Wyoming State House Narrowly Defeats Abortion Information Proposal 
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by Steven Ertelt
LifeNews.com Editor
February 2, 2007
Cheyenne, WY (LifeNews.com) — The Wyoming state House narrowly defeated a bill that would have provided women considering an abortion with information about its risks and alternatives. The bill failed to pass on its first vote in the chamber after pro-abortion groups and the state medical society claimed it would interfere with the doctor-patient relationship.
The House Judiciary Committee approved HB 144 on a close 5-4 vote last week, which marked the first time in six years the measure made it to the full state House for a vote.
The full House wound up voting the bill down on a 32-28 vote with a good portion of the Republican members joining with all the Democrats to defeat it.
Rep. Bob Brechtel, a Casper Republican, was the prime sponsor of the measure, which also would give women contemplating an abortion information about the development of their baby and a list of places across the state that could help them find better solutions.
Brechtel told the House the bill was an important protection for women because abortion is one medical procedure where they routinely do not get informed consent.
He pointed the members to testimony given during the committee by several courageous women, including two who previously had abortions. They told committee members how they did not receive adequate information about the abortion beforehand.
Others affiliated with local pregnancy centers told the committee how they regularly counsel women considering an abortion who are not aware of their options or the development of their child.
Right to Life of Wyoming strongly supported HB 144 but was upset that the Wyoming Medical Society actively lobbied against it, even thought its members would not be affected by the bill.
"Though doctors and physicians in our state do a great job of informing patients about risks when it comes to other medical procedures, abortion is the lone procedure where many women are left in the dark," RTLW president Steven Ertelt said after the vote.
"Today’s vote tells the women of Wyoming ‘the state legislature doesn’t think you should know about abortion’s dangers or other options,’" he added.
Related web sites:
Right to Life of Wyoming – https://www.prolifewyoming.com
