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Jessica Warner

2025 Conference Sponsorship Registration Form

Thank you for your interest in exhibiting at the Heartbeat Annual Conference! By participating in one of the largest pregnancy help conferences in the world, you expand your reach to equip those on the frontlines of pregnancy help. It is because of our Sponsors, Exhibitors, and Marketing Partners that we can keep training costs low for those working directly with women so they can be as effective as possible within their ministries.

Before registering below, please be certain to review our Exhibitor Terms and Conditions as you will be asked to acknowledge them before submitting your form.

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Relate Care Clinic's Stories

Relate Care Clinic

Grand Forks, ND

Relate Care Clinic is a faith-based, non-profit organization in Grand Forks, North Dakota. Located on the North Dakota/Minnesota border, we serve men, women, and families from both states. Our Registered Nurses provide pregnancy testing, ultrasounds, abortion pill reversal, community referrals, and STI/STD testing and treatment at no cost to our clients.  Relate Care also provides prenatal and parent education classes through our Earn While You Learn mentorship program.  We strive to provide a safe, confidential, pressure-free environment where our clients feel validated, supported, and empowered.

Watch the stories of the lives impacted by Relate Care Clinic below!

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Align Pregnancy Services' Story

Align Pregnancy Services

Lancaster, Lebanon, Columbia, and Ephrata, PA

Align Pregnancy Services offers free ultrasounds and pregnancy tests, prenatal and parenting education, material assistance, options education, and post-abortion support. We serve approximately 300 clients each month in Lebanon & Lancaster counties (Pennsylvania).  Align is passionate about sharing the gospel and the love of Christ with our clients. We are honored to serve our local communities and to support men & women facing unintended pregnancies – speaking the truth of God’s Word and providing support to walk with them in their current season of life.

Watch a story of one of the lives impacted by Align Pregnancy Services below!

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Pregnancy Help Stories by State

The stories below represent just a small glimpse into the impact of pregnancy help organizations throughout the nation. Many are stories of women who overcame challenges through the help of the pregnancy help movement by receiving support and care, and in some cases, even a roof over their heads. Pregnancy centers and maternity homes save lives every day through their services!

You can find a pregnancy center in your area simply by putting in your city and state or zip code in Option Line's center locater tool here!

To find out more about the pregnancy help network in your state, along with key contacts, just select your state on the map here!

Alabama

Arizona

Arkansas

California

Colorado

Connecticut

Florida

Indiana

Iowa

Kansas

Kentucky

Louisiana

Maryland

Michigan

New Jersey

New York

North Carolina

North Dakota

Ohio

South Carolina

Tennessee

Texas

Virginia

Washington

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Red Flags in Constitutional Amendments

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Red Flags

As we watch the pro-abortion strategy to enshrine abortion into law in Ohio, we can learn what to watch for as we move forward into the 2024 election season. Their overly broad language is intentionally crafted to appear benign; while in reality, its impact will undo decades of work and even the most basic of protections for women and their unborn babies.

Terms such as "health," "individual," "burden," and "miscarriage care" should be red flags to us whenever we see them in upcoming constitutional amendments regarding "reproductive freedom." If we compare the pro-abortion talking points to the pro-life responses on Ohio's Issue 1, we can see where each of these phrases is used to obscure the true intent of allowing abortion up and through all nine months of pregnancy.

Limits on Abortion

  • Pro-Abortion – “...abortion may be prohibited after fetal viability. But in no case may such an abortion be prohibited if in the professional judgment of the pregnant patient’s treating physician it is necessary to protect the pregnant patient’s life or health.”1
  • Pro-Life – “In U.S. law, “health” includes age or physical, emotional, or psychological well-being. This means a woman’s age or emotional health could be cited to justify aborting a full-term baby. An abortion-providing physician would decide when a baby could survive outside the womb, leaving no clear protections for preborn children."2

The amendment states that “abortion may be prohibited after fetal viability” but the treating physician, which would likely be the abortionist, can perform the abortion if it is “necessary to protect the pregnant patient’s life or health.” The term “health” has been legally determined to mean not just physical, but also emotional, psychological, financial, and so much more. This gives any abortionist who is being paid for the abortion the freedom to perform the abortion up and through the ninth month of pregnancy as long as they believe it is best for the woman.

