New Abortion Bill 'Unconscionable,' West Hollywood Mayor Says

WEST HOLLYWOOD, CA – The City of West Hollywood condemns approval of a bill in the United States House of Representatives, the Pain-Capable Unborn Child Protection Act, that proposes to restrict a woman’s right to a safe abortion by making it a crime for any person to perform or attempt to perform an abortion after 20 weeks post-fertilization, the City of West Hollywood said in a press release.

The House passed the bill on Tuesday, Oct. 3 by a vote of 237 to 189. The White House said in a statement released on Monday, Oct. 2 that the Administration strongly supports the legislation, the press release said. West Hollywood Mayor John Heilman called the vote "unconscionable."

“This proposed legislation would severely restrict a woman’s right to choose. With this vote, the GOP and the Trump Administration are continuing to take aim at women’s fundamental rights," Heilman said in a statement. "We must work harder than ever to protect the rights established in Roe v. Wade, which include a woman’s right to a safe and legal abortion.”

If enacted, the bill called HR 36 would further restrict abortion rights, nationwide, and would amend the federal criminal code to make it a crime for any person to perform or attempt to perform an abortion if the probable post-fertilization age of the fetus is 20 weeks or more, the press release said. The bill provides exceptions for an abortion only when it is necessary to save the life of the pregnant woman, or when the pregnancy is the result of rape or incest.

For more information, please contact Hernan Molina, the City of West Hollywood’s Governmental Affairs Liaison, at (323) 848-6364 or at hmolina@weho.org. For people who are deaf or hearing impaired, please call TTY (323) 848-6496.

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