Boosting signal...Utah legislative follies that need bright light on them

[herveus]

Those zany legislators in Utah are at it again. Now, having a demonstrable external cause for a miscarriage might subject the mother to criminal prosecution. Real swift. How modest.

http://www.dailykos.com/storyonly/2010/2/24/840197/-Please-Help:-Utah-defines-miscarriage-as-criminal-homicide

Comments

[herveus.livejournal.com]

I did read the text of the bill before posting.

http://le.utah.gov/~2010/bills/hbillenr/hb0012.htm

Among other things, the modify the definition of "abortion" to no longer include procedures intended to induce miscarriage. It also adds the requirement that an "abortion" be performed by a physician or by a substance under the direction of a physician.

The news article says that the bill is in response to woman who paid someone $150 to beat her to induce a miscarriage. They could not find a way to charge the woman with a crime. One has to wonder what moved the woman to go that route, and why a more conventional procedure was not an option. One also has to wonder why this bill represents anything other than a patronizing attempt to more tightly constrain a woman's choices. *sigh*

[luscious-purple.livejournal.com]

I remember reading somewhere that the vast majority of U.S. counties have no abortion providers whatsoever. So, if a woman cannot travel far for whatever reason....

(If someone has a more specific statistic on that, please comment.)