Roundup: One Bill Struck Down, Four Rise in Its Place

Much like a hydra that grows back two heads for every one removed, Oklahoma begins pushing a spate of anti-abortion laws to replace the ones ruled unconstitutional.

Victory over the ruling that the Oklahoma multi topic abortion bill was unconstitutional appears to be short lived.  State legislators have now begun the task of dividing both previously unimplemented abortion bills into multiple separate bills, each of which has now passed through committee.

In other action, the panel passed four separate abortion measures that previously had been declared unconstitutional because they had been combined in one bill.

Bills must deal with only one subject.

The panel passed HB 3290 by Rep. Skye McNiel, R-Bristow. It would require a doctor to be in the room when the abortion pill RU486 is administered.

The panel also passed HB 2780 by Rep. Lisa Billy, R-Lindsay, which would require women who seek an abortion to have an ultrasound and have its contents explained to them.

Rep. Ryan Kiesel, D-Seminole, said the Legislature should focus on preventing unintended pregnancies rather than bringing further disgrace and shame to women facing the most difficult decision of their lives.

Billy responded: “This bill is about choice for women. It is an opportunity for her to understand what is growing inside of her and the consequences.”

The panel passed HB 3110 by Rep. Pam Peterson, R-Tulsa, which would allow health-care providers who object to abortion not to participate in the procedure.

Peterson’s other abortion bill, HB 3284, also passed.

It would require women who seek abortions to provide a host of information about themselves to be posted on a public Web site.

The four bills now through committee are a broken down combination of previously unconstitutional multi topic bills.  The ultrasound, RU486 and conscience clauses came from one earlier 2008 bill, and the statistical reporting act is derived from the bill declared unconstitutional last week.

Still not reintroduced is a bill regarding abortion for gender of the fetus, although it is expected to be in the works.

Perhaps the only thing really shocking about the laws being sent back through so quickly is that lawmakers didn’t take more advantage of being in the limelight by spreading them out a bit, according to Tulsa World.

The judge’s action means Oklahoma lawmakers will now have multiple opportunities to preen and posture for the voters — all without accomplishing anything useful.

Oklahoma County District Judge Daniel Owens last week ruled that the new law, which would have banned abortions based on gender, violated the state’s rule that legislation address a single subject.

Owens noted that the gender-selection ban took up only two paragraphs of the entire bill, which also included requirements that doctors obtain extensive personal information from patients for placement on a state-sponsored Web site. Names would not be revealed but opponents still believe women could be identifiable.

The ban on gender-based abortions is unnecessary. Even lawmakers who pushed the bill admitted they didn’t know of any cases of abortions being performed here based on gender. But, hey, this was a great way to get some headlines and trumpet a candidate’s moral superiority at election time.

The reporting section of the bill similarly gave lawmakers the opportunity to lovingly insist they’re only looking out for the welfare of women. With lots more data on why abortions are sought, they insisted, they could take steps to prevent them.

But what they really want is to make abortion more difficult to obtain, to harass and intimidate women contemplating the decision, and to engage in political grandstanding. Now that a judge has ruled the measure in question had too many elements, the politicians can have a heyday passing separate new bills containing those elements.

Nothing of much value will have been accomplished, but of course that’s not the objective, is it?

The reporting of abortion act is expected to cost the state $250,000 to implement, according to some reports.  Legislators are also claiming that the data compiled will not give away the identity of the woman pursuing an abortion.

Rep. Ryan Kiesel, D-Seminole,
who voted against all four measures, questioned the cost of
implementing the report. Last year’s bill said it would cost more than
$250,000.

Rep. Pam Peterson, R-Tulsa,
the author of the bill, said a cost estimate still is being prepared.
It’s possible, she said, a private firm may be contracted to do the
work, which would be cheaper. Hospitals often use a private firm to
handle records.

She told Kiesel that only data would be on the report.

"There is absolutely no way anyone could find out the identities of these women,” she said.

Of course, once you fill out a form that can list among other things where you work, if you were assaulted, who you may have filed a police report with, and how many children you have, it may become much easier to narrow it down.

