ND Judge Allows New Complaint to Abortion Lawsuit

Jun. 19th, 2013 11:17 pm
[identity profile] lynn82md.livejournal.com
A North Dakota judge on Wednesday agreed to combine a lawsuit that challenges a new requirement for doctors who perform abortions with litigation over a 2011 law that limits the use of drugs to terminate pregnancies.

East Central Judge Wickham Corwin said he will allow the Red River Women's Clinic in Fargo clinic, backed by the New York-based Center for Reproductive Rights, to combine the previous lawsuit with new litigation over a law that requires doctors who perform abortions to obtain hospital-admitting privileges.

The Fargo judge has not issued a formal ruling on either suit. However, in April he said he would rule in favor of the abortion clinic in its challenge of the law limiting abortion-inducing drugs. Corwin, who had already granted an injunction preventing the law from taking effect, called that legislation "simply wrongheaded."

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Iowa gov. may need to OK Medicaid Abortion Funding

Jun. 8th, 2013 03:20 pm
[identity profile] lynn82md.livejournal.com
Catholic, anti-abortion Iowa Gov. Terry Branstad could soon find himself in an uncomfortable position: He may have to sign off on payments for every Medicaid-funded abortion in his state.

A bill requiring that authorization is sitting on the Republican's desk after moving through the statehouse. If Branstad signs it, Iowa is likely to be the only state that would have the unique requirement.

Iowa's Medicaid program covers a small number of abortions each year due to rape, incest, fetal deformity or to protect a mother's life. Currently handled by the state Department of Human Services, the Medicaid reimbursements cost the state less than $20,000 last fiscal year.

The change in who approves the payment is a result of Iowa's unusual political landscape. It is one of only three states with a divided legislature, with Republicans controlling the state House and Democrats the Senate. Blocking funds for Medicaid abortions has been a priority for some conservative Iowa Republicans in recent years, but past efforts to change the rules — as well as make some of the more sweeping abortion restrictions seen in other GOP-majority states —have failed to advance in the Senate.

But a split legislature can lead to unusual deal-making. In this case, the abortion plan was negotiated as part of a complex health care bill that included accepting additional federal dollars to expand low-income health care in the state — a key priority for Democrats. Republicans hope by putting the decision into the hands of an anti-abortion governor, fewer public dollars will be spent on abortions. Democrats say they expect no changes, but abortion rights advocates fear it could restrict access to abortions for poor women.

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Obama backs Planned Parenthood in Political Fight

Apr. 27th, 2013 11:53 am
[identity profile] lynn82md.livejournal.com
President Barack Obama vowed Friday to join Planned Parenthood in fighting against what he said are efforts by states to turn women's health back to the 1950s, before the Supreme Court legalized abortion nationwide, and singled out the GOP-governed states of North Dakota and Mississippi for criticism.

"When politicians try to turn Planned Parenthood into a punching bag, they're not just talking about you," Obama said, becoming the first sitting president to address the abortion-rights group in person. "They're talking about the millions of women who you serve."

Obama asserted that "an assault on women's rights" is underway across the country, with bills introduced in more than 40 states to limit or ban abortion or restrict access to birth control or other services.

"The fact is, after decades of progress, there's still those who want to turn back the clock to policies more suited to the 1950s than the 21st century," he said. "And they've been involved in an orchestrated and historic effort to roll back basic rights when it comes to women's health."

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ND Lawmakers define life starting at conception

Mar. 23rd, 2013 11:51 am
[identity profile] lynn82md.livejournal.com
North Dakota didn't set out to become the abortion debate's new epicenter.

It happened by accident, after a legislative caucus that once vetted abortion bills languished, leaving lawmakers to propose a flurry of measures — some cribbed from Wikipedia — without roadblocks.

Long dismissed as cold and inconsequential, North Dakota is now trying to enact the toughest abortion restrictions in the nation. The newly oil-rich red state may soon find itself in a costly battle over legislation foes describe as blatantly unconstitutional.

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Lawmakers on Friday took a step toward outlawing abortion altogether in the state by passing a so-called personhood resolution that says a fertilized egg has the same right to life as a person. The House's approval sends the matter to voters, who will decide whether to add the wording to the state's constitution in November 2014.
Hopefully, history repeats itself again by voters overturning this like it did in Colorado and Mississippi.

Also, I'm happy to see that there are some republicans that aren't happy about this bill and think it goes too far. They realize that this wouldn't only hinder abortion, but it would hinder IVF and make miscarriage a crime...two things that also affect lifers as much as choicers.

With all of this said and done...it makes me happy I'm not from a state like ND. It also makes me happy that I live in Sweden because I wouldn't have to worry about this stupid shit. I was already lucky to be living here when I miscarried in 2010 because I bleed so much that a blood transfusion was required. If I had been refused a D&C, I probably would've bled to death regardless if I had the blood transfusion because I would've continued to bleed until the fetus (who was already dead) was removed (as I have O negative blood while the fetus had a positive blood type).
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Republicans for Planned Parenthood: "We are an endangered species"

Aug. 23rd, 2012 02:48 pm
[identity profile] lynn82md.livejournal.com
Kevin Curtis of Cazenovia, N.Y., a lifelong conservative and an elder in the Presbyterian church, describes himself as a "personal responsibility, personal freedom and personal decision-type Republican." He served as the co-chair of his local Republican party, read virtually all the same Ayn Rand novels as GOP vice presidential candidate Paul Ryan, and he's worked for 36 years without a pension or a group health care plan -- the "take care of yourself" lifestyle people expect from conservatives, he says.

He's also been on the board of the Rochester/Syracuse Planned Parenthood affiliate for nearly three decades.

"I feel sometimes like we're an endangered species," he told The Huffington Post in an interview. "There used to be more of us. It's interesting how the pendulum has swung in the direction of uber-conservative on social issues -- I don't think it reflects a big chunk of the party at all."

Curtis said he has remained relatively quiet about his involvement with Planned Parenthood, but Rep. Todd Akin's (R-Mo.) remark Sunday that victims of "legitimate rape" are unlikely to get pregnant inspired him to step out and speak his mind.

"I've written [the Republican National Committee] and expressed my utter disapproval of the platform being drafted," he said. "For them to include any kind of a personhood amendment -- a zygote is not a human being any more than a chestnut's a tree. And defunding Planned Parenthood is very bad economics -- it actually saves taxpayers money in future medical costs."
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