State Committees Advance Bills To Require Reporting Of Abortion Data, Ultrasounds

Main Category: Abortion
Also Included In: MRI / PET / Ultrasound
Article Date: 20 Feb 2009 - 4:00 PDT

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The following summarizes recent news coverage of abortion-related legislation in Oklahoma and Kentucky.

~ Oklahoma: In a 20-2 vote on Tuesday, a state House committee approved a bill (H.B. 1595) that would prohibit physicians from performing an abortion solely on the basis of the gender of the fetus and require physicians to report certain information about abortions to the state, the AP/Tulsa World reports. State Rep. Dan Sullivan (R), the author of the bill, said the legislation is intended to stop couples from obtaining abortions because of the gender of a fetus, although he added that there is no evidence that this practice has occurred in the state. A physician would be prohibited from performing an abortion if a woman specifically said the gender of the fetus was the reason for the abortion, according to Sullivan. Sullivan also said that the reporting provision of the bill would provide people in the state with detailed information about abortions that are performed. Under the bill, the state Health Department would issue regulations stipulating what information physicians must report. In addition, the department would publish annual abortion reports on its Web site and ensure compliance with the law through periodic visits to places where abortions are performed. The forms for reporting would be available on the department's Web site, and physicians would be notified of the reporting requirements. The bill now goes to the full House (Talley, AP/Tulsa World, 2/17).

~ Kentucky: The state Senate Veterans, Military Affairs and Public Protection Committee on Monday approved a bill (S.B. 79) that would require a woman seeking an abortion to meet with the physician and undergo an ultrasound before the procedure, the AP/Lexington Herald-Leader reports. The legislation would require physicians or technicians to perform an ultrasound and explain the image while presenting it to the woman, who would be permitted not to view it, according to the AP/Herald-Leader. Supporters of the measure say it would provide more information to women seeking abortions, while opponents say it would increase burdens to obtaining the procedure (AP/Lexington Herald Leader, 2/17).

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