Jakubczyk on Life

Arizona governor signs pro-life legislation

Arizona governor Jan Brewer signed three bills today that each address the abortion issue. Each bill addressed some aspect of the abortion issue, primarily providing additional protections to women contemplating a procedure that once was a felony before the 1973 U.S. Supreme Court decision in Roe v. Wade that legalized abortion for the entire nine months of a woman’s pregnancy.

The three bills passed by strong majorities in the state legislature require women be informed of the risks of an abortion the doctor performing the abortion. Further the woman is given 24 hours to insure that the decision is made without any coercion. The bill also strengthens the parental consent provisions and protects the rights of conscience of health care workers.

The governor also signed a state ban on the partial birth abortion procedure. This statute is consistent with the federal ban that was upheld by the U.S. Supreme Court.

The third bill prevents anyone other than a physician from performing an abortion. This legislation became necessary after the Arizona Board of Nursing in an extreme form of bravado decided that performing abortions was within the nurse practitioners scope and practice. This decision followed the so-called investigation of a nurse practitioner Mary Andrews who was employed by Planned Parenthood performing abortions in Tucson. The Nursing Board gave cover to Planned Parenthood in failing to admonish her or Planned Parenthood in any way and then dismissing the complaint.

The actions of the governor were in stark contrast to the last eight years of former governor Janet Napolitano whose extreme pro-abortion record resulted in vetoes of various versions of the bills just signed into law.

Arizona Right to Life and the entire pro-life community thank the governor for signing the three pieces of legislation.

AZRTL also commends the diligent efforts of Cathi Herrod of the Center of Arizona Policy and Ron Johnson of the Arizona Catholic Conference in obtaining passage of these bills during a most unusual legislative session.

posted by Jakubczyk on Life @ 12:57 AM