Page 5 - ARUBA TODAY

A5
U.S. NEWS Friday 16 February 2018

Abortion-rights supporters push back against gains by foes

By DAVID CRARY On Tuesday, Planned Par-
Foes of abortion have enthood announced an
pushed through several initiative of its own aimed
hundred state laws restrict- at promoting reproductive
ing access to the proce- health care initiatives in all
dure over the past decade. 50 states over the coming
This year, as never before, months.
abortion-rights supporters Several of the measures cit-
are fighting back nation- ed by Planned Parenthood
wide with proposals to pro- have already been intro-
tect and expand access to duced. They include:
abortion and contracep- — A bill in Maine that would
tion. allow nurse practitioners
Successes are most likely and physician's assistants
in the dozen or so states — as well as doctors — to
where Democrats control perform abortions. It's in-
policymaking. But the initia- tended to increase access
tives unfolding this year as- to abortion for women in
pire to at least raise the issue remote rural areas.
of reproductive rights even — A bill in New Jersey that
in conservative states that would restore state funding
have passed the toughest for Planned Parenthood
anti-abortion laws. that was stripped away by
In January, more than 200 former Republican Gov. In this Jan. 22, 2018 photo, supporters attend a rally held by Planned Parenthood, commemorat-
legislators from 41 states Chris Christie. Democratic ing the 45th anniversary of the landmark Roe vs. Wade Supreme Court ruling at the Capitol in
formed the Reproductive Gov. Phil Murphy, who suc- Sacramento, Calif. (AP Photo/Rich Pedroncelli)
Freedom Leadership Coun- ceeded Christie in January,
cil to promote "a bold, un- has promised to sign the Trump’s administration. Dawn Laguens, Planned curtail access to abortion.
apologetic stance in favor bill. — A bill in California, al- Parenthood’s executive “We need to do more than
of abortion rights." Among — A measure in Rhode Is- ready approved by the vice president, said the mul- just fight against the bad
its leaders are lawmak- land that would repeal ex- Senate, that would make tistate campaign marked policies; now is the time to
ers from Missouri, Arizona isting restrictions on abor- the state the first to require a shift to the offensive af- push for good ones,”
and Georgia — states that tion and seek to safeguard public universities to make ter a long stretch on de- The abortion-rights camp
show no sign of softening access in the face of pos- abortion pills available on fense combating federal takes heart from some leg-
their multiple restrictions on sible anti-abortion initia- campuses. It is pending in and state efforts to defund islative victories achieved
abortion. tives by President Donald the state Assembly. Planned Parenthood and in 2017. q

Ban on abortions due to Down syndrome challenged in lawsuit

By JULIE SMYTH medical board and county abortion providers "from protected liberty. The Su- fect.
COLUMBUS, Ohio (AP) — prosecutors charged with providing nonjudgmen- preme Court has said that The prohibition makes it a
The American Civil Liberties carrying out the 2017 law tal, medically appropriate the state cannot enter this crime for a doctor to termi-
Union of Ohio filed a lawsuit was filed in federal court in care." private realm of family life nate a pregnancy based
Thursday challenging an Cincinnati on behalf of Pre- "The government cannot or infringe on this liberty." on knowledge of Down
Ohio law prohibiting doc- term in Cleveland, Planned deny a woman's right to Republican Ohio Gov. John syndrome, a genetic ab-
tors from performing abor- Parenthood and other terminate her pregnancy Kasich signed the law in normality that causes de-
tions based on a diagnosis Ohio abortion providers. pre-viability," ACLU legal December. It’s scheduled velopmental delays and
of Down syndrome, saying The filing calls the measure director Freda Levenson to take effect March 23. medical conditions such as
claims it is an anti-discrim- "Ohio's latest attempt to said at a news conference The ACLU has requested heart defects and respira-
ination effort are a mas- prevent women from exer- in Columbus announcing both a temporary restrain- tory and hearing problems.
querade. cising their constitutionally the suit. "It is a woman's ing order and a permanent A bill similar to Ohio’s is
The suit against the state protected right to an abor- protected, intimate, per- injunction against the law moving through the Utah
Health Department, state tion" and argues it prevents sonal choice and it's her to keep it from taking ef- Legislature.q