W.Va. Panel Sends Ultrasound Abortion Bill to Full House
March 11, 2010 — The West Virginia House Judiciary Committee on Wednesday approved a bill (HB 4517), including two new amendments, that would alter an existing state abortion law by requiring that providers offer women a chance to view an ultrasound before an abortion, the Charleston Daily Mail reports (Rivard, Charleston Daily Mail, 3/11). The requirement would only apply in cases in which the provider has determined that an ultrasound is medically necessary. The bill now proceeds to the full House (AP/Charleston Gazette, 3/11).
The bill would add to a law, which was approved several years ago, that requires abortion providers to notify a woman at least one day before an abortion that she could be eligible for public assistance, that the father is liable to help support the child and that she has the right to review printed materials about fetal development (Charleston Daily Mail, 3/11). Abortion providers also must offer patients information on pregnancy, prenatal care, risks of abortion and alternatives to the procedure. In most cases, providers are permitted to provide that information by telephone (Women's Health Policy Report, 3/10).
On Wednesday, the committee amended the bill to eliminate criminal penalties in the existing law for physicians who violate its requirements. Physicians could still be reprimanded by the state's medical licensing board.
Abortion-rights advocates had fought for the removal of the sanctions. Margaret Chapman Pomponio -- executive director of West Virginia FREE, an abortion-rights group -- said that despite the amendment, the bill "continues the state's interference in private medical decisions." She added, "The penalties were pretty hard fought at that point, so, frankly, I was surprised the [antiabortion] lobby agreed to that amendment."
The committee also approved an amendment that would require women to sign a form stating that they have been informed of the option to view the ultrasound image (Charleston Daily Mail, 3/11).
The information contained in this publication reflects media coverage of women’s health issues and does not necessarily reflect the views of the National Partnership for Women & Families.
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