Arizona State Senate Approves Pro-Life Right to Know Bill
by Steven Ertelt
LifeNews.com Editor
February 13, 2004
Phoenix, AZ (LifeNews.com) — The Arizona state Senate on Thursday approved a pro-life bill that would require abortion practitioners to provide women with information about abortion risks and alternatives at least 24 hours prior to performing an abortion.
Senators approved SB 1077 on a voice vote without any debate, as pro-abortion lawmakers acknowledged they did not have the votes to defeat the legislation. They are counting on pro-abortion Gov. Janet Napolitano to veto the legislation.
Napolitano said when she ran for governor that she would veto such legislation and, although she hasn’t commented on the bill, she is expected to kill it. A spokesman said she was unaware of Napolitano changing her position.
Sen. Linda Binder (R-Lake Havasu City), who opposes the bill, says that neither the state House or Senate has enough votes to override Napolitano’s veto.
However, Cathi Herrod, of the pro-life group Center for Arizona Policy, said pro-life advocates are ready to begin contacting the governor and urging her to sign the legislation.
"We know informed consent legislation works. It’s time for Arizona to join the 30 other states which have enacted this legislation and reduced their abortion rates," Shane Wikfors, the director of Arizona Right to Life, told LifeNews.com.
Similar laws in other states have significantly reduced abortions and a recent Harvard-MIT study found that such laws were the most successful pro-life laws in driving down abortion rates.
The vote was the first time the state Senate had approved the legislation eight years of trying.
Pro-life advocates are thankful for the actions of Senate President Ken Bennett. He pulled the bill from a committee that notoriously votes against pro-life legislation and put it in one that approved the pro-life measure overwhelmingly.
The state House Judiciary Committee voted 7-5 in favor of the legislation last week.
Marge Mead, representing the National Organization for Women and the American Association of University Women told state lawmakers that the bill is more of an attempt to stop abortion than it is to help women. She accused pro-life advocates and the bill sponsors of not caring about women’s health.
Some say Napolitano is a possible vice-presidential running mate selection for pro-abortion Massachusetts senator John Kerry, the likely Democratic nominee against President Bush.
Related web sites:
Arizona Right to Life – https://www.azrtl.org
