HOUSE JOINT RESOLUTION NO. 29
(By Delegate Harrison)
(Introduced February 26, 1999; referred to the
Committee on Constitutional Revision then the Judiciary)
Proposing an amendment to the Constitution of the State of West
Virginia, amending article six thereof by adding thereto a
new section, designated section fifty-seven, relating to
prohibiting state funding for abortions except when
necessary to save the life of the mother, or in cases of
rape or incest.
Resolved by the Legislature of West Virginia, two thirds of
all the members elected to each house agreeing thereto:
That the question of ratification or rejection of an
amendment to the Constitution of the State of West Virginia be
submitted to the voters of the State at the next general election
to be held in the year two thousand, which proposed amendment is
that article six thereof be amended by adding thereto a new
section, designated section fifty-seven, to read as follows:
ARTICLE VI. THE LEGISLATURE.
§57. State funds for abortions prohibited and exceptions.
No public funds of this State may be used to pay for
abortions, except when the procedure is necessary to save the
life of the mother, or in cases of rape or incest, where the act
of rape or incest has been reported to a law-enforcement agency
before the abortion is performed.
Resolved further, That in accordance with the provisions of
article eleven, chapter three of the code of West Virginia, one
thousand nine hundred thirty-one, as amended, such proposed
amendment is hereby numbered "Amendment No. 1" and designated as
the "Amendment prohibiting state funding for abortion except when
necessary to save the life of the mother or in cases of rape or
incest" and the purpose of the proposed amendment is summarized
as follows: "To prohibit state funding for abortion, except when
necessary to save the life of the mother or in cases of rape or
incest, where the act of rape or incest has been reported to a
law-enforcement agency before the abortion is performed."
NOTE: The purpose of this resolution is to amend the State
Constitution to prohibit state funding for abortion, except when
necessary to save the life of the mother or in cases of rape or
incest.
This section is new; therefore, strike-throughs and
underscoring have been omitted.