Tomblin vetoes 20-week abortion ban

[Lasher]

Last edited Fri Apr 4, 2014, 09:55 AM - Edit history (1)

Governor calls 20-week cutoff unconstitutional and detrimental

CHARLESTON, W.Va. -- Gov. Earl Ray Tomblin vetoed a bill late Friday that would have banned abortions of fetuses after 20 weeks gestation. The governor called the bill unconstitutional and a "detriment" to women's health.

The bill (HB4588) would have made it a felony, punishable by not less than a year in prison, to perform an abortion after 20 weeks' gestation, except in instances in which there are physical complications that place the woman at risk of death or serious irreversible physical impairment.

"I am advised, by not only attorneys from the Legislature, but through my own legal team that this bill is unconstitutional as shown by actions of the Supreme Court of the United States," Tomblin said in a written statement.

Arizona was among several states to pass similar laws, but a federal appeals court struck down the Arizona law last year, and the U.S. Supreme Court refused in January to hear the state's appeal.

http://webcache.googleusercontent.com/search?q=cache:hx_8VZDq8ikJ:www.wvgazette.com/News/201403280175+&cd=1&hl=en&ct=clnk&gl=us

Another big defeat for Americans United for Life (AUL). Like ALEC, they distort democracy by making it easier for elected officials to be influenced by interest groups instead of their constituents. Governor Tomblin deserves credit for doing the right thing by vetoing this travesty.

ETA Link to the Gazette page no longer working, so I changed the link to one that goes to a cached page.

[MadCrow]

1. Abortion Veto

I am proud of Gov. Tomblin for vetoing HB 4588. Roe vs. Wade is the law of the land and I think that the majority of people would agree that abortion should be "safe, legal, and rare" and a decision made by the woman and her doctor. The article in the Gazette noted that there were only 7 post-20 weeks abortions in WV in 2010. I am sure that these women agonized over their decisions and that they weren't made lightly or callously. If we want to reduce the numbers of abortions we should expand Planned Parenthood and make contraception part of Obamacare. I just hope the advocates behind this bill don't go crazy and turn us into Texas or Kansas in regards to women's health care.