Ala. Senate Holds Public Meeting on 'Personhood' Bill
May 4, 2012 — The Alabama Senate Health Committee on Wednesday held a public hearing on a bill introduced by Sen. Phil Williams (R) that would define personhood as beginning at "the moment of fertilization and implantation in the womb," Alabama Live reports.
Opponents of the bill said it could restrict birth control and in vitro fertilization. Atlee Breland, founder of Parents Against Personhood, said the bill's language is vague and "leaves a huge question for doctors and patients about how a judge might interpret this."
Williams said he believe the implantation language would protect IVF services. Sen. Linda Coleman (D) suggested making the bill a referendum to give voters the final decision (Chandler, Alabama Live, 5/2).
AT-A-GLANCE
Issues
State by State
ABOUT REPRO WATCH
Repro Health Watch — an exciting new edition of the Women’s Health Policy Report — compiles and distributes media coverage of proposed and enacted state laws and ballot initiatives affecting women's access to comprehensive reproductive health care, as well as litigation in response to those provisions.
