Responding with Love

Catholic Bishops Call for Legislation to Help Pregnant Women, Children, and Families

Called Responding with Love: Legislative Proposals for a Sanctuary of Life, the proposals address helping pregnant women, their children, new mothers, and families from a variety of public policy directions.

The proposals include enacting sales tax exemptions for diapers and infant car seats, and income tax credits for contributions to organizations that help pregnant women and new mothers.

The bishops also call for the expansion of the state's Alternatives to Abortion program, for closing gaps in programs that help low-income pregnant women, and for enacting stronger work protections for pregnant women.

To help reduce the costs of adoption, the proposals call for enacting an adoption tax credit and state reimbursement for the costs of home inspections.

In a letter to state legislators signed by Bishop David D. Kagan of the Bismarck Diocese and Bishop John T. Folda, the bishops state that they “hope that members of both parties, and persons with different views about abortion” will support the proposals.