An amendment may be added to the new Utah abortion law, allowing for the selective abortions of babies seen as deformed. The new law, Utah Prohibition of Federal Funding for Abortions Bill 68, which passed in February, bans state funding of abortions or abortion facilities. The amendment will allow for funding of abortions for children deemed to have defects.
“I and most Utahans believe that elective abortions are reprehensible, and we don't want our tax dollars paying for those,” Senator Curt Bramble (R-Provo) said, as reported by Utah's KSL-TV. “But there are certain circumstances and certain exceptions that we need to have in the law.” Bramble was the sponsor of Bill 68.
Bramble claims to have changed his mind after learning of the refusal of a doctor to abort a woman's deformed child. Bill 68 makes state-funded abortions illegal with the exception of rape, incest, or if the mother's life is in danger. Bramble claims the fetal abnormality provision was never considered by lawmakers when drafting Bill 68.
Governor Olene Walker said she is willing to hold a special session to reconsider Bill 68.
The decision to amend Bill 68 was praised by Planned Parenthood spokeswoman Karrie Galloway, “It's Bramble's] responsibility to amend the bill. He started the bill. I'm glad that he's aware of how it's affecting real people's lives.”
(This update courtesy of LifeSiteNews.com.)
