2015 Event Pope Francis continues Catholic reforms by changing the marriage annulment process to make it faster and less expensive; earlier this month, the pope also declared that priests may forgive the sin of abortion during next year's Year of Mercy 2014 Event The 2011 abortion rate reportedly is at its lowest in 30 years; the rate of 16.9 abortions per thousand women of childbearing age was 19.4 per thousand in 2008, and 29.3 per thousand in 1981 2013 Event Texas State Senator Wendy Davis, famous for her 11-hour filibuster against restricting abortion rights, announces she will run for either the Texas State Senate seat or for Governor of Texas 2012 Event The Dutch non-profit organization's Women on Waves abortion rights activist ship, which provides abortions and related medical services to women from countries with restrictive abortion laws, was blocked from entering Morocco's port of Smir 2011 Event A bill banning the abortion of a fetus more than 20 weeks old passes in the Idaho House of Representatives 2011 Event In South Dakota, Governor Dennis Daugaard signs an abortion bill that requires women to undertake counseling and wait 72 hours, the longest period in the U.S. 2006 Death Karin Struck, author, wrote women's literature, politically liberal, openly opposes abortion, converted to Catholicism, 1996 dies 1994 Death Garson Romalis, abortion doctor, killed (no arrests) 1994 Death John Bayard Britton, abortion doctor, killed by Paul Hill 1993 Event George Tiller, abortion doctor, shot in his arms by Rachelle Shannon 1993 Death David Gunn, abortion doctor, killed by Michael Griffin at 47 1991 Event Pope John Paul II compares abortion with nazi murders 1991 Event U.S. Supreme Court bars subsidized clinics from discussing abortion 1983 Event Supreme Court struck down state and local restrictions on abortion 1980 Event Dutch 2nd Chamber accepts minister Van Agts abortion laws 1979 Event Supreme Court strikes down (6-3) Pennsylvania law requiring doctors performing an abortion to try to preserve lives of potentially viable fetuses 1978 Event Italy legalizes abortion 1977 Event Italy legalizes abortion 1976 Event Dutch 1st Chamber condemns Dutch Liberal/social dem abortion laws 1976 Event 2nd Chamber recognizes Dutch Liberals/social democratic abortion law 1975 Event Italy broadens abortion law 1969 Event Abortion and contraception legalized in Canada 1947 Birthday Karin Struck, born in Germany, author, wrote women's literature, politically liberal, openly opposes abortion, converted to Catholicism, 1996 1935 Event Iceland becomes 1st country to legalize abortion
