2023 Governor's State of the State speeches: on Abortion


Greg Gianforte: Our commitment to unborn babies will never waver

All life is precious and must be protected. Last session, we passed commonsense pro-life bills, some of which are now tied up in the courts, but our commitment to doing what's right for unborn babies will never waver. As we stand firm for life, we must also ensure all Montana kids, from unborn babies to teenagers, have the opportunity to reach their full God-given potential.
Source: 2023 State of the State Address to the Montana legislature Jan 25, 2023

Gretchen Whitmer: Let's repeal our extreme 1931 law banning abortion

The other half of attracting and retaining young people is standing up for their freedoms. Just a few months ago, Michiganders told us that people should be able to make their own decisions about their own bodies. Let's get to work. Let's repeal our extreme 1931 law banning abortion. Let's repeal other dangerous laws prohibiting people from accessing reproductive health care or shaming them for seeking it in the first place.
Source: 2023 State of the State Address to the Michigan legislature Jan 25, 2023

Henry McMaster: Confident that Fetal Heartbeat bill is constitutional

Unfortunately, the South Carolina Supreme Court delivered a temporary setback. In a 3?2 decision, the court struck down the Fetal Heartbeat and Protection from Abortion Act. When I signed the Heartbeat Act into law, I was confident that it was constitutional. I still am. Therefore, I will be filing a petition for rehearing next week, along with other state officials, and I remain optimistic that we will prevail in our historic fight to protect & defend the right to, and the sanctity of, life.
Source: 2023 State of the State Address to the S.C. legislature Jan 25, 2023

Jay Inslee: Protect fundamental right to reproductive freedom

The Dobbs decision upended decades of precedent that assured people had at least some measure of constitutional protection for abortion care and contraception. In Washington state, we are fighting to make sure that right remains protected. We must protect patients and providers from persecution by vigilantes and activist politicians in anti-choice states. And we must pass a constitutional amendment that expressly establishes a fundamental right to reproductive freedom in Washington state.
Source: 2023 State of the State Address to the Wash. legislature Jan 10, 2023

Jim Pillen: Nebraskans have been praying for 50 years to end abortion

Nebraska is a pro-life state. Many Nebraskans have been praying for 50 years to end abortion. This discussion has gotten too complicated and misleading. Here is what pro-life policy is NOT in Nebraska--it's NOT about preventative contraception. It's NOT about in-vitro fertilization. It's NOT a fertility medicine discussion. It is simply about stopping what started 50 years ago--the abortion of babies growing in mother's wombs. I am fighting for the rights of every baby with a beating heart.
Source: 2023 State of the State Address to the Nebraska legislature Jan 25, 2023

Katie Hobbs: My administration will always protect reproductive freedom

I refuse to stand by and do nothing as my daughter--or anyone's daughter--now has fewer rights today than I did growing up. My administration will always protect reproductive freedom for all Arizonans. I will not support, and I will use every power of the governor's office to stop, any legislation or action that attacks, strips, or delays the liberty or inherent right of any individual to decide what's best for themselves or their families.
Source: 2023 State of the State Address to the Arizona legislature Jan 9, 2023

Kim Reynolds: A pro-life state surrounds everyone with love and support

It's also why we created the MOMS program last year. When fully operational, this statewide network of nonprofits will connect women with pregnancy support services, including safety net resources, housing assistance, and recovery and mental health treatment. It sends a powerful message: that a pro-life state is one that surrounds every person involved in a pregnancy--born and unborn, mother and father--with protection, love, and support.
Source: 2023 State of the State Address to the Iowa legislature Jan 10, 2023

Mike Dunleavy: Most pro-life state, make it OK again to have kids

It's no secret to anyone that I'm a pro-life Governor, and my administration is ready to work with all of you over the next four years to achieve my goal to make Alaska the most pro-life state in the entire country. To that end, together we can enact policies like the Healthy Families Initiative for our people that are pro-children, pro-mothers, pro-fathers, pro-families. This may sound strange to some, but we have to make it OK again to have a family. We have to make it OK again to have kids.
Source: 2023 State of the State Address to the Alaska legislature Jan 23, 2023

Spencer Cox: New tax credit for all children--the born and the unborn

And if Utah truly believes in supporting life, we must always show our commitment with more than words. That's why I am also proposing this session a first-of-its-kind tax credit for all children--the born and the unborn. We must also expand postpartum Medicaid coverage to 12 months.
Source: 2023 State of the State Address to the Utah legislature Jan 19, 2023

