Bioethics Public Policy Report: April 28, 2025
STATE By State
In Illinois, a bill went through committee that would legalize assisted suicide in the state. The “End-of-Life Options for Terminally Ill Patients” Act could be voted on in the Senate any time between now and May 31, and the Catholic Conference of Illinois has issued a statement urging the faithful to contact their senators to voice their opposition to the bill. To track the bill, click here. For further information, click here.
Delaware Gov. Matt Meyer is expected to sign into law the assisted suicide bill which passed in the legislature a few weeks ago. Former Gov. John Carney had vetoed a similar bill last year citing his moral objection to the bill. For further information, click here.
Colorado Gov. Jared Polis signed into law two pro-abortion bills that passed in the Colorado legislature earlier this month. One provides public funding for abortion, and the other allows doctors prescribing chemical abortion to out-of-state patients to remain anonymous to avoid prosecution in other states. The bishops of the Colorado Catholic Conference issued a statement calling the former “a tragedy for Colorado,” advocating for pro-life alternatives. To read the bishops’ statement, click here. For further information, click here.
In Nebraska, a bill advanced in the legislature which would require fetal remains from elective abortions to be cremated or buried if passed into law. The law currently requires miscarriages to be cremated or buried but is silent as to elective abortions. To track the bill, click here. For further information, click here.
The Texas house of representatives has approved a $70 million increase in funding for the pro-life Thriving Texas Families program in the state by reallocating Medicaid funds. The Thriving Texas Families program assists pro-life services, including pregnancy resource centers, operating in the state. For further information, click here.
The Louisiana legislature is considering a bill that would increase protections for in vitro fertilization (IVF) clinics following last year’s Alabama supreme court decision that ruled that frozen embryos constitute legal persons. Pro-life groups, Louisiana Right to Life and Louisiana Family Forum, have voiced their opposition to the bill. To track the bill, click here. For further information, click here.
In Georgia, a bill entitled the “Prenatal Equal Protection Act” has advanced that would define life as beginning at conception, such that the intentional termination of a pregnancy would be prosecutable as murder. To track the bill, click here. For further information, click here and here.
In Tennessee, Gov. Bill Lee signed into law a bill that increases protections for IVF and birth control in the state. Gov. Lee’s decision to sign comes after a heated controversy, including a letter signed by 11 Republican legislators asking him to veto the bill. Pro-lifers have voiced their disapproval of the measure. For further information, click here.
Federal Courts
A North Dakota federal judge issued a permanent injunction in favor of the Catholic Benefits Association against the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission regarding two provisions of the federal regulations on the Pregnant Workers Fairness Act. Catholic employers will not be compelled to accommodate abortion, in vitro fertilization, or surrogacy, nor will they have to accommodate the use of bathrooms or other single-sex spaces for transgender individuals under the injunction. For further information, click here.
During oral arguments, the Supreme Court seemed to indicate support for parents of Montgomery County, Maryland, who sought to opt out of an LGBT curriculum imposed by the school board. There had previously been an opt-out option for parents whose religious beliefs conflicted with the curriculum, but the school board subsequently removed it. Justice Alito remarked, “What is the big deal about allowing them to opt out of this?” For further information, click here.
The University of Louisville has agreed to pay out a settlement of almost $1.6 million to Dr. Allan Josephson, who had suffered several adverse employment actions, ultimately ending in his termination, following his warnings of the harms of gender transition procedures for minors. The settlement comes after, in September 2024, the Sixth Circuit ruled that the case was sufficient to move to trial. For further information, click here.
Catholic Relief Services (CRS) in Baltimore, Maryland, has been ordered to pay out $60,000 to a gay ex-employee after a dispute over whether his civilly married husband would be included on his health insurance plan. CRS said that the inclusion was by mistake and threatened to terminate him if he pressed the issue any further, and so he sued for sex discrimination. The district court judge said that the applicable religious exemption for discrimination only applies if an employee carries out a “core mission” of the religious entity. For further information, click here.
The Trump administration has asked the Supreme Court to lift the nationwide injunction against the administration’s planned ban on those with gender dysphoria from serving in the military. The ban remains blocked as the Court has given the challengers to the ban until May 1 to file a response to the administration’s emergency application. For further information, click here.
national
U.S. Attorney General Pam Bondi carried out the first task force meeting on eliminating anti-Christian bias in the federal government, per President Trump’s executive order. The meeting addressed several attacks of the Biden administration on Christians due to their religious beliefs. For further information, click here.
international
The United Kingdom’s Supreme Court ruled unanimously that “woman” refers legally only to those born biologically female under the Equality Act. While transgender individuals are still protected against other discrimination under the law, nevertheless the ruling does not extend protections to transgender individuals in, for example, using a bathroom designated for a particular biological sex. For further information, click here.
The Parliament of New South Wales in Australia recently launched an inquiry into the effects of “harmful pornography” on public health issues. Catholic groups have cautioned that there should be no distinction between “harmful” and “harmless” pornography, citing several statistics that would indicate that all pornography is harmful. For further information, click here.
of note
Pope Francis passed away at the age of 88 on April 21. Several world leaders were in attendance at his funeral this past Saturday. A conclave to select a new pope will convene in the coming days. For further information, click here and here.
Sharing the Resources: If you enjoy receiving the NCBC’s Public Policy Report and would like to support its continued publication, please consider making a donation to the NCBC.
The National Catholic Bioethics Center website is a significant resource for bioethics information. NCBC bioethicists are also on call for consultation twenty-four hours a day, seven days a week, at 215-877-2660.
Justin Corman
Justin Corman is a guest editor at the NCBC, and a student at Ave Maria School of Law.