As we continue to learn about civics and understand our civic duties as American citizens, the more we explore the critical importance of voter education and participation; what comes to my mind is New Years’ Eve Watchnight Service.
For our SCOOP Readers who may not be familiar with New Years’ Eve Watchnight Service, what you need to know is that as we come to the close of one year and welcome in a New Year, in churches that observe Watchnight, while the majority of the faithful in the congregation go into prayer, there’s certain members of the church, (sometimes with the title of Armor Bearer or security personnel) for the church, keep watch over everyone else, while they pray.
As we continue to monitor and watch what unfolds in the Pennsylvania state capitol, as it relates to abortion laws and some other hot button issues, we need to deal with our state lawmakers, like church security members, on New Years’ Eve. Someone always has to keep their eyes and ears open and keep watch over what’s going down.
You know how every now and then in the news, you hear a story about a piece of legislation that got “slipped through” overnight after a long session that ran into the wee hours of the morning? Well all of that kind of action, in these days we’re living in, could end up with us, citizens, getting some new laws that we didn’t even know were being considered. You have to monitor what lawmakers are doing almost 24/7.
Last week Pennsylvania state Republicans tried to pull off what I’ll call a “sneak attack” to get rid of legal abortions in the keystone state.
Here’s what happened: The Republican-controlled state Senate on Friday, July 8th, approved a measure that critics say could possibly lead to a ban on abortions in Pennsylvania.
In a 28-22 vote, Republicans voted to approve a constitutional amendment that would add language to the Pennsylvania Constitution to state explicitly that the document does not guarantee any rights relating to abortion or public funding of abortions.
Republican lawmakers in Pennsylvania are doing everything they can to put a question on the ballot in 2023 asking voters to they want to put the right to an abortion to a vote, making it a referendum that voters decide.
The move, which would ask voters if the state constitution should include language banning the use of public money for abortions, would allow for sidestepping the Governor Wolf’s veto. The way our Pennsylvania laws read, a ballot question seeking voters’ approval for a constitutional amendment cannot be vetoed by the Governor.
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Thank you for reading Thera Martin’s article on scoopnewsusa.com. For more on “CIVICS 101”, please subscribe to SCOOP USA Media. Print subscriptions are $75 and online subscriptions (Print, Digital, and VIZION) are $90. (52 weeks / 1 year).
