This amendment allows permitted abortions to take place after a fetal heartbeat is detected and establishes the practice of abortion as being a “woman’s right” in the state of West Virginia.

We are reminded of the Gospel of Luke, Chapter 23, when direct democracy was used to put-to-death the most innocent man who ever walked the face of the earth. Now, some are arguing that the most innocent form of life existing in the world today should be justifiably executed due to presumed popular sovereignty. Some things never change, except this time, we know what we do. And any lawmaker who votes in support of this bill knows exactly what they do.

If Pilate himself would have made the decision, he would have executed Barabas, sparing the innocent life of Christ our Lord. But rather than using his authority to make the proper decision that he knew to be moral, he instead allowed the decision to be made using popular sovereignty and the innocent was executed.

For two millennia, great wisdom has been found in scripture, and this story serves in-part as a foundation of our Christian faith. To hear the story of Christ and learn nothing from it is to live in a world consumed by darkness. We have a responsibility to ensure that West Virginia is never consumed by darkness, and a greater responsibility to ensure that we ourselves are never consumed by darkness. This Legislature has the ability to make the decision that Pilate regrettably did not make; to spare the life of the innocent.

With a clear choice being visibly apparent, this republican supermajority chose death over life.