Politics & Government
Anti-Abortion Bill Moves Forward In PA Legislature
A new bill that would outlaw abortions in Pennsylvania based on a Down syndrome diagnosis has passed in the state House of Representatives.
A new bill that would outlaw abortions in Pennsylvania based on a Down syndrome diagnosis has passed in the state House of Representatives.
House Bill 321 will now proceed to the Pennsylvania Senate. The proposed legislation would amend the existing Pennsylvania Abortion Control Act.
The legislation comes at a time when similar measures are being considered and drawing headlines in states around the country, especially the south. The strictest of such measures was passed into law in Alabama just this week. Abortion is now outlawed in all cases, even in cases of rape or incest, and the punishment could include extensive time in prison.
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The bill to amend the law in Pennsylvania passed the House by a vote of 115 to 80. While a comfortable margin, it's not a big enough gap to make the bill veto-proof, as supporters have noted. And Gov. Wolf has promised to veto any legislation which "puts a politician between a woman and her doctor."
Backers of the legislation in Pennsylvania insist it's about protecting children with disabilities.
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"I truly believe we have a responsibility to stand up for those who do not have a voice," State Rep. Kate Klunk (R-159), who co-sponsored the bill, said in an address to the legislature on Tuesday. "I believe we have a responsibility to stand up against the horrible practices of societal genetic engineering."
Opponents, including the ACLU of Pennsylvania and Planned Parenthood of Southeastern Pennsylvania, describe the bill as taking advantage of disability rights to advance an anti-abortion agenda.
"(This is) a blatant attack on women's bodily autonomy, as well as the doctor-patient relationship, and imposes significant undue burden on women seeking access to safe, legal reproductive healthcare," State Rep. Liz Hanbridge (D-61) said in a statement.
The bill in its current form remains a far cry from what was passed in Alabama and what's been proposed elsewhere. The bill would not punish women seeking abortions, according to Hanbridge, but only providers.
Discussions over the bill in the Pennsylvania Senate are expected to continue into next week.
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