“Life is winning through the steady advance of science that illuminates when life begins more and more everyday” —— Remarks by Vice-president Mike Pence at the 44th March for Life held January 27, 2017 in Washington, DC

On February 2 of this year, Pennsylvania Senator Michele Brooks (50th SD) introduced SB3, a bill to amend the Abortion Control Act. This Bill reads:

An Act amending Title 18 (Crimes and Offenses) of the Pennsylvania Consolidated Statues, in abortion, further providing for definitions, for medical consultation and judgment and for the offense of abortion on unborn child of 24 or more weeks gestational age, providing for dismemberment abortion ban and further providing for reporting.

Italics mine. I got an alert about this anti-abortion bill in early February. It was assigned to the Judiciary Committee. The bill comes under a  Crimes and Offenses statute, suggesting criminal prosecution against an “… unborn child”.  In her Senate Co-Sponsorship Memoranda dated December 22, 2016, Senator Brooks wrote of the bill:  ” … the legislation would prohibit the practice of tearing a fetus apart by its limbs, also called dismemberment abortion.” Brooks proposes to reduce the maximum gestational age to 20 weeks. (Italics mine).

Since getting the alert on SB3, on February  8 the PA Senate passed it 32-18. It now goes to the General Assembly where during last year’s session  a similar Bill was approved. The General Assembly will not hold public hearings. Now a compromise bill will be voted on, probably approved and sent to Governor Tom Wolf.

Currently 15 states are legislating similar reduction of the gestation procedure to 20 weeks. Ohio Governor John Kasich (R) on December 16 of last year signed into law such a ban on abortion after 20 weeks.

With this latest anti-choice bill, legislators opposed to abortion are creeping toward a law that could ultimately change the term “fetus” to “human being”.  Thanks to Science–a word not recognized by extreme conservatives–“Life” as championed by V-P Pence at that March for Life rally might encourage some lawmaker to introduce a bill that a Human is conceived when a wiggly sperm joins with a ready egg.

This unexpected divine praise pairing Conception and Science by anti-choicers brings me to contemplate these additional thoughts.

Conception Legislation can determine (with nearly 100% accuracy) the date when “… life begins …”.

Conception Legislation can also–early in a pregnancy–determine the gender of a fetus.

Conception Legislation would then require a Certificate naming the “Human”.

Additionally, Conception Legislation would require a Social Security number be assigned to the “Human”.

This “Human” would be a legal dependent, therefore bringing all legal benefits to the parents. (And become one more person in census counts!)

Conception Legislation would further allow coverage of medical insurance for the “Human” (think in-utero surgery).

Last week I called my State Senator, Chuck McIhinney (R-10th SD) to express my concern about no hearings. I applaud Senator McIlhinney for voting NO on SB3.  The other Senators representing parts of Bucks County voted YES: Robert M. Tomlinson (R – 6th SD); Stewart J. Greenleaf (R-12th SD); and Bob Mensch (R-24th SD).

Taking advantage of my call to Senator McIlhinney’s office, I decided to add hypothetical questions regarding my displeasure for all the nonsense about slapping laws on women’s bodies. I asked the staff member, “How would any male react knowing he must jump through hoops before receiving a Viagra prescription? How would any male react to being physically probed? Or required to complete a lengthy questionnaire about his personal behavior?  How would any male react knowing he could receive a prescription for Viagra only for family planning?”

Reader–please ponder: At future celebratory parties could families and friends be singing “Happy Conception Day” instead of “Happy Birthday”? Will parents now share that moment of conception instead of those heartwarming and sometimes dramatic birthing stories?

I remember both times when my son and then my daughter slipped out of my body, sucked a mouthful of air into their lungs and became living human beings.

Can’t remember those two times when a wiggly sperm met a ready egg.