alabama
23. Tennessee
24. Minnesota
25. North Carolina
26. Wisconsin
27. Colorado
28. Florida
29. Rhode Island
30. Maine
31. Delaware
32. New Hampshire
33. West Virginia
34. Illinois
35. Wyoming
36. Iowa
37. Alaska
38. Massachusetts
39. New Mexico
40. Maryland
41. Nevada
42. Connecticut
43. New Jersey
44. New York
45. Oregon
46. Montana
47. Vermont
48. Hawaii
49. California
50. Washington