Florida Senate - 2012 (NP) SR 1326 By Senator Fasano 11-00956-12 20121326__ 1 Senate Resolution 2 A resolution commending the compassionate work of the 3 volunteers and staff at Florida’s pregnancy resource 4 centers and recognizing January 2012 as “Pregnancy 5 Resource Center Month” in Florida. 6 7 WHEREAS, the life-affirming impact of pregnancy resource 8 centers on the women, men, children, and communities they serve 9 is considerable and growing, and 10 WHEREAS, pregnancy resource centers serve women and 11 families in this state and across the United States with 12 integrity and compassion, and 13 WHEREAS, more than 2,500 pregnancy resource centers across 14 the United States provide comprehensive care to women and men 15 facing unplanned pregnancies, including resources to meet their 16 physical, psychological, emotional, and spiritual needs, and 17 WHEREAS, pregnancy resource centers offer women free, 18 confidential, and compassionate services, including pregnancy 19 tests, peer counseling, 24-hour telephone hotlines, childbirth 20 and parenting classes, and referrals to community, health care, 21 and other support services, and 22 WHEREAS, many medical pregnancy resource centers offer 23 ultrasounds and other medical services and provide information 24 on adoption and adoption referrals to pregnant women, and 25 WHEREAS, many pregnancy resource centers encourage women to 26 make positive life choices by equipping them with complete and 27 accurate information regarding their pregnancy options and the 28 development of their unborn children, and 29 WHEREAS, pregnancy resource centers provide women with 30 compassionate and confidential peer counseling in a 31 nonjudgmental manner regardless of their pregnancy outcomes, and 32 WHEREAS, pregnancy resource centers provide important 33 support and resources for women who choose childbirth over 34 abortion, and 35 WHEREAS, pregnancy resource centers ensure that women 36 receive prenatal information and services that lead to the birth 37 of healthy infants, and 38 WHEREAS, pregnancy resource centers provide grief 39 assistance for women and men who regret the loss of their 40 children from past choices they have made, and 41 WHEREAS, many pregnancy resource centers work to prevent 42 unplanned pregnancies by teaching effective abstinence 43 education, and 44 WHEREAS, both federal and state governments are 45 increasingly recognizing the valuable services of pregnancy 46 resource centers through the designation of public funds for 47 such organizations, and 48 WHEREAS, pregnancy resource centers operate primarily 49 through reliance on the voluntary donations and time of 50 individuals who are committed to caring for the needs of women 51 and promoting and protecting life, and 52 WHEREAS, the Florida Senate strongly supports pregnancy 53 resource centers in their unique, positive contributions to the 54 individual lives of women, men, and babies — both born and 55 unborn, and 56 WHEREAS, the Florida Senate commends the compassionate work 57 of tens of thousands of volunteers and paid staff at pregnancy 58 resource centers in this state and across the United States, and 59 WHEREAS, the Florida Senate disapproves of the actions of 60 any national, state, or local groups attempting to prevent 61 pregnancy resource centers from effectively serving women and 62 men facing unplanned pregnancies, NOW, THEREFORE, 63 64 Be It Resolved by the Senate of the State of Florida: 65 66 That the members of the Florida Senate commend the 67 compassionate work of the volunteers and staff at Florida’s 68 pregnancy resource centers and recognize January 2012 as 69 “Pregnancy Resource Center Month” in Florida.