As a woman, a nurse and a Republican, House District 30 state Rep. Esther Helton-Haynes, R-East Ridge, is where the rubber meets the road in today’s culture.
She believes in the sanctity of life but understands the sticky wicket of a state abortion near-ban.
“Being pro-life is more than being anti-abortion,” Helton-Haynes says.
For instance, she wants to work on an exception to the abortion law for fatal fetal anomalies — defects that usually cause death in the first days or weeks after birth, a provision stripped out of a 2023 bill. She also wants to look closely at bills suggesting abortion exceptions for rape and incest.
Further, Helton-Haynes says it is important to protect in-vitro fertilization, which some have said should be outlawed, and to allow more access to voluntary, long-term birth control.