Arizona House Approves Bill to Ban Late-Term Abortions
Arizona’s state House of Representatives voted to enact a bill on Tuesday that bans most abortions after 20 weeks of pregnancy, sending the closely watched measure on to the Republican governor for approval.
House members passed the bill by a 37-22 vote. The measure would bar health care professionals from performing abortions after 20 weeks, except in the case of a medical emergency. Only a small number of these abortions are performed in Arizona.
The bill is the latest salvo in the long-running national battle over late-term abortions. Six states in the past two years have enacted bans based on hotly debated medical research suggesting a fetus feels pain starting at 20 weeks of gestation.
The bill would also require women to have an ultrasound at least 24 hours prior to having an abortion, instead of the one hour that is currently mandated under state law.
Additionally, state officials would be required to create a website that details such items as the risks of the procedure and shows pictures of the fetus in various stages.