Cross-posted at My Left Wing, BlueSunbelt
Word out of Tallahassee Saturday night is that the Florida State House passed a bill putting requirements on women seeking an abortion in Florida.
Not being of the female persuasion I really don’t know what to think about the bill. At cursory glance, it certainly does seem to inhibit an already complicated and vexing decision-making process facing women today -- as in making them wait longer and subjecting them to what I assume to be provocative images used exclusively as a deterrent.
The ultrasound requirement just seems like it goes too far, like the government is using this restriction as a punitive measure; its only purpose to evoke feelings of guilt. The 24-hour waiting period, however inconvenient, in my opinion, is the lesser of the two-restrictions.
And, no that's not an endorsement of either requirement.
Anyway, I’ve said too much for my lack of insight into this issue. I’ll get to the story.
Some good news; it looks like this bill won’t get through the senate this year anyway.
From Saturday night’s Associated Press: (by way of Gainesville.com)
TALLAHASSEE - A woman seeking an abortion in Florida would have to wait 24 hours before going through with it under a bill passed Friday by the state House. The measure could also make it more likely that she would see an ultrasound image of the fetus before undergoing the procedure.
The House may be as far as that idea goes this year, however, with the waiting period and the effort to require more pre-abortion ultrasounds unlikely to be accepted by the Senate.
The bill, sponsored by Rep. Trey Traviesa, R-Orlando, would require abortion providers perform ultrasounds before almost all abortions, instead of just those in the second or third trimesters as required by current law.
I guess it’s good though that viewing the ultrasound images would be optional. Women who opt not to view them would be required to sign a waiver to that effect.
Bill HB-1497 passed 71-42 mostly along party lines with Republicans by and large in favor.
More from the Associated Press:
The 24-hour waiting period and ultrasound sections of the bill were tacked onto what had started out as a less controversial measure that was meant to help judges make decisions in cases in which a minor is seeking to have an abortion without notifying her parents.
Florida's parental notice law allows a girl to have an abortion without telling her parents by getting a judge to approve it. But judges have said it's a difficult decision they sometimes aren't equipped to make. Originally, the bill had only sought to assign special guardians in those cases to help judges determine what was in the best interest of the girl seeking the abortion.
House Republicans who oppose abortion added the waiting period and ultrasound requirements, saying there was nothing wrong with trying to make women think seriously before undergoing such a serious procedure.
Evidently, many Republicans pointed out the fact that the government requires waiting periods on a number of laws, so there is precedent – from carrying out a death penalty to buying a handgun to joining a health club. One lawmaker went so far as citing an obscure Florida that law allows a three-day grace period for buying a set of encyclopedias.
Somehow, I don’t get the last two-instances for a waiting period but again... that’s just me.
"It doesn't do anything to take away women's right to choose,'' said Rep. Kevin Ambler, R-Lutz. "What it does do is put in place a thoughtful and deliberative process to think it through.''
The proposal drew the ire of abortion rights supporters. Rep. Kelly Skidmore said it was insulting that those pushing the bill thought women wouldn't deliberate the decision on their own. "It suggests that I would be so cavalier in coming to the decision to terminate a pregnancy that I should go back home and think it over, as if I were out shopping and walked by a clinic and decided to pop in for an abortion,'' said Skidmore, D-Boca Raton. "What an outrage.''
The Senate hasn't considered either the waiting period or the ultrasound idea, and even backers of the proposal have acknowledged the bill is unlikely to pass the Senate, which is a generally more moderate body.
The article also points out that there’s a chance the Senate could still pass the bill just to add special guardians into the notification process.
Beyond that, both versions of the bill would need to be worked out in conference before becoming law.
I wish them all sound, thoughtful deliberation throughout the process.
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