Kaiser Daily Women's Health Policy Report Highlights Issues In Various States

The following highlights recent news of state actions on women's health issues.

Abortion Regulations
Kansas: State lawmakers on Thursday failed by four votes to override Gov. Kathleen Sebelius' (D) veto of a measure (SB 528) that would have required physicians who perform late-term abortions to supply the state with data about women undergoing the procedure, the AP/Kansas City Star reports (AP/Kansas City Star, 5/25). The measure, which Sebelius vetoed last Friday, would have required physicians to submit to state health officials information detailing fetal abnormalities, the pregnant woman's health and the name of the physician who authorized the abortion (Kaiser Daily Women's Health Policy Report, 5/23). State lawmakers voted 23-12 to override Sebelius' veto, falling short of the required two-thirds majority of 27 votes, according to the Wichita Eagle (Klepper/Sullinger, Wichita Eagle, 5/26).

South Carolina: The state House on Thursday voted 81-18 to preliminarily approve a bill (S 1084) that would make it a separate crime to injure or kill a fetus during the assault of a pregnant woman, the AP/Columbia State reports (AP/Columbia State, 5/25). The measure -- which the state Senate preliminarily approved in March -- would apply only to violent crimes and would exempt legal abortion procedures from prosecution. The legislation would allow prosecution for murder and attempted murder of fetuses regardless of intent or proof that the person causing injury to a pregnant woman knew she was pregnant. Prosecutors cannot seek the death penalty solely for crimes involving the fetus, according to the legislation. The bill would allow charges to be brought at any stage of fetal development (Kaiser Daily Women's Health Policy Report, 3/3). The state House on Friday did not read the bill for a third time (AP/Columbia State, 5/26).

Other Regulations
Connecticut: State Department of Motor Vehicles Commissioner Ralph Carpenter on Thursday said the department will stop issuing "Choose Life" license plates while the department and state Attorney General Richard Blumenthal (D) investigate whether the Children First Foundation is eligible to promote itself through license plates, the Hartford Courant reports. The state's DMV allows groups to promote themselves on specialty plates, and the department in 2003 gave approval to Children First for the "Choose Life" plates, which also list the group's Web site. Children First gives grants to pregnancy centers that do not offer abortions, as well as to programs that provide women a venue to give infants to hospitals and fire stations without being charged with a crime, according to Elizabeth Rex, the group's president. Blumenthal and a Democratic state lawmaker on Wednesday sent a letter to Carpenter saying that Children First has "negligible, if any, 'operations' in Connecticut, much less a base of operation in the state." Rex said that her group works on a small budget from members' homes, which should not preclude the group from being eligible for a plate. She added that she believes she can answer any of the state's questions (Lender, Hartford Courant, 5/26).
















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