Georgia Bill Would Allow Women to See Ultrasound Before Abortion 
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by Steven Ertelt
LifeNews.com Editor
February 7, 2007
Atlanta, GA (LifeNews.com) — Georgia lawmakers feuded amongst themselves during a hearing in a state House committee over a bill that would require abortion practitioners to show women considering an abortion an ultrasound beforehand. As a result, only one member of the public was able to testify on the bill.
The House Judiciary Committee held a hearing on House Bill 147, sponsored by Rep. James Mills, a Republican from Gainesville.
Mills said the bill was helpful to women contemplating an abortion because abortion facilities normally don’t allow women to see an ultrasound. When they see them at a pregnancy center they frequently decide to carry the baby to term.
"I’m doing this because I think people need to be aware of all of the facts before they make a critical decision," Mills said, according to the Atlanta Journal Constitution.
However, a debate ensued after Rep. Nikki Randall, a Macon Democrat, bashed Mills for proposing the legislation.
"It’s insulting to think that they [women] don’t have all of the right information. Believe it or not, we know what’s going on with us. We live with it," she said, according to the newspaper.
Mills countered that men are involved in the abortion decision because they caused the pregnancy in the first place.
"It really disturbs me that you would make a statement that says an abortion does not affect a male," Mills said. "Pregnancy does not occur by itself."
The bill is the highest legislative priority for Georgia Right to Life for the session.
"This bill requires that an ultrasound be performed on each unborn child before an abortion," the pro-life group says on its web site.
"The mother would be offered an opportunity to view the ultrasound image of her unborn child. If the abortion facility does not have ultrasound equipment, the woman may be referred to a hospital or other facility that has the equipment," GRTL explains.
The committee did not take a vote on the bill and did not say when a vote or a meeting to complete the hearing would be scheduled.
Related web sites:
Georgia Right to Life – https://www.grtl.org
Georgia legislature – https://www.legis.state.ga.us
