CHARLESTON, W.Va. — Churches across West Virginia will be part of an event from the Family Policy Council of West Virginia later this year. “Illuminate Sunday” is scheduled for October 6.
“We want ‘Illuminate Sunday’ to be a time to remember those lives that have been lost to the abortion industry,” said Jeremy Dys. “We can’t change past decisions, but we can pray for the myriad families who are now permanently scarred by the abortion industry of the state.”
On Monday’s MetroNews “Talkline,” Dys said “Illuminate Sunday” is the next stage of the Illuminate Campaign which Dys described as an effort “to ensure the abortion industry in West Virginia is operating safely.”
He said he is justified in calling abortion providers the “abortion industry.” “The abortion industry here doesn’t provide reproductive health care for free, so it’s certainly an industry here that needs to be regulated so we’re going to look at all forms of it,” he said.
Dys’ group submitted ten pages of proposed regulations to state Attorney General Patrick Morrisey during a public comment period that closed last week on how West Virginia health care provisions providing abortions operate.
Morrisey has said he is on a “fact finding mission” to determine how the law in West Virginia addresses abortion facilities since, he said, he could find no state agency that specifically inspects clinics or facilities where abortions are performed.
West Virginia Free Executive Director Margaret Chapman-Pomponio has said such actions are not needed. She and hundreds of others are expected to be part of a “Stand With West Virginia Women Rally” at the State Capitol on Tuesday at 12 p.m.