Kentucky Senate: Women must view ultrasound pre-abortion

[cali]

by LeftyJackson

Tue Jan 26, 2010 at 07:01:47 PM PST

In yet another very disturbing legislative effort to make abortions tougher to obtain, more expensive, and even more emotionally draining than it already is, Kentucky's Republican-controlled Senate has passed the odious Senate Bill 38:

Legislation passed by the Kentucky State Senate would make it mandatory for doctors to give women wanting an abortion an explanation of what's shown on the ultrasound.



As if that isn't bad enough, the bill goes further:

Senate Bill 38 would also make it mandatory for women to get counseling in person 24 hours before getting an abortion. Jones said since there are only two abortion clinics in the state, one in Louisville and one in Lexington, that would be another barrier for women seeking the procedure.

Under Senate Bill 38, a doctor would face a $100,000 fine the first time no ultrasound is performed and a $250,000 fine for each time thereafter.

Shirley Jones, referred to in the above blockquote, is with Kentucky's Planned Parenthood, and is correct about this bill raising costs for women seeking an abortion. They may need to pay for a hotel room overnight or pay for gas to drive back and forth again.

Another cost consequence is that the new potential fines doctors could face would undoubtedly raise their malpractice insurance costs, which would then likely be passed along to the most vulnerable women who made such a tough decision.

Luckily I don't think this bill will ever become law. Kentucky's House of Representatives is dominated by Democrats, who have a 65 to 35 seat advantage.

But what this continued attack on womens rights shows is that while Democrats may be at each other's throats when it comes to health care reform, banking reform, ending the wars, etc., we must NEVER FORGET who the real enemies are: Republicans.

Democratic control of things, at least to liberals like me, is generally frustrating as all hell. But Republican control leads to our rights being revoked one by one, as the Kentucky Senate has tried.
http://www.dailykos.com/story/2010/1/26/830768/-Kentucky-Senate:-Women-must-view-ultrasound-pre-abortion

[DKRC]

1. You need a kick

to go along with your recs.

:kick:

[Hell Hath No Fury]

2. I hate to disagree ---

but some of the enemies of women's healthcare are in our own fucking tent. And there are more and more each election.

[Commie Pinko Dirtbag]

5. There's even some in this very board. Some even of the nuttier "since conception" variety.

Of course, whether they actually press the "D" button in the voting booth is up for debate.

[cali]

6. true as that is, that there are some anti-choice dems

there is simply NO comparison between the parties on this issue. How can anyone possibly think there is?

[Dappleganger]

3. What scares me the most at this point...

is this becoming a court case being sent to SCOTUS and with the way the makeup of the court is now we could possibly completely lose a woman's right to a safe and legal abortion. As a mother and concerned citizen this scares the S H I T outta me. :(

[Pryderi]

4. Gearing up for 2010 elections.

[librechik]

7. Because a microscopic clot of cells shows up so well on ultrasound

Jeez, do these people think late term is the norm? What a load of crap!