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SANTA FE, N.M. (AP) — The New Mexico House of Representatives approved a ban on late-term abortions and a bill requiring that parents be notified at least 48 hours before a minor ends a pregnancy.
The 42-26 vote on the first bill came after nearly four hours of debate, and the second 39-28 ballot another three hours later.
Both bills now head to the Senate.
Lawmakers shared personal stories, sometimes emotionally.
Supporters say the late-term abortion ban is designed to bring New Mexico in line with 42 other states that prohibit some abortions after a certain point in pregnancy.
Abortion-rights advocates say women need safe access to abortions, not government interference.
The proposed legislation is among dozens of abortion-regulation measures introduced in states across the country during the current legislative session.
Roman Catholic bishops of New Mexico, who have urged lawmakers to enact new abortion laws this legislative session with the GOP in control of the House for the first time in decades, said in a statement that they were encouraged by the passage of the late-term abortion bill and urged the Senate's approval.
Democrats still have a majority in that chamber.
"This is not a bill eliminating all abortions, only late-term abortions ... it's a human rights issue," said Rep. Yvette Herrell, R-Alamogordo of her legislation, which prohibits ending a pregnancy after five months' gestation and if the doctor determines the fetus is viable.
"These abortion bills aren't about the sanctity of life. They're about the insanity of politics," said Rep. Miguel Garcia, D-Albuquerque.
Herrell amended her bill by removing exemptions for pharmacists and the use of the phrase "personal conviction" as a reason to refuse services to women seeking abortions. Democrats had rallied against the phrase in news releases calling the exemption "extreme."
The Department of Health reported that minors had 290 abortions in 2010 in the state, according to a fiscal impact report.
Rep. Alonzo Baldonado, R-Los Lunas, made the same amendments to his parental notification bill as Herrell. The proposal creates a requirement for the physician to notify parents when a minor elects to end her pregnancy.
"It's a common sense law," he said.
Calling the bills "a sweeping change to the law," Rep. Brian Egolf, D-Santa Fe, argued that the refusal clause still would allow a medical employee to deny a pregnant woman emergency contraception based on religious and moral belief.
"It is giving unprecedented power to the cashier at the drug store to disallow sales" of such contraception, he said.
Both bills include exceptions in cases of rape, incest, sexual abuse and when the woman's life is in danger.
Under both proposals, a physician would face a civil penalty of at least $5,000 and his or her license would be taken away for at least a year.
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