Bottom line, this amendment seeks to strike down every limit on abortion in Ohio law and prevent lawmakers from passing any new protections.

Parental Rights

  • Pro-Abortion – “Ohio law requires young people to get parental consent before getting an abortion or any medical procedure, and Issue 1 does not change that.”3
  • Pro-Life – “The initiative's language uses the legal term "individual," which does not differentiate between adults and minors. An "individual" legally refers to citizens of all ages—nullifying parents' rights to stop their children from making harmful decisions."4

The amendment was written with intentionally broad language. The term “individual” legally refers to people of all ages, and therefore if the amendment were to be passed, parental notification laws in Ohio would be struck down.

Furthermore, the amendment states that the State "shall not, directly or indirectly, burden, penalize, prohibit, interfere with, or discriminate against…a person or entity that assists an individual exercising this right.” This would protect those who may be coercing a woman into an abortion, or even attempting to cover up sexual assault of a minor.

Health and Safety Standards

  • Pro-Abortion – The amendment summary states the State "shall not, directly or indirectly, burden, penalize, prohibit, interfere with, or discriminate against either an individual’s voluntary exercise of this right or a person or entity that assists an individual exercising this right…”5
  • Pro-Life – “Health and safety standards in Ohio could be eliminated. Doctors could no longer need to examine a woman or explain the risks of the abortion procedure ahead of time."6 And current Ohio laws "require abortion providers to explain procedure risks and ensure access to hospital transfer if needed. These health and safety standards could be seen as a “burden” and be eliminated, making it even less safe for women seeking an abortion.”7

Due to the overly broad language that the State "shall not, directly or indirectly, burden, penalize, prohibit, interfere with, or discriminate against…a person or entity that assists an individual exercising this right,” it is highly likely that current state health and safety standards, like transfer agreements, will be struck down by the courts if this amendment were to pass. In the past, the standard of "undue burden" set by the Supreme Court in Planned Parenthood vs. Casey was often used to limit the protections put in place by states. The courts would weigh if the laws were overly burdensome to women seeking abortions. However, with this amendment, they have removed the word "undue, " meaning that they could strike down any law that hinders a woman from seeking an abortion, even if they are there for her safety.

Miscarriage Care

  • Pro-Abortion – Miscarriage care is included in the amendment as one of the protected “reproductive decisions.”8
  • Pro-Life – “The passing or failure of Issue 1 will have no effect on the care a pregnant woman receives when her life is in danger, even if the treatment results in the loss of life of her unborn child. There is a fundamental difference between an elective abortion and the care provided after a miscarriage or for ectopic pregnancies. Women can always receive lifesaving treatment, including in Catholic hospitals. No law restricts this care in Ohio or any other state in the country."9

The inclusion of “miscarriage care” in the list of protected “reproductive decisions” in the amendment is intended to further promulgate the lie that abortion bans also restrict women from accessing miscarriage care or treatment for ectopic pregnancies. No law regulating or banning abortion has ever restricted access to miscarriage treatment or lifesaving measures. The pro-abortion activists hope that by insinuating that miscarriage care might be limited, they can scare voters into passing their amendment out of fear.

By educating ourselves on the actual effects of these constitutional amendments, we can better educate our friends and supporters who are being bombarded with misinformation. Terms like "health," "individual," "burden," and "miscarriage care" should raise red flags for anyone concerned about the protection of the unborn and the wellbeing of women. As we can see, the proposed amendment in Ohio seeks to eliminate every limit on abortion, infringe upon parental rights, compromise health and safety standards, and spread misinformation about the accessibility of miscarriage care. By staying informed and countering misinformation, we can ensure that our democratic processes uphold the values and protections we hold dear as we head into the 2024 election season.

