ARTICLES

Local Mormon Emerges As Pro-Life Leader In Sacramento

_{THWARTED AS ASSEMBLY BUDGET CHAIRMAN BY WILSONITES}

By Lesley Payne

Bruce Thompson, first-term assemblyman from the 66th district (Temecula, Rancho California, Fallbrook) has taken up legislative leadership on the abortion issue, raising pro-lifers' hopes for trimming Governor Pete Wilson's massive abortion budget.

Thompson, a 43-year-old Mormon businessman and father of eight, interviewed March 6, says he considered education reform his biggest campaign issue, but when he arrived in Sacramento and found the pro-life movement in disarray (and leadership on education reform spearheaded by El Cajon Assemblyman Steve Baldwin), he took up abortion. Because of his conservative district Thompson can act without fear of constituent complaints.

Under Thompson's leadership, six assembly Republicans attempted to block passage of last year's budget. Thompson and his colleague State Senator Ray Haynes will move to block the abortion-tainted budget this year, trying to convince the Republican assembly majority (most describe themselves as pro-life) to vote with them. Since budget passage requires a two-thirds vote, a pro-life minority of one third would be able to block the budget, forcing Wilson to submit another budget without abortion money. Says a pro-life lobbyist who works with Thompson, "We shouldn't talk in terms of, 'Can pro-lifers take away abortion funding,' as though it were a given, but instead, 'If the other side wants abortion funding, they have to come up with a two-thirds majority to support it.'"

"What I'm asking," says Thompson, "is to eliminate state funding of abortion. I'd also like to see the Office of Family Planning be completely eliminated. Now, I don't think there are the votes to do those two things within the budget committee, but that is my goal, and that's what I'm asking the budget committee to do." Chances of success? "This year, I don't know that there'll be more than six [voting against the budget]. I would like to say there would be 10 or 15. That way, we could definitely get some movement on the budget from the Governor. But it's an uphill battle."

Wilson's 1996-97 budget includes an additional $20 million for abortions and abortion-related services (raised from $75 million to $95 million). Although Wilson stated he had "cut" the Office of Family Planning, he created new offices to provide abortion services, including programs for teens and for women who earn too much money to qualify for Medi-Cal abortions. As the fallout over the assembly speakership fight settled, Thompson was in line for chair of the assembly budget committee, but he notes that in mid-January, when he started talking openly about fighting abortion funding again this year, another member was chosen for the position (Republican Gary Miller representing the La Habra-Whitter area).

Thompson says many Assembly Republicans said they would have supported his efforts if he had started earlier in the budget process. Taking that advice, Thompson labored over the summer to organize California Pro-Life Legislators. Forty-two assembly members and senators joined the group. Thompson was elected chairman. Steve Baldwin and Ray Haynes serve as vice-chairs. Thompson notes that certain Republicans are advising him not to "rock the boat" because this is an election year and, "seats will be in jeopardy if you do." Says Thompson, "So, they'll hit us on every angle they possibly can, and that's the angle for this year -- that it's an election year."

While Thompson believes pro-life representatives could block passage of a budget containing abortion funding, he is less optimistic using the legislative process to curtail abortion, since California courts will overturn laws restricting abortion as a violation of "privacy rights." (Wilson's stream of pro-abort judicial appointees, including the most recent State Supreme Court Justice, Ming Chin, helps perpetuate this.)

Thompson is working with pro-life groups to put together an initiative for the 1998 primary ballot. If the State Supreme Court overturns the 1987 parental consent law (which reached the court for a ruling this February), Thompson says the initiative may deal with parental consent. Other possible approaches would be an initiative to end public funding
of abortion or to enact informed consent laws. Thompson admits the fight will be difficult, since any initiative will have to avoid being struck down by the courts. In addition, he says, "The abortion community will spend millions and millions of dollars to defeat it."

Under Thompson's leadership, diverse pro-life organizations have been brought into a coalition. The California Catholic Conference, previously unpredictable with regard to abortion, has gotten behind Thompson's projects. Thompson considers Catholics key to winning the abortion battle in California (although he points out that nearly all Catholic Democrats in the legislature are pro-choice). In March, he spearheaded a resolution commemorating the spiritual and moral influence of the Catholic Church in California history, perhaps his way of encouraging Catholics to apply their beliefs to community life and help fight abortion in California.