As Florida economy crumbles the religious right files ultrasound bill again.

madfloridian

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Fri Mar-27-09 11:58 PM
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As Florida economy crumbles the religious right files ultrasound bill again.

This time it is for women in the first trimester. Never mind the fact that doctors are supposed to prescribe such tests. There is already a law that women must have an ultrasound before an abortion in the 2nd trimester. Now they want to carry it further. It is a form of harassment of women, and it takes away the rights of doctors as well.

Bill On Abortion Ultrasound Requirement Is Back

TALLAHASSEE - Lawmakers are plunging back into the contentious debate over whether the state should compel ultrasounds for women seeking abortions.

The bill, which comes this year from Rep. Anitere Flores and Sen. Andy Gardiner, sparked some of the most emotional discussion of the 2008 legislative session, ultimately passing the House but falling short in the Senate.

This year's bill closely resembles last year's version and would require abortion clinics to perform ultrasounds for women seeking an abortion in the first trimester. Abortion doctors would have to show and explain the ultrasound to the women unless they signed a form declining the option.

Florida requires doctors who terminate pregnancies in the second trimester to do an ultrasound, but they do not have to review them with the patient.

Here's the really ugly part. A woman will have to PROVE she was raped or PROVE it was incest to be exempt from this law. That is punishing the victim.

The bill has several exceptions, including if women can prove they have a medical condition necessitating the abortion or their pregnancy resulted from rape, incest, domestic violence or human trafficking.

That doesn't satisfy the Florida Coalition Against Domestic Violence, which told members of a House health care panel that a majority of rape and incest victims do not report the crime to authorities.

They pulled the same thing in April of last year. It prompted a scathing cartoon from Chan Lowe.

With all the serious problems this state has, the Republican-dominated legislature always manages to find the time to address this subject in an election year. Gay marriage, in recent years, has become another reliable vote-getter. It's one of those amazing natural phenomena that the fate of the unborn and the sanctity of heterosexual marriage never seem to be under threat in years that end with odd numbers.
From the Sun Sentinel

Ultrasound bill from last year

Getting to be a habit.

TALLAHASSEE (FBW) � The Senate Health Regulation Committee approved legislation requiring ultrasounds prior to an abortion on a largely party-line, 4-3 vote April 8, with one Democrat supporting the bill and one Republican in opposition.

Sponsored by Sen. Daniel Webster (R-Winter Garden), a member of First Baptist Church of Central Florida in Orlando, a similar bill, HB 257, was approved by the Florida House of Representatives on April 2.

�Now, if you�re afraid of the facts or afraid of the truth than you�re going to hide that. I don�t want to hide it; I want it to be available,� Webster said of ultrasounds that vividly show the growing life in the womb.

Noting that Florida�s informed consent law already requires ultrasounds be performed on pregnant women and girls seeking abortions in the second and third trimester, Webster rhetorically asked, �what�s the difference between the last six months and the first three? It�s just a matter of where that fetus in the development is. And this is an opportunity to see first hand. � This is better information than a piece of paper.�

That quote is from the Florida Baptist Witness, the official newsletter of the Florida Republicans.

Women in Florida may soon have to have an ultrasound before they can get an abortion. It is already nearly impossible here with all the restrictions. Now in addition to the ultrasound, rape victims must have proof of their assault if they want to forego the ultrasound.