 

February 23, 2010

New
figures show teen births hit a record low in California
Los Angeles Times

GOP
Voters Weigh in on Abortion Sonograms

33 KDAF-TV

Atlanta’s
pro-life billboard uproar
The Week Magazine

Protest
at Hollins supports Planned Parenthood

WSLS.com

Philippine
bishops call for sacking over condoms

AFP

How
to end the abortion dilemma
Capital FM

Family
planning
bill moves forward with slight bipartisan support
Iowa Independent

Divorce
bills fail to pass committee, while individual
abortion bills approved
Tulsa World

Abortion
regulations pass through Senate committee
Columbia Missourian

Secret
probe exposes
abortion
racket
Independent
Online

Four
anti-
abortion
measures receive Oklahoma House panel’s approval
NewsOK.com

Ill
will for slain Mich. activist as trial nears
Washington Post

New abortion
bills expected
Tulsa
World

Public
backing for TV adverts for
unplanned pregnancy services
OnMedica

 

February 22, 2010

‘Conscience’
bill prompts much debate
The Spokesman Review

Souder
Speaks At Right To Life Forum In Warsaw
Times-Union Newspaper

Bill
to change sex education dead on arrival
Salt Lake Tribune

Obesity
linked to poor fertility
BBC News

Utah
Legislature: One sex ed bill goes down, others in the wings
Deseret News

Sex
education ‘U-turn’ set to be debated by ministers
BBC News

Concerns
Growing Over Cuts to
Family Planning Services, Teen Clinics
California Healthline

‘Pro
lifers trying to stop women having sex life’ – claim
Derry Today

When
it comes to Latina teen pregnancies, California’s doing something right
Latina Lista

Obama
neglects
pro-life
language in proposed health reform

Spero News

Pro-Life
Group Unhappy With New Health Reform Proposal
TPMDC

Pro-Abortion
Catholics Defend Vatican Archbishop from
Pro-life Critics
Lifesite

President’s
health care proposal comes up short for
pro-life leaders
Catholic News Agency

Idaho
Senate Passes Bill to Protect Conscience Rights of
Pro-Life Medical Workers
LifeNews.com

Trial
Starts Tuesday for Michigan Man Accused of Killing
Pro-Life Advocate
LifeNews.com

Over
3200 Names Submitted in Support of ‘Censored’ Canadian
Pro-Life Ad
Lifesite

Coital
conservatism ended before
birth control pill arrived, says researcher
University of Florida

Lawmaker
says disabled kids punishment for previous abortions
Examiner.com

KRMG
Local News Judge rules Oklahoma
abortion law unconstitutional
KRMG

Christian
Leaders Rally to De-Fund
Abortion Provider
Christian Broadcasting Network

Obama
No Longer Evangelical Left Messiah?

Christian News Wire

Harry
Reid Promises Democrats Will Push Through Pro-
Abortion Health Care Bill
LifeNews.com

White
House Releases Health Care Plan
New York Times

Obama
Unveils Health Care Plan, Violates Pledge by Keeping
Abortion
Funding
LifeNews.com

Abortion
enters GAMC funding debate
Minnesota Independent

Pro-Life
Groups Blast Obama for Funding
Abortions in His Health Care Plan
LifeNews.com

Unsafe
abortion
continue to harm maternal mortality

Ghana News Agency

Ill
will for slain Mich. anti-
abortion activist as trial nears
Lansing State Journal

Panel
OKs
Abortion
‘Conscience’ Bill
The
Spokesman Review

Senate
Health Bill Would Become Even More Expansively Pro-
Abortion If Modified
Christian News Wire

Virginia
State Delegate: Disabled Children A ‘Vengeance’ From Nature For
Abortion
TPM LiveWire

Back
to
abortion
Politico

Obama
Presents a Health Care Plan But
Abortion Issue Remains Unsettled
Newsweek

Obama’s
health care plan likely to dominate the week
USA Today

Anti-Abortion
Group Opposes Increased Oversight of Premiums
New York Times

Vatican
official dismisses calls for resignation
Washington Post

Va.
Lawmaker: Disabled Kids are God’s Punishment for
Abortion

CBS News

Judge
Strikes Down Oklahoma’s ‘Unconstitutional’ Ban on Sex-Selective
Abortion
Lifesite

Del.
Marshall says
abortion
remark misconstrued, apologizes
Washington Post

SC
lawmakers OK state health plan
abortion ban
The Times and Democrat

Budget
proposal would end state
abortion coverage
WPDE

Obama’s
latest plan provides more perks for
abortion industry
Kansas Liberty

Chances
for foreign
adoptions
plunge
Detroit
Free Press

Catholic
agency ends foster,
adoption services in District of Columbia
The Catholic Review