Ark., Ariz., N.C. Lawmakers Advance Legislation To Restrict Abortion Access

March 28, 2011 — The Arkansas Public Health and Safety Committee on Thursday advanced a bill (HB 1855) that would require facilities that provide medication abortion to at least 10 women per month to be licensed by the state Health Department, the AP/KATV reports.

Opponents of the bill, sponsored by state Rep. Butch Wilkins (D), said it would lead to unnecessary cost increases for Planned Parenthood clinics in Little Rock and Fayetteville. Robert Brech, an attorney at the health department, said the agency would have to write regulations because the bill does not specify what the rules would be (AP/KATV, 3/24).

Arizona House Passes Ban on Abortions Performed Due to Race, Gender

The Arizona House on Wednesday voted 35-20 to approve a bill (HB 2443) that would make it a felony for health professionals to provide abortion care if they suspect a woman is seeking the service because of the race or gender of the fetus, Reuters reports. Women seeking abortion care would not face penalties. The state Senate approved the bill 21-5 last week. Gov. Jan Brewer (R) has not indicated if she intends to sign the measure into law.

If it is signed into law, the bill would be the first of its kind in the U.S. Opponents say that there is no evidence of race- or gender-based abortions in the state or U.S. (Schwartz, Reuters, 3/24).

NC House Passes Fetal Protection Bill

The North Carolina House on Thursday voted 74-35 to approve a bill (HB 215) that would create separate criminal offenses for injury or death to a fetus at any stage of development, even if the woman and others did not know she was pregnant, the AP/News Observer reports. The bill would not apply to legal abortions.

If enacted, the bill, sponsored by state Rep. Dale Folwell (R), would negate an existing state law that allows additional criminal charges for the death of a fetus only if the attacker knew the woman was pregnant. Opponents said repealing the law promotes an ideological view that life begins at conception. The measure now moves to the state Senate (Dalesio, AP/News Observer, 3/24).