2011 NC Legislative Scorecard:

The North Carolina General Assembly has adjourned with plans to return in September. All told, anti-choice majorities in the House and the Senate were successful in passing two bills and three budget amendments that restrict access to reproductive healthcare in our state:

- HB 289: “Choose Life” license plates
- HB 854: Mandatory biased counseling and a 24 hour delay for abortion patients
- Budget provision to ban Planned Parenthood from receiving funds for family planning
- Budget provision to eliminate the state abortion fund
- Budget provision to restrict insurance coverage of abortion for state employees

Today we are releasing our 2011 Legislative Scorecard – a detailed look at how state legislators voted on measures impacting reproductive rights and health:
- 55% of legislators (29 senators and 65 representatives) supported Planned Parenthood’s position 0% of the time.
- 38% of legislators (19 senators and 46 representatives) supported Planned Parenthood’s position 100% of the time.
- The remaining 7% (two senators and nine representatives) supported Planned Parenthood’s position some of the time.

Take a look at how your representative and senator scored. Don’t know who your state legislators are? Find out here. Then, take action! Handwrite a letter to express your sincere appreciation or disappointment.

SAMPLE LETTERS:
Dear Representative/Senator ____,

Thank you for your efforts to protect access to reproductive healthcare in North Carolina. During the 2011 legislative session, you voted pro-choice 100% of the time! As your constituent, I sincerely appreciate your willingness to support vital healthcare for the residents of our state.

OR

As your constituent, I am very disappointed with your voting record in the 2011 legislative session; you voted pro-choice 0% [or insert % here] of the time. I hope in the future you will reconsider your support of divisive attacks on women’s reproductive healthcare that do nothing to address unintended pregnancy rates.

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Thank you to all of the hard-working advocates who spoke out this legislative session. Together, we:
- Sent over 19,000 e-mails to elected officials
- Made over 5,600 calls to their offices
- Collected over 17,000 petition signatures
- Published 45 letters to the editor in local papers
- Identified and engaged 21,000 new PP supporters in NC

Our work to protect reproductive rights and improve reproductive health in NC continues, and you can help by educating your friends and family about the legislature’s actions this year. Make sure to share the scorecard on Facebook, Twitter, and your blogs.

Thank you all!