Fla. House Panel Approves Bill on Failed Abortions
April 5, 2013 — The Florida House Judiciary Committee on Wednesday approved a bill (HB 1129) that would permit misdemeanor charges if a person does not provide or seek medical care for an infant born after a failed abortion, the AP/Atlanta Journal-Constitution reports.
The measure also would allow misdemeanor charges for failing to report such incidents to state health authorities. The crimes would be punishable by up to one year in jail, a $1,000 fine or both.
Failed abortions resulting in live births are extremely rare, but providing care for the infant in such cases would be standard medical and ethical procedure, according to Planned Parenthood. The group originally opposed the bill because it included language that would have stripped parental rights from the woman in such situations, but the provision was removed (Schreiner, AP/Atlanta Journal-Constitution, 4/4).
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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.
