Government
scrutiny of women’s private medical decisions lies in the balance if this
anti-abortion measure is enacted, along with tripling the forced waiting
periods to obtain a legal, safe abortion in the state
ASHEVILLE,
N.C. – The National Organization for Women, Asheville Chapter, stands in
solidarity with other women’s groups protesting North Carolina General Assembly
House Bill 465. A protest is slated for 5:30 p.m., today, Monday, May 4, at
Pack Square Park Amphitheater, 60 Court Plaza.
H.B. 465 as
it currently stands triples the forced waiting period to obtain a legal
abortion to three full days – up from the 24 hour waiting period enacted in
2011. Additionally, the measure would require doctors to submit a woman’s
confidential medical records to the state Department of Health and Human
Services for review.
“Women have
the right to safe and legal abortion care without discriminatory waiting
periods. This level of government interference and scrutiny of a woman’s
private medical decisions is untenable,” says Sherri McLendon, president of
Asheville NOW.
“House Bill 465
takes what is ultimately a private matter between a woman and her doctor, and
turns it into a matter of public record,” she says.
North
Carolina NOW outlines significant, additional restrictions to safe women’s
reproductive health care which would go into effect should the proposed
legislation become law:
- Restricts what counts as a true medical emergency in order to narrow the exception to the state’s 20-week abortion ban
- Requires the physician “causing miscarriage or abortion after the 18th week” to provide a woman’s private medical information to DHHS, including the gestational age of the fetus and an ultrasound with its measurements;
- After the 20th week, requires the physician to submit to DHHS the findings and analysis of a woman’s private medical records determining when a pregnancy threatens the life or gravely impairs the health of the woman.
- Adds costly, time-consuming reporting requirements to physicians and their staff.
- Interferes with women who miscarry by submitting them to the same treatment as a woman who chooses to have an abortion.
Version 2 of HB465, is at http://www.ncleg.net/Sessions/
Read more about the bill and about what happened in the House meeting at https://northcarolinanow.
Read Vicki Boyer's Letter to the Editor at www.newsobserver.com/
