Sex-selective abortions?
March 07, 2010
OKLAHOMA CITY (AP): An Oklahoma statute barring the termination of a pregnancy based on the gender of the fetus was deemed unconstitutional recently by a judge who said the law violated the state's rule that legislation address a single subject.
"When you look at the underlying purpose of the statute - for the prevention of abortion for the sole purpose of the sexual status of the child - that takes up two paragraphs of this bill," said Oklahoma County District Judge Daniel Owens. "When you look at the rest, there are multiple subjects contained in this bill that are not related to that underlying purpose."
The measure passed the Oklahoma Legislature and was signed into law by Gov Brad Henry last year.
Owens added that it was "pretty discouraging" that a law had to be considered to prevent sex-selective abortions.
"But the issue before the court has nothing to do with pro-choice or pro-life," Owens said.
Aside from barring gender-based termination of pregnancies, the law would have required doctors who perform abortions to provide information about female patients, including age, race, marital status, number of previous pregnancies and the reasons given for seeking an abortion.
The information gathered from 37 separate sections of questions would then be provided to the Oklahoma State Department of Health, which would be required to produce an annual report on abortions performed in Oklahoma....
Author: Gleaner Reporter
Source: Jamaica Gleaner
