By Dave Andrusko
Seems like only yesterday…it practically WAS only yesterday… that we were writing about state legislation. National Public Radio (NPR), which is not exactly a pro-life stalwart, headlined a story Wednesday, “Abortion Debate Likely To Heat Up In 2012.” And indeed it will, and already has.
NPR’s Kathy Lohr reported on some of what was discussed at a press conference National Right to Life held the day of the March for Life in Washington. And NRLC did indeed emphasize passage of the Pain-Capable Unborn Child Protection Act, which five states already have on their books.
“No serious challenge, no serious legal challenge, has been mounted to any of these state laws to date,” said NRLC Director of State Legislation Mary Spaulding Balch. “And we know that these laws work.” This is a reference to Nebraska abortionist LeRoy Carhart who fled the state when the law passed in 2010.
At the federal level Congressman Trent Franks, with strong support from the National Right to Life Committee, introduced the District of Columbia Pain-Capable Unborn Child Protection Act. “Enactment of the D.C. Pain-Capable Unborn Child Protection Act will be a top legislative priority for National Right to Life during 2012,” said NRLC Federal Legislative Director Douglas Johnson. “The capital city of the United States should not also be the capital for causing torment to unborn babies in the sixth month and later.”
The first 2012 state attempt was a setback, but one that can be rectified. Virginia’s Pain-Capable Unborn Child Protection Act stalled in committee when the Senate Health & Education Committee dead-locked 7-7 with one abstention.
“We still are very hopeful we can pass the legislation this year,” said Olivia Gans, president of the Virginia Society for Human life(VSHL). “The House version of the bill, HB 1285 is still in Committee and we believe, with enough grass-roots activity, will pass the House.” Once this takes place the measure would go back to the Senate for consideration.
“VSHL has always known that passing this vital legislation would be very difficult,” Gans said. “We are going to keep fighting for this legislation that will prevent the abortions of children capable of feeling pain until it is enacted into law in Virginia.”
The Virginia Senate did pass an informed consent measure on Wednesday that requires women to have an ultrasound prior to an abortion. It is widely anticipated that the state House will approve the bill and pro-life Gov. Bob McDonnell will sign the bill into law.
Elsewhere, in Indiana the state Senate passed a bill to protect women against so-called “webcam” abortions in which the abortionist is not physically present when a woman ingests a chemical abortifacient. Under the bill, the abortionist must be present, provide written information about the risks of RU486 abortions (there had been at least 14 deaths associated with use of the abortifacient RU486 and its companion pill, misoprostol), and a follow-up ultrasound must be scheduled two weeks later to be sure no parts of the baby remain in the woman.
A bill to address webcam abortions is wending its way through the legislative process in Missouri. “This bill would seek to protect women by placing reasonable regulations and giving women basic information before using an abortion-inducing drug,” bill sponsor Rep. Andrew Koenig said, according to the local St. Louis CBS affiliate.
The abortionist would need to be present and a prescription would be required 24 hours before administration of the drug by a licensed physician in a hospital or abortion facility. Naturally PPFA opposed, denying that the measure had anything to do with protecting women’s health.
On the other hand, the real reason PPFA wants webcam abortions came out. “According to Planned Parenthood, they adopted telemedicine to increase clinical availability in rural areas,” reported stlouis.cbslocal.com.
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