Governor Perry announces support for HB 109

 

HB 109: Making a Choose Life license plate a reality in Texas

 

 

In a news conference today, Texas Gov. Rick Perry announced his support for House Bill 109, which would create the Choose Life license plate in Texas. 

The Governor’s Press Conference Room was jam-packed at the 2:30 p.m. event, with dozens of supporters–as well as a few opponents of the bill–in attendance. (Watch the news conference online!)

Several media outlets have covered the event. Among them:

CBS affiliate KEYE Channel 42 announced the news conference this morning in a report by Bettie Cross: “Gov. Perry to Endorse Pro-Life License Plate Design.”

ABC affiliate KLTV Channel 7, The Austin American-Statesman, the Star-Telegram, KHOU, and The Houston Chronicle all ran versions of the AP report on the press conference. As more news reports are made available, they will be posted on the “Endorsements and Articles” page at www.TXChoose-Life.org.

Check back soon for pictures from the news conference!

Paving the way for more plates?

The Arizona Choose Life License Plate

Yesterday, The Christian Post quoted Denise Burke, vice president and legal director for Americans United for Life (AUL), explaining the significance of the Supreme Court’s denial to review the Choose Life license plate case:

This is huge victory for ‘Choose Life’ license plates. By denying review, the Court has affirmed that Arizona and other states cannot deny Choose Life license plates simply because of their pro-life message.

The article goes on to mention the Choose Life Texas Tour.

Tour Wraps up Early in Corpus Christi

Wrapping up the Tour: Ned and Terrie Perez, Joe Pojman, Louis Holstrom, Mary Ann Kelly, Mary Crabtree, and Jill Amerling.

The Choose Life Texas Tour came to an earlier end than planned due to the devastation caused in the Houston-Galveston area by Hurricane Ike. Last night’s reception at Silverado Smokehouse in Corpus Christi wrapped up the Tour.

While the events planned for Santa Fe and Beaumont have been canceled, a brief presentation on the Choose Life license plate initiative will be given at the Vision America Gala, which has been rescheduled for Thursday, October 9.

Stay tuned for ongoing news about the Choose Life license plate as we continue to work to make it a reality in Texas!

San Antonio Welcomes Tour

Wednesday evening saw the Choose Life Texas Tour at Two Peppers Italian & Mexican Restaurant in San Antonio for a leaders meeting and reception. The event was co-sponsored by San Antonio Coalition for Life.

Joe Pojman holds up a map of the U.S. showing the status of the Choose Life license plates in other states.

Linda Schlueter of Trinity Legal Center (center) chats with Russ Amerling.

Amy Vorhees of San Antonio Coalition for Life.

Joe Pojman with Bob and Adele Novak at the reception.

Russ Amerling displays a sample license plate from another state.

In the News

Several media outlets have picked up the Choose Life Texas Tour story, including The Christian Post and OneNewsNow.

Rusty Pugh with OneNewsNow interviewed TAL Executive Director Joe Pojman on the Thursday before the Tour launched:

“We’re going on the road and visiting 11 cities with 13 or 14 different meetings with local pro-life leaders, pastors, elected officials, and we’re promoting the idea of a ‘Choose Life’ license plate – and this is all about adoption; this is a way to promote adoption,” Pojman explains.

“And our goal is to increase the number of adoptions in Texas because we think adoption can be a wonderful option for many women who are experiencing [a] crisis pregnancy, for those little babies, and for the adoptive parents. It really can be a win-win-win situation.”

And our thanks to Julie Stobbe in Houston for her mention of the Choose Life Texas Tour on the Act of Life blog!

More from the Road

The last five days have been a whirlwind of faces and names…a special thank you to all the organizations and individuals who helped make the first half of the week a success!

Russ and Jill Amerling, national publicity coordinators of Choose Life, Inc., with TAL Executive Director Joe Pojman and Public Policy Assistant Deirdre Cooper

The Amerlings walk with Joe Pojman and Deirdre Cooper along the Great Walk on the south side of the Capitol.

Joe Pojman explains the Choose Life initiative to LyAnna Johnson, aide to state Rep. John Smithee (R-Amarillo).

Joe Pojman gives Russ and Jill a personalized tour of the Capitol building.

The Amerlings and Joe chat with a TAL supporter just outside TAL headquarters.

The Choose Life Texas Tour kicked off with a leaders meeting at Casa Chapala in Austin.

Lori DeVillez, of the Austin Pregnancy Resource Center, listens as Russ Amerling answers a question about the Choose Life license plate.

Terry Williams of Central Texas Life Care.

Marie Seale, the director of the Diocese of Austin Office of Pro-Life Activities and Chaste Living, gives her input on the adoption issue.

Families in attendance at the reception at Casa Chapala.

A young supporter of the Choose Life license plate.

TAL Director of Communications Valerie Striker and Development Director Brian Hutchison.

Russ and Jill Amerling speak with guest Peggy Cravens during the reception at Casa Chapala in Austin.

John Pisciotta speaks at the Second Sunday luncheon in Waco, our first stop on Sunday.

Ruby leads a song of praise at the end of the meeting.

Carroll Warschak of Waco (left) and John Pisciotta (second from right), co-director of Pro-Life Waco and host of the Second Sunday meeting, with the Amerlings and Joe Pojman.

Baylor University students in attendance at the Second Sunday luncheon.

