The issue of abortion
rights has laid low in the press for a while, but with the huge debate
surrounding the Obama administration's new healthcare proposal, it's back in
the limelight.
On the federal level, the
question of whether or not abortion procedures will be covered in the
healthcare bill is threatening to cause a split in the Democratic Party. Several more conservative members are even threatening to withdraw their
support of the bill altogether if it includes funding of abortion procedures, and
Republicans hope to take advantage of this disagreement to build opposition to
the legislation. The Obama administration, meanwhile, is trying to remain
neutral on the issue and focus instead on overall costs of the bill.
On the state level, meanwhile, debate rages. A lawsuit is pitting the Red River Women's Clinic against
the state of North Dakota over a law requiring abortion clinics to give women
an opportunity to view an ultrasound 24 hours before getting an abortion.
Supporters say that the
law is meant to encourage women who are thinking of abortion to consider what
they're doing. According to the plaintiff, however, the provisions are confusing. The law mentions something about a fetal audible heartbeat that
should "be of a quality consistent with standard medical practice in the
community," but it doesn't make clear whether or not the clinic must offer the
woman the opportunity to listen to the heartbeat. It's important, the clinic
says, because violating the law could lead to criminal charges.
The clinic isn't going to
have an easy time with this lawsuit, however. For starters, says Attorney
General Wayne Stenehjem, "Anyone challenging the constitutionality of a
legislative enactment has an uphill battle because the courts have said
legislative enactments enjoy a strong presumption of constitutionality," and
the clinic would need the support of four out of five North Dakota Supreme
Court justices to deem the legislation unconstitutional.
Additionally, the bill
saw outstanding support in both the House, where it passed by a vote of 77-9,
and the Senate, where the vote was 44-1.
Stenehjem says the state
is prepared to defend the law during the hearing scheduled for July 30.
Previously:
[+] Bureaupat, on religious conversations in the office