Arizona State Senate Committee Approves Right to Know Abortion Bill
by Steven Ertelt
LifeNews.com Editor
January 21, 2004
Phoenix, AZ (LifeNews.com) — A legislative panel of the Arizona state Senate overwhelmingly approved a pro-life bill yesterday that would require abortion facilities to give information to women considering an abortion about abortion’s risks and alternatives at least 24 hours before performing one.
The Judiciary Committee approved the bill on a 7-2 vote. Following a legal review, it will go to the full Senate for a vote.
Shane Wikfors, executive director of Arizona Right to Life, told LifeNews.com that people on both sides of the abortion debate were surprised to see Sen. Richard Miranda (D) vote in favor of the bill.
Miranda "typically votes against pro-life legislation" Wikfors said, and he "surprised both pro-life advocates and pro-abortion advocates by voting in favor."
The pro-life legislation has failed in the state legislature before, but pro-life advocates hope the conviction of one Arizona abortion practitioner, John Biskind, for killing a woman and the jailing of another, Brian Finkel, for sexually abusing women will increase the chances of success.
Pro-life groups say the bill would give women they are entitled to — medical and fetal development information abortion facilities frequently deny them.
Abortion advocates oppose the bill saying it puts up additional barriers for women trying to obtain abortions.
If the Senate approves the bill, it will likely be vetoed by pro-abortion Governor Janet Napolitano.
"At this point, it looks promising to see this legislation make it through both houses of the legislature but we’re not going to take each voted for granted. We’ll have to deal with the strong-arm tactics of Governor Napolitano but we intend to go on the offensive," Wikfors said.
Related web sites:
Arizona Right to Life – https://www.azrtl.org
