NAF's Report on Federal and State Action on Abortion Issues May,
2000
Federal Legislation5/18-The U.S. House of Representatives
defeated an amendment proposed by Representative Loretta Sanchez (D/CA) to
the Department of Defense Authorization Act that would have removed the
military's ban on privately funded abortions at military facilities.
Another amendment introduced to the to the same bill in Committee by
Representative Abercrombie (D/HI) was also defeated. Abercrombie's
amendment would have allowed servicewomen and military dependents who are
victims of rape or incest to access abortion coverage through military
insurance.
In the States5/10-The Missouri Senate voted to prohibit any money
from the state's tobacco settlement from being used by organizations that
"support or encourage" abortion. Governor Carnahan opposes the plan,
supporting instead a more narrowly worded proposal that would prohibit the
money from being used to "perform or counsel a woman to have an abortion."
5/11-U.S. Attorney Tom Monaghan ruled in favor of the University of
Nebraska Medical Center, finding that UNMC did not act improperly by
providing a volunteer faculty position for Dr. LeRoy Carhart, who donates
fetal tissue for research. Monoghan noted that federal law was not
violated because the fetal tissue came from elective abortions and neither
the hospital nor Dr. Carhart paid or encouraged women to have abortions.
5/12-Leon County Judge Terry Lewis struck down Florida's parental
notification law, ruling the law would violate the right to privacy
guaranteed in the state constitution. The State Supreme Court struck down
a similar law requiring parental consent 11 years ago. Judge Lewis stated
that he discerned no constitutional difference between the consent and
notification measures.
5/24-Ohio Governor Bill Taft signed into law a so-called "partial birth
abortion" ban that criminalizes procedures termed "partial birth
feticide." Violators are subject to $15,000 in fines and up to eight years
in prison. A similar measure was passed but declared unconstitutional in
federal court in 1995.
5/25-Florida Governor Jeb Bush signed a so-called "partial birth
abortion" ban into law. While the ban excludes first trimester procedures,
or specifically "suction or sharp curettage abortion," it does not contain
a health exception. On June 2, a Temporary Restraining Order was issued
along with a preliminary hearing scheduled for June 7.
In Other News5/9-A panel of the United Methodist Church voted to
support a ban on so-called "partial birth abortions" except in cases of
severe fetal abnormalities or when the woman's life is in danger.
Around the World5/8-Two doctors in Poland were charged with
performing illegal abortions after police raided their private clinic. In
Poland, abortions can be performed only in a hospital and only in cases of
life endangerment, rape, incest or if the fetus is irreparably damaged.
Abortions have been illegal since 1989 when the Solidarity movement came
to power.
5/25-In New Zealand, anti-choice activist Graeme Richard White was
sentenced to two and a half years in prison for burgling the Lyndhurst
Hospital. Judge Colin Doherty declared that it was possible to infer that
White also intended to commit arson.
 To learn more about the legislation mentioned above, and for
information about how to contact your U.S. Senators and Representatives,
visit our Legislative
Action Center and help abortion remain safe, legal, and accessible.
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