Estimated read time: Less than a minute
This archived news story is available only for your personal, non-commercial use. Information in the story may be outdated or superseded by additional information. Reading or replaying the story in its archived form does not constitute a republication of the story.
SALT LAKE CITY (AP) — The Utah Senate has approved a change in the state's abortion laws so that in cases where the woman's life is at risk she could undergo the procedure without first having to watch a state-mandated video on alternatives and read information about adoption.
Taylorsville Republican Wayne Harper says it is a narrow exception that may affect 60 to 100 women a year. He says it's the compassionate thing to do.
The bill would waive the video requirement when an "abortion is necessary to avert the woman's death or a serious risk of substantial and irreversible impairment of a major bodily function," or when two doctors agree that a fetus has a fatal defect.
It passed the Senate Friday on a vote of 25-0 and now awaits consideration in the House.
Copyright © The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.
