Left Side of the Aisle #52 - Part 2

Outrage of the Week: Arizona inanity

For Outrage of the Week this week, we go back to one of the usual suspects: Arizona.

Last month, I told you about a bill in the Arizona legislature that would empower doctors to deliberately lie to pregnant patients in order to not release information that they think might cause that woman to have an abortion. They could do this without fear of a malpractice suit. Even if the child was born with birth defects or a disability, you would be banned from suing for malpractice on behalf of the child.

Well, the Arizona legislature passed that bit of crap on the afternoon of April 10. That same afternoon, they also passed a bill to prohibit abortions after the 18th week of pregnancy. That is the strictest limit in the nation and was done by redefining the definition of when pregnancy starts to the first day of the woman's last menstrual period, rather than two weeks after. (Which, technically, means they are measuring the start of pregnancy from before the woman is pregnant.) This bill is clearly in violation of Roe v. Wade not only because it outlaws abortions prior to fetal viability but also because it lacks adequate exceptions for protecting health of mother.

That same afternoon, they also passed a bill that requires schools teach students that in case of an unwanted pregnancy, the acceptable choices are giving birth and keeping the child or giving birth and giving it up for adoption. In other words, schools are being required to teach students that they must never, ever have an abortion.

The state of Arizona is the Outrage of the Week.

Sources:
http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2012/04/10/az-abortion-bills-arizona-gestational-age_n_1415715.html