Additional Resources

 

1 https://ohioansunitedforreproductiverights.win/wp-content/uploads/2023/07/OURR-Amendment.pdf
2 https://www.ohiocathconf.org/Portals/1/Protect%20Them%20Both/Campaign%20Materials/Where%20Does%20It%20Say%20That_English.pdf
3 https://ohiofamiliesdecide.com/?gclid=Cj0KCQjw7JOpBhCfARIsAL3bobfufIeLFXFzFw8AXYPndBt4krjJOqy5bFdPEPBYUt7wzqtsBZbLJa0aAv-PEALw_wcB
4 https://ohiolife.org/wp-content/uploads/2023/08/ballot-initiative-talking-points-FINAL-8.5-%C3%97-11-in-3-1.pdf
5 https://ohioansunitedforreproductiverights.win/wp-content/uploads/2023/07/OURR-Amendment.pdf
6 https://www.ohiocathconf.org/Portals/1/Protect%20Them%20Both/FAQ%20on%20Issue%201_English%20and%20Spanish_9.23.pdf
7 https://www.ohiocathconf.org/Portals/1/Protect%20Them%20Both/Campaign%20Materials/Where%20Does%20It%20Say%20That_English.pdf
8 https://ohioansunitedforreproductiverights.win/wp-content/uploads/2023/07/OURR-Amendment.pdf
9 https://www.ohiocathconf.org/Portals/1/Protect%20Them%20Both/FAQ%20on%20Issue%201_English%20and%20Spanish_9.23.pdf

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Sponsorship Opportunities

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We have several sponsorship options from which to choose which allow for maximum engagement with conference attendees. All Sponsorship Levels include pre-conference, conference, and post-conference marketing for your organization. You can view the Sponsorship Levels and see all the perks of being a conference sponsor by reviewing the options below.

By partnering with Heartbeat International as a sponsor, you join the largest pregnancy help conference in the world, support the pro-life mission, and strengthen relationships of those within the pregnancy help movement.

2024 Sponsorship Options

Download Sponsorship Opportunities PDF

 

Hyatt Regency Salt Lake City
170 South West Temple,
Salt Lake City, Utah
United States, 84101

Room Block Information coming soon.

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Opposition Strategy

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Opposition Strategy

The overturning of Roe was a fantastic victory for the pro-life movement, a turning point in the fight to protect life. Many of us were excited to turn our focus to our states to pass legislation protecting preborn babies. However, we are now seeing a concerning trend where pro-abortion activists are attempting to accomplish locally what they failed to do federally, place the "right" to abortion into the constitution.

These efforts began in abortion-friendly states like California and Vermont in 2021, but now, traditionally pro-life states are being targeted. Ohio is one of the first, with Issue 1 on the ballot for November 2023, and there could be up to six state initiatives of this kind in 2024.

By amending state constitutions, pro-abortion groups can bypass pro-life majority state legislatures that would never support removing all protections for women and allowing abortion through all nine months of pregnancy. Using ballot initiatives, they can write incredibly broad language that is misleading to voters. Big Abortion hides behind the ambiguity and statements of "reproductive freedom" in an attempt to obscure the true impacts of the amendments.

In Ohio, for example, the amendment states that:

"Every individual has a right to make and carry out one’s own reproductive decisions..."

The authors intentionally use the term "individual" to ensure that the amendment applies to minors and will remove all laws regarding parental notification.

The proposed amendment also states:

"Abortion may be prohibited after fetal viability. But in no case may such an abortion be prohibited if in the professional judgment of the pregnant patient’s treating physician it is necessary to protect the pregnant patient’s life or health."

While this may at first seem like Ohio would be able to pass a law prohibiting abortions after viability, the addition of the word "health" allows the physician to perform an abortion for essentially any reason. They could easily claim that the abortion was necessary for the betterment of her mental health. (The full text of the proposed amendment can be found here.)

