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Enforcement Day
Approaching for LB 1103
Part Three of Three By Dave Andrusko
For outsiders, every additional story about October 15--when Nebraska's "Pain-Capable Unborn Child Protection Act" becomes operational--is a potential goldmine of information. As you recall, the law (LB 1103) establishes 20 weeks as the juncture at which the unborn child is capable of feeling pain, a conclusion backed up by solid research. But how would anyone know if abortionists are honoring (so to speak) the restrictions imposed by the law? Well, the Associated Press reports this morning that the anything-goes honeymoon for state abortionists is about to end. As of October 15, the state's two abortion clinics no longer will have the option of "volunteering" information about the aborted child's gestational age. Now they must, in a little less than a month, UNLESS the abortion lobby has a last-minute challenge to LB 1103 up its sleeve. We learn from the AP story that current Nebraska law requires certain data about abortion but that gestation age was "volunteered" in only one of 2,551 reports! "Additionally, the length and weight of the aborted fetuses -- which could offer a clue as to age -- were listed as immeasurable on all but one report." Nebraska Right to Life executive director Julie Schmit-Albin explained the situation--and why the new requirement is indispensable--when she told AP, "If there's not reporting requirements ... it's the word of the abortionists." That there is a serious discrepancy between the situation on the ground (in the abortion clinics) and what state statistics are saying is self-evident. For example, state statistics say there are "few" late-term abortions. Yet Nebraska Abortionist LeRoy Carhart specializes in aborting unborn babies so advanced he has (thankfully) very little company. And while Carhart will not tell reporters exactly how far into gestation he will abort, he clearly does perform what are euphemistically called "late-term abortions." "It's really been LeRoy Carhart's ball game up to this point," Schmit-Albin said. "The Nebraska Legislature, with LB1103, is saying prior to this, this reporting was pretty loose. If we're going to have a ban at 20 weeks ... then we need to know that he's not skirting that." Carhart said he "will comply with the new reporting requirement," the AP reported. "Failure to do so would result in a felony charge." Please send your comments on Today's News & Views and National Right to Life News Today todaveandrusko@gmail.com. If you like, join those who are following me on Twitter at http://twitter.com/daveha |
