SENATE CONCURRENT RESOLUTION NO. 1

        A CONCURRENT RESOLUTION, Honoring pregnancy care centers.

    WHEREAS, the life-affirming impact of pregnancy care centers on the women, men, children, and communities they serve is considerable and growing; and

    WHEREAS, pregnancy care centers serve women in South Dakota and across the United States with integrity and compassion; and

    WHEREAS, more than 2,500 pregnancy care centers across the United States provide comprehensive care to women and men facing unplanned pregnancies, including resources to meet their physical, psychological, emotional, and spiritual needs; and

    WHEREAS, pregnancy care centers offer women free, confidential, and compassionate services, including pregnancy tests, peer counseling, 24-hour telephone hotlines, childbirth and parenting classes, and referrals to community, healthcare, and other support services; and

    WHEREAS, many medical pregnancy care centers offer ultrasounds and other medical services; and

    WHEREAS, many pregnancy care centers provide information on adoption and adoption referrals to pregnant women; and

    WHEREAS, pregnancy care centers encourage women to make positive life choices by equipping them with complete and accurate information regarding their pregnancy options and the development of their unborn children; and

    WHEREAS, pregnancy care centers provide women with compassionate and confidential peer counseling in a nonjudgmental manner regardless of their pregnancy outcomes; and

    WHEREAS, pregnancy care centers provide important support and resources for women who choose childbirth over abortion; and

    WHEREAS, pregnancy care centers ensure that women are receiving prenatal information and services that lead to the birth of healthy infants; and

    WHEREAS, many pregnancy care centers provide grief assistance for women and men who regret the loss of their children from past choices they have made; and

    WHEREAS, many pregnancy care centers work to prevent unplanned pregnancies by teaching

effective abstinence education in public schools; and

    WHEREAS, both federal and state governments are increasingly recognizing the valuable services of pregnancy care centers through the designation of public funds for such organizations; and

    WHEREAS, pregnancy care centers operate primarily through reliance on the voluntary donations and time of caring individuals who are committed to caring for the needs of women and promoting and protecting life:

    NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED, by the Senate of the Eighty-sixth Legislature of the State of South Dakota, the House of Representatives concurring therein, that the Legislature strongly supports pregnancy care centers in their unique, positive contributions to the individual lives of women, men, and babies_both born and unborn; and

    BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED, that the Legislature commends the compassionate work of tens of thousands of volunteers and paid staff at pregnancy care centers in South Dakota and across the United States; and

    BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED, that the Legislature disapproves of the actions of any national, state, or local groups attempting to prevent pregnancy care centers from effectively serving women and men facing unplanned pregnancies.

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Adopted by the Senate,

Concurred in by the House of Representatives,

Matt Michels President of the Senate	Trudy Evenstad Secretary of the Senate
Val Rausch Speaker of the House	Karen Gerdes Chief Clerk of the House