Tate Reeves: Overturning Roe greatest conservative accomplishment

Last year, Mississippi led the nation to overturn Roe v. Wade--the greatest accomplishment in the conservative movement in my lifetime. Long story short, more innocent children will now have the chance to be born. But the fact is that being pro-life is about more than just being anti-abortion. We don't just want to eliminate the taking of unborn children's lives, we want to make it easier for parents to raise children and for mothers to give birth to happy and healthy kids.
Source: 2023 State of the State Address to the Miss. legislature Jan 30, 2023

Glenn Youngkin: 15 week limit: Virginians want fewer abortions, not more

When it comes to unborn children, we can come together. We can choose life, and choose to support mothers, fathers, and families in difficult decisions. This session, I have asked the General Assembly to come together to protect life at 15 weeks, the point when a baby can feel pain. It is clear, Virginians want fewer abortions, not more.
Source: 2023 State of the State Address to the Virginia legislature Jan 11, 2023

Bill Lee: $100M grant program to partner with crisis pregnancy clinics

Last year, Tennessee's budget funded ultrasound machines at crisis pregnancy clinics across the state. I'm proposing a $100 million grant program to partner with nonprofits that serve mothers, fathers, and families during a crisis pregnancy. With that, our Office of Faith-Based Initiatives has a unique ability to engage nonprofits and community organizations. It's time to equip them with the resources they need to play a bigger role, as we endeavor to better serve children and families.
Source: 2023 State of the State Address to the Tennessee legislature Feb 6, 2023

J.B. Pritzker: Won't accept women losing rights, expanded pool of providers

When conservatives on the Supreme Court overturned Roe v. Wade, they didn't strip the right to an abortion from wealthy women, they took it from the most vulnerable women. I won't accept that for the women of Illinois, and neither do the majority of the people of Illinois. That's why, last month, we expanded our pool of abortion providers and eliminated barriers to access: allowing birth centers to provide all reproductive care, eliminating copays for birth control and abortive medications.
Source: 2023 State of the State Address to the Illinois legislature Feb 15, 2023

  • The above quotations are from 2023 Governor's State of the State speeches.
  • Click here for definitions & background information on Abortion.
  • Click here for other issues (main summary page).
  • Click here for more quotes by Andy Beshear on Abortion.
  • Click here for more quotes by Dan McKee on Abortion.
Candidates and political leaders on Abortion:

Retired Senate as of Jan. 2015:
GA:Chambliss(R)
IA:Harkin(D)
MI:Levin(D)
MT:Baucus(D)
NE:Johanns(R)
OK:Coburn(R)
SD:Johnson(D)
WV:Rockefeller(D)

Resigned from 113th House:
AL-1:Jo Bonner(R)
FL-19:Trey Radel(R)
LA-5:Rod Alexander(R)
MA-5:Ed Markey(D)
MO-9:Jo Ann Emerson(R)
NC-12:Melvin Watt(D)
SC-1:Tim Scott(R) 		Retired House to run for Senate or Governor:
AR-4:Tom Cotton(R)
GA-1:Jack Kingston(R)
GA-10:Paul Broun(R)
GA-11:Phil Gingrey(R)
HI-1:Colleen Hanabusa(D)
IA-1:Bruce Braley(D)
LA-6:Bill Cassidy(R)
ME-2:Mike Michaud(D)
MI-14:Gary Peters(D)
MT-0:Steve Daines(R)
OK-5:James Lankford(R)
PA-13:Allyson Schwartz(D)
TX-36:Steve Stockman(R)
WV-2:Shelley Capito(R) 		Retired House as of Jan. 2015:
AL-6:Spencer Bachus(R)
AR-2:Tim Griffin(R)
CA-11:George Miller(D)
CA-25:Howard McKeon(R)
CA-33:Henry Waxman(D)
CA-45:John Campbell(R)
IA-3:Tom Latham(R)
MN-6:Michele Bachmann(R)
NC-6:Howard Coble(R)
NC-7:Mike McIntyre(D)
NJ-3:Jon Runyan(R)
NY-4:Carolyn McCarthy(D)
NY-21:Bill Owens(D)
PA-6:Jim Gerlach(R)
UT-4:Jim Matheson(D)
VA-8:Jim Moran(D)
VA-10:Frank Wolf(R)
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Page last updated: Apr 02, 2023