LEGISLATIVE WORKSHOP: Brett and Daniel
May 1, 2022 • Brett Baggett, Daniel Chepkauskas
GOALS
1) Preparedness. 2) Confidence
UNDERSTANDING WHERE WE ARE AND WHERE WE WILL BE NEXT LEGISLATIVE SESSION
1) Dobbs v. Jackson Women’s Health Organization (15-week threshold).
2) Oklahoma SB612 (Felony/$100k Fine)
3) Oklahoma SB1503 (Texas Style/Heartbeat/Life of Mother Exception/Does not prohibit Abortifacients/Women held harmless).
THE SUPREME COURT OF THE UNITED STATES BASICALLY HAS THREE CHOICES
1) Rule Abortion unconstitutional
2) Provide States with regulative authority (highest probability)
3) Impose arbitrary 15-week threshold (Dobbs v. Jackson Women’s Health Organization)
Oklahoma will be left with SB612 if Supreme Court “kicks-down” regulative authority to states.
Oklahoma will be left with SB1503 if Supreme Court imposes 15-week threshold or takes no action.
In either case, Oklahoma will not criminalize self-induced abortions (abortifacients, cases of physical harm), and abortion will be deemed a felony, not murder (unequal parity of law).
SPEAKING WITH LEGISLATORS
1) Give honor to those who are in positions of authority.
“Pay to all what is owed to them: taxes to whom taxes are owed, revenue to whom revenue is owed, respect to whom respect is owed, honor to whom honor is owed” (Romans 13:7). “Honor everyone. Love the brotherhood. Fear God. Honor the emperor” (1 Peter 2:17).
2) We must know our material well and communicate it with grace.
“Brothers, do not be children in your thinking. Be infants in evil, but in your thinking be mature” (1 Corinthians 14:20). God says we are to be “speaking the truth in love” (Ephesians 4:15).
3) Be clear as to the purpose of the meeting (e.g. conversation about Abolition, co-sign or author legislation).
4) Lead the conversation.
5) Be willing to be flexible in the conversation.
e.g. If the person does not know or yet understand abolition, the main priority is education rather than to ask them at that time to author/co-author a bill.
e.g. If the conversation seems to be getting contentious, do not press too hard. Thank them for meeting and see if you can leave them resources.
6) Don’t hesitate to ask questions (e.g. legislators’ perspective on Abolition and their concerns)
7) Be sympathetic to Legislators concerns (they may actually be well-intentioned and not know any better).
WHAT TO DO BEFORE YOU MEET WITH A LEGISLATOR
1) Pray for humility.
2) Find out their prior experience with abortion legislation (reach out to Daniel Chepkauskas or Rescue Those or Free the States). *Legislators who continually author pro-life legislation are much more prone to pride.
3) Make sure you understand this is not a speech, this is a conversation.
4) Understand the arguments leveled against abolition (e.g. one of many avenues, hurts conservative index score).
5) Understand the arguments leveled against abolitionists (e.g. Abolitionists don’t understand the legislative process).
HOW TO ORGANIZE YOUR LEGISLATIVE MINISTRY TEAM
1) Choose team leader; team leader will initiate and primarily lead conversation.
2) It can become overwhelming if more than one person is talking at a time.
3) Team leader should have best grasp of material and communicate well.
4) Other members of team help assist team leader during the conversation (e.g. additional information, examples).
COMMON OBJECTIONS
“I’m only one legislator”
“We won’t be successful”
The intention of ‘Pro-Life’ laws is to save lives. What’s wrong with incremental regulation of abortion?
“The Supreme Court won’t allow it”
“Abolition seeks to criminalize women”
“Abolition provides no exception for rape or incest”
“Abolition provides no exception for ‘life of mother’ situations”
“This legislation nullifies the U.S Constitution”
“If overturned by the courts, this legislation would effectively overturn all other pro-life laws in statute”
“Why shouldn’t Oklahoma mirror Texas’ S.B. 8 (Heartbeat Bill) which was left effective by the U.S. Supreme Court?”
