By Dave Andrusko
Alabama Gov. Roger Bentley
The Alabama legislature has sent two additional pieces of pro-life legislation to Gov. Roger Bentley, who is expected to sign them both. The session ended on Thursday.
One, HB 489, is in line with similar state measures to increase the time a woman has to consider her abortion—from 24 hours to 48 hours.
The second is a parental consent bill. Under HB 494 if the minor wishes to forgo approval, she must prove in court that she cannot consult her parents. In addition, the court can appoint a guardian ad litem for the baby.
Planned Parenthood Southeast, which operated two clinics in Alabama, has already vowed to challenge the laws in court.
“This is government intrusion at its finest,” said Nikema Williams, vice president of public policy for Planned Parenthood Southeast.
Meanwhile, as reported last week in NRL News Today, U.S. District Judge Myron Thompson has ordered a non-jury trial for May 19 in which he will hear arguments on Alabama’s HB57.
Alabama’s Women’s Health and Safety Act requires abortionists to have admitting privileges in a nearby hospital. A similar Texas law was just upheld by a three-judge panel of the U.S. Court of Appeals for the 5th Circuit.
The ACLU, representing three abortion clinics, maintains the law (which also requires that abortion clinics meet the standards of ambulatory clinics) is medically unnecessary and unconstitutional. In its filing, attorneys for the state countered.