Jill with the Amerling’s van outside Big Daddy’s Ol’ South BBQ in Killeen, the second stop on Sunday.

Leaders meeting at Big Daddy’s Ol’ South BBQ.

Joe Pojman speaks with pro-life leaders in Killeen.

Roy Thomas, manager of Big Daddy’s Ol’ South BBQ, signs the petition for the Choose Life license plate.

Russ and Joe chat with Fr. Brian Eilers from St. Luke Parish in Temple during the Killeen reception.

Molly White, Linda Busti, and Allie Krebs catch up before the program begins.

Russ Amerling displays other states’ license plates during the reception at Big Daddy’s Ol’ South BBQ in Killeen.

Rev. Ellis Hutchison suits up with a newly purchase Choose Life necktie.

Molly White and Denise Seibert of Lampasas swap stories with Joe Pojman.

Molly White of Redeemed for Life Ministries and Women for Life International helped organize the event in Killeen. Her daughter and her husband, Ronald, accompanied her to the leaders meeting and reception.

There was at least one Choose Life license plate on Texas roads this week…

Pojman and the Amerlings met with state Rep. Will Hartnett at his law office in Dallas on Monday afternoon.

The Amerlings, Rep. Will Hartnett, and Joe Pojman.

Destiny and Abrahm DeLaRosa opened their home in Richardson to the Choose Life Texas Tour on Monday evening. Destiny is the founder of New Wave Femmes for life.

Joe Pojman addresses the audience in Richardson.

Joe Pojman and Valerie Striker of Texas Alliance for Life with Destiny and Abrahm DeLaRosa and the newest addition to their family!

Buck Werner of Dallas County Right to Life, Andrew Smith of the Catholic Pro-Life Committee of North Texas, Destiny DeLaRosa of New Wave Femmes for life, and Ann Hettinger of Concerned Women for America of Texas gather with Joe Pojman and Russ Amerling following the reception at the DeLaRosas’.

The Choose Life Texas Tour was able to spend some time with Mark Crutcher of Life Dynamics in Denton. Crutcher gave us a tour of the Life Dynamics grounds, including their recording studio.

Joe Pojman and Ann Hettinger attended the Free Market Foundation luncheon Tuesday in Dallas.

A guest signs the petition at the reception held Tuesday evening at the Knights of Columbus Hall in Bedford.

Another young supporter of the Choose Life plate!

Our thanks to Bill Pasteur for hosting the Bedford event.

Kyleen Wright, President of Texans for Life Coalition, addresses Tuesday night’s reception crowd.

Angela Walters, director of Catholics Respect Life for the Diocese of Fort Worth, made an announcement about 40 Days for Life.

An audience member asks questions after the presentation on the Choose Life license plate.

Tamita Pasteur chats with Joe Pojman after the meeting.

Eric Otten, vice president of Texas Lutherans for Life, with TAL Executive Director Joe Pojman.

The Amerlings and Joe Pojman with Angela Walters, Bill Pasteur, and Eric Otten.

News from the Road

 

Strategy meeting at Casa Chapala on Saturday, Sept. 13.

At the half-way point on our Choose Life Texas Tour, our stack of petitions is dwindling…thanks to everyone who has taken copies to share with their friends, family, and community!

It has been a delight meeting with pro-life people of all ages to brainstorm ways to promote the license plate and to pick the brains of local pregnancy resource heads and other leaders for ideas on how the funds from the plate sales can best be used to promote adoption in Texas. The response from grassroots leaders has been enthusiastic…so far we’ve been able to meet with representatives from the Austin Pregnancy Resource Center, Central Texas Life Care, the Diocese of Austin Office of Pro-Life Activities and Chaste Living, Hope Pregnancy Center of Hutto, Majella Society, Pro-Life Waco, Waco Right to Life, Redeemed for Life Ministries, Central Texas Voices for Life, Free Market Foundation, Concerned Women for America of Texas, Catholic Pro-Life Committee of North Texas, New Wave Femmes for Life, and Dallas County Right to Life.

Check back soon for a photo gallery!

 

Baylor University students at John Pisciotta's Second Sunday luncheon

Austin Welcomes the Amerlings

 

Russ and Jill Amerling with TAL Executive Director Joe Pojman, Ph.D., and public policy assistant Deirdre Cooper.

The TAL staff welcomed Russ and Jill Amerling, the national publicity coordinators of Choose Life, Inc., to Austin this week. On Friday, they toured the Capitol with Dr. Joe Pojman and TAL staff members.

The Amerlings and TAL staff ran into LyAnna Johnson, aide to state Rep. John Smithee (R-Amarillo), inside the Capitol.

Help Spread the Word!

The Choose Life Texas Tour kicks off tomorrow with a strategy meeting at Casa Chapala in Austin, but even if you’re unable to make it to one of the tour events, you can still help promote the Choose Life license plate legislation with the promotional downloads available at www.TXChoose-Life.org.

The support of Texas citizens is especially urgent in the months leading up to the next regular session of the Texas Legislature, which is scheduled to begin in January (it is held every two years). During this session, a bill to create the Choose Life license plate will be presented—and, we hope, passed.

Now is the time to contact your elected officials. Believe it or not, a handwritten or typed letter, email, or phone call to your state senator or house representative can have a huge influence. Texas Alliance for Life provides all the tools you need, including contact information and sample letters, at www.TXChoose-Life.org.