Another issue with this strategy is that the process of reversing constitutional amendments is difficult and highly costly. In 2022, the campaigns for and against Michigan's Proposal 3, the Right to Reproductive Freedom Initiative, spent over 68 million dollars. The pro-abortion groups won after spending almost 48 million dollars, and the pro-life advocates spent just over 21 million. Campaigns of this magnitude cannot be run year after year, and pro-abortion groups understand this. They know if they can pass one amendment, it will likely prevent that state from restricting abortion in any way for many years to come, and the pro-life majority legislatures can do nothing to change that.

Constitutional amendments are an extreme way to change laws in a state. In fact, many states do not allow for these citizen-initiated constitutional amendments. Of the 50 states, there are only 18 in which citizens can gather signatures to place an amendment onto the ballot. Many of these states require only a 50% +1 majority for these amendments to pass, while others require the ballot measure to receive at least 60%. With this in mind, pro-abortion activists are targeting otherwise pro-life states like Missouri, South Dakota, and Ohio, because they believe they can get a simple majority of voters to go along with their ambiguous amendments.

To overcome these attacks on life, it is important that we fully understand the new battleground that has developed post-Roe. The fight has shifted back to each individual state, but we must also keep in mind the bigger picture and understand what attacks are on the horizon. Big Abortion is not satisfied with just ensuring California and New York are sanctuaries for abortion; they want every state to enshrine abortion as a "right" in their constitution. Because of this, we must also continue our work of pushing back against the lies that tell women they are not capable of being a mother. Whether you live in a Life State or an Abortion State, you are uniquely positioned to speak the truth and champion life!

 

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Action Steps

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As non-profits and 501(c)(3) organizations, it can be confusing to understand what you are allowed and not allowed to do when it comes to elections. While this confusion can make it easier to sit on the sidelines, these issues are too important to leave in the hands of others. You know firsthand how abortion harms women. You are the expert on what women truly need to be able to succeed and choose life for their babies! This November it is far too vital that you speak up for life.

The good news is that non-profits are allowed to be engaged in advocacy for constitutional amendments! The IRS states that a 501(c)(3) may participate in political activities as long as they constitute an insubstantial part of the overall expenditures. An insubstantial amount is generally considered 5 to 15 percent of a 501(c)(3)’s funds, although the IRS does not provide a specific definition. For an in-depth breakdown of the guidelines, you can read the "Guidelines for Political Activities of Not-For-Profit Organizations". Listed on pages 8 and 9 is a comprehensive list of approved activities.

Below are a few key ways that you and your organization can get involved in the election and advocate for life!

Register to Vote

First and foremost, make sure that you are registered to vote! Your vote is critical in November and future lives depend on it. Please take time now to make sure that you are registered to vote here!

After that, make sure that your supporters are registered as well! In newsletters and emails, you can remind those who support your mission that their involvement in the election matters. 

Check your Voting Deadlines

With the rise in early and absentee voting, it is even more important for you to be aware of your state's election deadlines! You can find your state's information here, and ensure that you are educating your audiences before they head to the polls.

Join or Create Your State's Pregnancy Help Coalition

Now it is more important than ever to connect with like-minded pregnancy help organizations. By joining together with pregnancy help organizations in your state, you can better collaborate and understand the issues facing your communities. We are stronger together! Find the coalitions in your state here.

Connect with Local Pro-Life Groups

As elections arise in your state, groups like your local Right to Life and Family Research Council will be great resources to equip you with talking points and educational tools. You can find your local Family Research Council here, and your state's Right to Life group here!

Educate Your Supporters

Now that you are registered, understand the deadlines, and have partnered with other pro-life groups, it is time to communicate with your supporters and make sure that they understand what is at stake in the upcoming election! Don't assume that because they support your organization, they will vote to protect life. They may not be politically engaged, or they may not understand the true ramifications of these constitutional amendments. It is important that you use your voice to help them make sense of all the noise, especially as an organization that they trust when it comes to supporting women and their babies.

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State Amendments

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Constitutional amendments are an extreme way to change laws in a state. In fact, many states do not allow for these citizen-initiated constitutional amendments. Of the 50 states, there are only 18 in which citizens can gather signatures to place an amendment onto the ballot. Many of these states require only a 50% +1 majority for these amendments to pass, while others require the ballot measure to receive at least 60%. With this in mind, pro-abortion activists are targeting otherwise pro-life states like Missouri, South Dakota, and Ohio, because they believe they can get a simple majority of voters to go along with their ambiguous amendments.

