Abortion Debate Devolves to the States
The abortion issue is no longer a national debate. This is not to say that legalized abortion, pro or con, is not on the conscience of every thinking American. But, of late, abortion has become much more of a state-to-state issue, with significant battles being fought and won by both sides at the state level.
On May 5th Governor Rick Scott(R) of Florida received on his desk a stack of bills which would regulate or limit legal abortions to one degree or another. And it looks as though he is ready to sign them into law.
The first is a bill, sponsored by State Sen. Alan Hays, requiring parental notification for any minor girl seeking an abortion. Though similar "parental notification" laws have been passed in other states, they often allow for the minor to obtain a waiver for parental notification from an appeals court judge. The Florida bill creates an addition hurdle, and likely deterrent, in the process by allowing waivers only from circuit court judges, who ordinarily hear cases which are more local. This impedes the ability of a young woman to "shop" for a sympathetic judge outside of her jurisdiction.
The next bill passed, which was sponsored by Florida State Sen. Rhonda Storms, requires that women seeking an abortion are offered ultrasound pictures of their unborn baby so they may have a clear description of the size and characteristics of that child. It does not force the woman to submit to an pre-abortion ultrasound, but it must offered as a legally mandated protocol.
The third bill, which received final approval from the Florida House of Representatives, prohibits medical insurance plans within the state from offering coverage for abortions. This law would nullify the portion of the new federal health care law which offers tax-payer funded abortion coverage.
Continued on the next page
Follow Technorati