Oklahoma governor vetoes abortion bills

[kpete]

Source: UPI International

OKLAHOMA CITY, April 24 (UPI) -- Oklahoma Gov. Brad Henry said he vetoed a bill that would require women to go through ultrasound examinations before abortions to avoid a court fight.

Henry Friday also vetoed a measure that would have banned wrongful birth lawsuits, The Oklahoman reported Saturday. Such suits are brought by parents of children born with Down's syndrome and other congenital problems that were not diagnosed during pregnancy.

Henry, a Democrat, said the first bill was likely to involve the state in expensive litigation. He also described the bill as too sweeping because there are no exceptions for victims of rape or incest.

"State policymakers should never mandate that a citizen be forced to undergo any medical procedure against his or her will, especially when such a procedure could cause physical or mental trauma," Henry said.

Read more: http://www.upi.com/Top_News/US/2010/04/24/Oklahoma-governor-vetoes-abortion-bills/UPI-52291272118116/

[KingFlorez]

1. What awful bills, it's good that Oklahoma has a sensible governor

A child being born with Down's Syndrome is wrongful birth? That sends a terrible message.

[napi21]

3. I've hear of these suits before. They aren't aimed at the child, but at the Dr.

who SHOULD HAVE KNOWN there was a problem. This type of suit is the reason a lot of obstetricians moved out of some States. Anything that was wrong with the newborn SHOULD HAVE BEEN KNOWN by the Dr's long before birth.

[TheMadMonk]

35. It's more than just what they should have known.

It also encompasses failure to disclose (until too late) information which might lead a mother to terminate.

This nearly happened to my brother's ex. The fetus had no kidneys, which results in little or no amniotic fluid. As a result the lungs are unable to develop.

Fortunately the Ethic's Board waived the state mandated 22 week cutoff or she would have been forced to carry the baby to term, only to have it die, unable to take its first breath.

[edwinmathews]

16. Wrongful

Birth ?

[ShadowLiberal]

19. Indeed, the combination of those 2 bills just sounds like an awful idea

Anyone else think it's an awful idea to pass a bill to make it much harder for women to get an abortion, while at the same passing a bill to make doctors liable for basically not giving abortions to women pregnant with down syndrome kids? I mean seriously, what kind of a moron would send BOTH bills to the governor's desk at once and not see the problem?

[AlbertCat]

28. while at the same passing a bill to make doctors liable

Hello! Read it again!

He vetoed a BAN on "wrongful birth".




The doctor can only tell the women about the problem. SHE makes the decision.... right? Your concern and outrage is misplaced.

Read more slowly.... and then think about it. :eyes:

[AlbertCat]

27. That sends a terrible message.

You did notice the governor vetoed a bill that BANNED "wrongful birth" law suites, right? And it's not about the baby (you're right, it is terrible nomenclature!) it's about doctors who fail to diagnose things they should be able to before the birth. I'm glad he vetoed the ban on such things.

[meowomon]

36. It is about a doctor misdiagnosing and yes, it can be a wrongful birth.

As much as we'd all like to believe that all people with Down's syndrome just have some mental challenges, the syndrome can also produce a person who has a multitude of problems like a seizure disorder, celiac disease, heart problems and other physical manifestations of the genetic disorder. Yes, most people with Down's syndrome are functional and live long healthy productive lives. But some are physically very challenged and need 24 hour nursing care from birth.

I'm a nurse who has worked with this disability and it can be very physically devastating for some and in my humble opinion, it is wrong to put a gastric tube in a human just to maintain a body with no function other than to breath, digest and shit.

And ultimately, it is a choice and the woman needs to make an informed decision. This is about negligence of a health care professional.

[Name removed]

39. Deleted message

Message removed by moderator. Click here to review the message board rules.

[TheDebbieDee]

2. Well, what do you know............

A Democratic Governor who is not afraid to govern like a Democrat in a red state!

[Dont_Bogart_the_Pretzel]

45. +1

[SPedigrees]

4. A pity that Arizona does not have

a governor with similar ethics and willingness to veto wrongful legislation.

[Robeysays]

8. we did until she got tapped to be the Sec of HS.

[Bette Noir]

9. My thoughts exactly.

[teknomanzer]

31. Jan Brewer is apparently trying for Evan Meecham's infamy...

BOYCOTT THE FASCIST STATE OF ARIZONA!

