Lawmakers in several states are expected to debate legislation related to abortion rights in the coming months. Summaries of recent developments appear below.
Neb. Bill Proposed To Restrict Telemedicine
State Sen. Tony Fulton introduced a bill (LB 521) that seeks to block Nebraska abortion providers from duplicating a Planned Parenthood of the Heartland program that uses a telemedicine system to provide medication abortion drugs to women in remote areas, the Omaha World-Herald reports.
Planned Parenthood of the Heartland, based in Des Moines, Iowa, plans to oppose the bill (Stoddard/Hammel, Omaha World-Herald, 1/19).
N.H. Parental Notification Legislation Resurfaces
Republicans in the New Hampshire Legislature believe they have enough votes to pass legislation that would require parental notification before minors obtain abortions, the AP/Boston Globe reports. Although a similar law was repealed in 2007 after a court challenge, supporters say the addition of an exception for the woman's health will ensure that the new measure is constitutional.
A federal judge in late 2003 declared the original law unconstitutional, but it remained on the books unenforced until Democratic Gov. John Lynch repealed it. At the time, Lynch said that parents should be involved in minors' abortion decisions but that the law failed to protect women's health and safety and thus was unconstitutional.
In an interview last month, Lynch said he is "pro-choice" but is "not going to prejudge" legislation before he sees it (Love, AP/Boston Globe, 1/16).
Ohio House To Consider Ban on Abortion Later in Pregnancy
A bill (HB 7) introduced in the Ohio House would prohibit abortion after 24 weeks' gestation in all cases and after 22 weeks if a test determines that the fetus is "viable," the Columbus Dispatch reports.
The bill includes an exception for physical health risks but not for "conditions related to the woman's mental health." The measure is the only legislation sponsored by a Democrat -- state Rep. Lorraine Fende -- that is included on the Republican leadership's priority list, according to the Dispatch.
The bill is poised to become the state's "first serious attempt" to revive a similar abortion ban that the U.S. Court of Appeals for the 6th Circuit rejected in 1997, the Dispatch reports. If the bill is approved, Ohio would become the 39th state to implement some type of restriction on abortion later in pregnancy.
Kellie Copeland, executive director for NARAL Pro-Choice Ohio, said the legislation's wording on health exceptions "marks a serious threat to women's health." She added that the bill would outlaw abortion during weeks when serious complications can occur or fetal abnormalities might be detected (Siegel, Columbus Dispatch, 1/17).
Reprinted with kind permission from nationalpartnership. You can view the entire Daily Women's Health Policy Report, search the archives, or sign up for email delivery here. The Daily Women's Health Policy Report is a free service of the National Partnership for Women & Families.
© 2010 National Partnership for Women & Families. All rights reserved.