Arizona outlaws abortions based on race and sex

[jimmy olsen]

Lawtalkers, what say you? Will the Supreme Court uphold or strike down this ban?

http://www.azcentral.com/arizonarepublic/local/articles/2011/03/30/20110330arizona-abortions-race-sex-crime.html#ixzz1I4vFkqeJ

Arizona outlaws abortions based on race, sex

by Ginger Rough - Mar. 30, 2011 12:00 AM
The Arizona Republic

Arizona is the first state in the nation to make sex- or race-selection abortions a crime.

Gov. Jan Brewer on Tuesday signed into law House Bill 2443, which makes it a felony for a doctor to perform an abortion based on the sex or race of the fetus.

Opponents of the measure have questioned whether such a practice was really occurring.

Republican supporters had said that statistics show a high percentage of abortions are being sought by minority women and that abortion clinics intentionally locate in minority areas.

They said statistics show that some populations are increasingly seeking abortions based on the fetus' sex.

Democrats argue that statistics show that neither is happening.

Rep. Steve Montenegro, R-Litchfield Park, said he pushed the legislation because of fears women would choose to abort because they didn't like the gender or the race of the baby.

Rep. Katie Hobbs, D-Phoenix, said the only proof Montenegro offered was a magazine article on such practices in China and India.

The law allows the father of an aborted fetus - or, if the mother is a minor, the mother's parents - to take legal action against the doctor or other health-care provider who performed the abortion. If convicted of the felony, physicians would face up to seven years in jail and the loss of their medical license.

The governor did not comment on the bill before it reached her desk, but her spokesman, Matthew Benson, said Tuesday that the legislation is "consistent with her pro-life track record."

"Governor Brewer believes society has the responsibility to protect its most vulnerable, the unborn," he said.

[Josquius]

They abort because they don't like the race of the baby?
What sluts must they be to get into that situation...

[grumbler]

I am glad that Arizona Republicans don't make any claims that smaller government is better, else this kind of lawmaking for the sake of adding laws to the books would be hypocritical.

I don't think such a law would be challenging on constitutional grounds, unless it would be on the grounds of vagueness (since "race" is a purely subjective thing).

[Eddie Teach]

Ridiculous. It's targeting doctors based on the motivations of the patient?   

[The Brain]

Extremely lame law. Personal freedom is not a priority in America.

[Valmy]

So this law makes it illegal to...what exactly?  How can you possibly prove in trial why somebody wanted to have an abortion?

[The Brain]

So this law makes it illegal to...what exactly?  How can you possibly prove in trial why somebody wanted to have an abortion?

Pic of the father?

[Berkut]

Seems like a totally meaningless law, that cannot possibly achieve even its rather dubious goals.

I wonder if the idea is just to get some kind of restriction out there, let it stand, then expand it later.

[Valmy]

Seems like a totally meaningless law, that cannot possibly achieve even its rather dubious goals.

I wonder if the idea is just to get some kind of restriction out there, let it stand, then expand it later.

I wish anti-abortion activists would instead try to find new and creative ways to prevent unwanted pregnancies and thus work to make the whole point of abortions moot.  Trying to use the power of the state without addressing the root cause of the problem seems destined to fail IMO.

Ah well maybe they do donate alot of money to those efforts as well.

[garbon]

They abort because they don't like the race of the baby?
What sluts must they be to get into that situation...

[Razgovory]

They abort because they don't like the race of the baby?
What sluts must they be to get into that situation...

That does seem weird.  I'll let CdM make the obvious joke.

[Norgy]

Rep. Katie Hobbs, D-Phoenix, said the only proof Montenegro offered was a magazine article on such practices in China and India.

Are India and China also Rep-R?

[dps]

Seems like a totally meaningless law, that cannot possibly achieve even its rather dubious goals.

I wonder if the idea is just to get some kind of restriction out there, let it stand, then expand it later.

Seems like a totally meaningless law, that cannot possibly achieve even its rather dubious goals.

I wonder if the idea is just to get some kind of restriction out there, let it stand, then expand it later.

I can't see how it could stand, frankly.  But as screwed up as our judiciary has become, who knows?

[Zanza2]

I thought you don't have to give a reason for abortion in America...?

[Valmy]

I thought you don't have to give a reason for abortion in America...?

You don't.  The law makes no sense.