Over the next year, we are likely to see close to 10 different abortion-related constitutional amendments. These range from Ohio's initiative that would remove all abortion restrictions, to Iowa's which would ensure that there is no right to abortion in their constitution. You can find the details for each of these upcoming ballot initiatives below. As the coalitions to support or counter these amendments form, we will be adding more information so that you can stay informed. You can also find a full list of the upcoming issues on Ballotpedia here.

On the Ballot in 2023

OHIO

The "Ohio Issue 1, Right to Make Reproductive Decisions Including Abortion Initiative" would greenlight abortion all the way up to birth by giving abortionists the final say on what’s allowed. This issue is intentionally written to be vague and broad so that it will stop the state legislature from creating any restrictions on abortion and other "reproductive decisions" for both adults and children.

The local pro-life groups have come together to form Protect Women Ohio to counter the pro-abortion amendment. Check out and download their talking points here!

Read more about the ballot proposal from National Review.

On the Ballot in 2024

MARYLAND

Maryland Right to Reproductive Freedom Amendment

NEW YORK

New York Equal Protection of Law Amendment

Proposed for 2024

ARIZONA

Arizona Abortion Access Act Amendment

FLORIDA

Florida Prohibit Laws Restricting Abortion Initiative

IOWA

Iowa No State Constitutional Right to Abortion Amendment

MISSOURI

Missouri Right to Reproductive Freedom Amendment

NEBRASKA

Nebraska Prohibit Abortion Procedures and Drugs Initiative

PENNSYLVANIA

Pennsylvania No State Constitutional Right to Abortion Amendment

SOUTH DAKOTA

South Dakota Right to Abortion Amendment

 

Past Ballot Initiatives

CALIFORNIA: California Proposition 1, Right to Reproductive Freedom Amendment – Passed

KANSAS: Kansas No State Constitutional Right to Abortion and Legislative Power to Regulate Abortion Amendment – Failed

KENTUCKY: Kentucky Constitutional Amendment 2, No Right to Abortion in Constitution Amendment – Failed

MICHIGAN: Michigan Proposal 3, Right to Reproductive Freedom Initiative – Passed

MONTANA: Montana LR-131, Medical Care Requirements for Born-Alive Infants Measure – Failed

VERMONT: Vermont Proposal 5, Right to Personal Reproductive Autonomy Amendment – Passed

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Why You Should Join Babies Go to Congress

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Did you also know that your center can greatly benefit from participating in Babies Go to Congress?

Here are just a few ways that your center can benefit:

1. Local and National Media Exposure

Babies Go to Congress is an excellent way for you to utilize local and national media to tout the good work that your ministry is doing in your community. We all know the constant attacks on pregnancy help centers that are being released from mainstream media, but no reporter can argue with a woman's real-life story of finding help and support at your center.

2. Media/Event Training

While participating in Babies Go to Congress you will receive training that is vital when talking to the media. Heartbeat will train you in developing talking points that will keep you on target when speaking to friendly or unfriendly media outlets. Through this training you will also be empowered to return home and have your own "Babies Go to Congress" event in your state capitol or city.

3. Donor Relations

What donor doesn't enjoy giving to a specific project? Participating in Babies Go to Congress is not free. But it does open a golden opportunity for you to engage your donors in the lead-up to a major event that will make a major impact on a national level.

4. Pictures and Videos

Your center will have access and rights to the high-quality images and videos captured at Babies Go to Congress. Many centers have found these images to be very useful for events, banquets, and donor relations pieces.

5. The March for Life

Have you ever participated in the national March for Life? If not, this is an opportunity you do not want to miss! The March for Life is the largest gathering of pro-life people in the country. It is a powerful event that will energize and inspire you and your group. You will go home wanting to share this experience with everyone you know and make plans to attend next year!

 

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