The big news of Utah’s Legislators yesterday was the passage of HB12 Criminal Homicide and Abortion, which will make women criminally liable for intentional miscarriages. The subjective nature of the bill brings potential harm to women in this state.
Planned Parenthood of Utah, in its memo sent out yesterday after the vote, stated that:
During the floor debate, both Senator Margaret Dayton and Representative Wimmer refused to support an amendment that would provide protections for victims of domestic violence! The bill is now going to the House of Representatives for the signature of the Speaker and will then move to the Governor for his signature.
The refusal to support the proposed amendments leaves the door open for women who have natural miscarriages or miscarriage due to domestic violence open for prosecution. The bill is punitive in nature and provides no practical options to prevent or to assist women with unintended pregnancies.
Another abortion bill, HB200 Informed Consent has passed the Utah House and is currently before the Senate. This bill is aimed at requiring clinics to give a detailed description of the ultrasound images if the woman seeking an abortion asks for the information (which, by the way, woman can already do….). See my previous post on that bill here.
(cross-posted to Utah Legislature Watch)
Deanna Dee-Dee Taylor 