Contact: Suzanne Ward, Georgia Right to Life, 770-891-8320

NORCROSS, Ga., March 1, 2013 /Christian Newswire/ -- Georgia Right to Life today called on Georgia's General Assembly to give voters the opportunity to grant personhood status to all innocent human life from the earliest stages of development until natural death.

"Personhood is the human rights issue of the 21st century," said Dan Becker, GRTL president. "The majority of Georgians are pro-life. It's time for the legislature to give them the chance to express that opinion."

Senate Resolution 420, filed by Senator Barry Loudermilk, R-Cassville, would authorize placing the proposed amendment to the state constitution on the November, 2014 general election ballot.

If the legislature passes Senator Loudermilk's bill, it would then have to adopt enabling legislation next year spelling out the details of how the amendment would be implemented.

The proposed amendment recognizes the God-given right to life for the most vulnerable: pre-born children, the physically and mentally challenged, the infirm and the elderly.

"At least 55 million children have been killed since 1973, including 1.5 million in Georgia. A society that claims compassion for the innocent can no longer tolerate this slaughter," Becker said.

The amendment with accompanying legislation would protect the life of the mother, permit the use of contraceptives that are not intended to cause an abortion, as well as in vitro practices that don't destroy excess embryos.

Such an amendment would also allow doctors to provide women with all life-saving procedures. Women would not be criminalized for an involuntary miscarriage.