[pleah]

5. K&R

[Paladin]

6. An Outbreak Of Sanity and Principle In Oklahoma.

Kudos to Gov. Henry for this.

[bamacrat]

7. Oklahoma where the brain come rushing down the plains.

Glad to see that some in this neck of the country have some principles.

[a la izquierda]

44. it's too bad he's leaving office this year...

we'll probably get psycho Mary Fallin. ugh.

[Bette Noir]

10. Good on him.

[greiner3]

11. Maybe their US senators;

Will drop dead because of this happening; I wish.

[alp227]

12. Thank you Gov. Henry for standing up for women's rights and kicking stupidity down the sewer.

Hmm, I wonder how the state that has kooky politicians like Tom Coburn and Sally Kern and borders the state whose board of education teaches revisionist, uber-patriotic US history elect a nice Democratic governor.

[DesertDiamond]

13. Thank you, Governor!!!

[BlueIris]

14. What's this...some SANITY from the state of my birth?

For once, I am somewhat proud to have been born there.

[nolabear]

15. Thank you Governor Henry!

Some much needed good news in a frigging crazy world.

[feslen]

17. good for this governor!

hooray for someone with good heart and sense.

[proteus_lives]

18. A good decision!

:thumbsup:

[47of74]

20. Dear Governor Henry, I would like to offer my personal thumbs up

[saulmart]

21. The Reddest State in the Country, Where NOT ONE DISTRICT Went for Obama

Whoulda thunk it??? Kudos, Henry!

[Solly Mack]

22. k/r

[ccharles000]

23. thanks brad

[Wednesdays]

24. Excellent for Gov. Henry...but, you can count on a backlash

This place is overrun with teabaggers. And 2010 is election year for a new guv here. :scared:

[yellerpup]

25. They currently have 11 votes to sustain a veto but

they need 13. Not quite out of the woods yet.

[Eg-ptiangirl]

26. You are still talking about abortion?

Enough is enough, if a woman wants to keep the baby fine if she doesn't also fine it is between her and God,cause it is just so weird to force someone to have a baby from her own body!!

You are a civilized and very progressive country you should know by now that every group will stick to his beliefs and move on.
Don't go on and on about the same subject cause it is related to religion, like we do here in this area or you will lose your freedom in all aspects step by step.

[Hekate]

38. One problem we have with certain issues is that we have 50 States...

... and in many subjects they are each allowed to make their own laws-- and when it comes to very contentious issues, some State legislatures try to exceed limitations. Each region of the country is somewhat different from the others in how they view the world.

It is very complicated, and I don't have the energy to try to explain it, but eventually you will encounter DUers who will be happy to go on at length about the differences between State and Federal governments.

Welcome to DU.

Hekate

[NewJeffCT]

43. Welcome to DU

We're not always that progressive a country - especially in certain areas.

[Lithos]

29. I would like to trade him for our Governor

This guy, while likely conservative to some degree, is at least consistent in his beliefs, pragmatic and sensible.

L-

[craigmatic]

30. this guy sounds like a profile in courage. I hope he still has a political future after this. nt

[defendandprotect]

32. Good news . . . and hope it remains defeated!!

[Union Yes]

33. knr. Good move by Ok's Gov! nt

[ooglymoogly]

34. May Karma or whatever bless this Governor.

What is astounding, is that Oklahoma has a Democratic governor.

[Hekate]

37. Bless the man for his uncommon sense. Oklahoma's women dodged a bullet this time. nt

[Democat]

40. "States should never mandate that a citizen be forced to undergo a medical procedure!"

That is plain simple English that even the teabaggers could agree with.

Not sure about this guy in general, but he explains his rationale in a very easy to understand and hard to argue with way.

Too bad all Democrats can't speak more clearly on important issues.

[ehrnst]

41. Ah, the "tyranny" of balance of powers...

So glad cooler heads prevailed on this.

[Mad_Dem_X]

42. Good news. n/t

[peaches2003]

46. Can someone explain something, please......

Why is there are exception made by the anti-abortion crowd making the abortion of fetuses conceived by rape or incest ok? If abortion is the murder of a 'child' at any stage of development, why isn't it murder no matter how the 'child' was conceived? Why the exception? Hypocrites.