North Dakota State Senate Rejects "Personhood" Bill

by Jen Nedeau · 2009-04-05 07:37:00 UTC
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This just in. The North Dakota State Senate rejected a dangerous so-called "personhood" bill on Friday that would have outlawed abortion and could have led to bans on birth control, stem-cell research, and in-vitro fertilization. The Senate, which has an anti-choice majority, rejected the extreme measure by a vote of 29-16.

"Today's victory in North Dakota is an important step forward for pro-choice Americans, but it's not the end. North Dakota was the first battle in an orchestrated campaign by anti-choice extremists to pass legislation across the country that threatens women's access to safe, legal abortion and other reproductive-health care," said NARAL President Nancy Keenan in a press release. "After losing the White House, critical seats in Congress, and three ballot measures last November, including a similar ‘personhood' amendment in Colorado, the anti-choice movement is waging war on women's freedom and privacy by advancing so-called ‘personhood' measures in 16 states."

Keenan also pointed out that North Dakota does not have a single pro-choice law on the books that helps prevent unintended pregnancy. Women in North Dakota have no safeguard against pharmacies that refuse to fill prescriptions for birth control, and they have no assurance of receiving emergency contraception at the hospital in the case of sexual assault.

Well done NARAL for getting it's supporters to help the State Senate of North Dakota to reject this deceitful piece of legislation.

Jen Nedeau Jen Nedeau is a media relations professional and a writer based in New York City.
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