By PAULA TRACY, InDepthNH.org
CONCORD – The House Judiciary Committee is expected to vote Thursday on a bill that would repeal an aspect of the state’s new Fetal Health Protection Act as it relates to the requirement for obstetric ultrasounds to be performed before an abortion.
Senate Bill 399 was heard by the House Judiciary Committee in Representatives Hall, Wednesday, and the Chairman, State Rep. Ned Gordon, R-Bristol, had scheduled an hour and a half for testimony.
Only 11 people signed up, however, all checking in support of the measure, though it was clear from the speakers that many did not support abortion rights or the provisions of the bill in the 45 minutes that it took the committee to hear all the public testimony the bill.
As passed by the Senate, Senate Bill 399, would roll back a provision in the state’s new ban on abortions at or after 24 weeks that requires an ultrasound before all abortion procedures.
Lawmakers who supported the initial legislation last June said that it was misconstrued as being required for all abortions and voted to clarify that such a procedure would only be needed if the health care provider had reason to believe the gestational age was close to 24 weeks.
The bill reads that it “shall be construed to require the performance of an ultrasound only if the provider either knows that the fetus has a gestational age of at least 24 weeks or is conscious of a substantial risk that the fetus has a gestational age of at least 24 weeks.”
Prime sponsor Senator Cindy Rosenwald, D-Nashua, said “It’s important to make this clarification and remove an unnecessary procedure and expense to patients.”
Cornerstone Action, a pro-life organization that testified in support of SB 399, had previously told members it is concerned that the House Judiciary Committee will gut the new provisions of the law when it votes and said it would be the third such bill related to the Fetal Life Protection Act.
Russan Chester of Bedford said she understands that because of the landmark Supreme Court Case of Roe v. Wade more than 50 years ago, which is now under threat of being overturned by the high court this spring, women have the choice to terminate their pregnancies.
She said she chose an abortion once but did not know the consequences of that act until much later and did make the choice to carry another pregnancy to term and allow the baby to be adopted.
She said she would like to see a lot more reporting and more responsibility for those performing an abortion
The committee is expected to meet Thursday at 9 a.m. to vote on SB 399 and other bills that are before the committee.
