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Utah 845011 Published by the students of the College of Eastern Utah Abortion will be big issue in every state's next legislative sessions by Jake Shewmake to be one editor The big question is whether or not it is appropriate to abort an unborn fetus to preserve a women's right to live a happy more productive life will be asked in almost every state in the nation's next legislative ses- sions On July 3 1989 the Supreme Court of the United States upheld the constitutionality of a Missouri law in William L Webster vs Reproductive Health Services which placed heavy restrictions on the availability of publicly funded abortions and also required testing for fetal viability at 20 weeks The court came very close to overturning the historic Roe vs Wade decision but stopped just short Many people feel that the way in which Chief Justice William Rhcnquist delivered the courts decision encouraged states to create laws that would push Roe to its lim- its "There is no doubt that our holding today will allow some governmental regulation of abortion that would have been prohibited in the past” wrote Chief Justice Rhenquisl in his plurality opinion Will Roe be overturned? It seems of the big questions still being asked in the wake of the landmark decision No one knows the answer for sure however it appears that forces are going to push for it and forces are going to try to stop it On Nov 12 pro-choigroups marched on capitals all over the nation with an estimated 130000 people gathered around the Lincoln Monument in the nations capital to anti-aborti- pro-choi- ce protest new laws that may be made in the near future In the Utah State Capital Rotunda 300 supporters gathered and discussed the issues Suzanne Millspaps who is the executive director of Utah National Abortion Rights Action League said in a speech in the rotunda "Our own pro-choi- legislature may well try to limit women's access to safe and legal abortion but this is the year we can make a difference” I will "seek prosecution for anyone who seeks to block the way of a woman seeking an abortion” vowed mayor-ele- ct David Dinkins the first black mayor of New York City In elections last week a pro-choi- ce attitude prevailed in Virginia New Jersey and New York which sent a message to President Bush who wu a major focus of the rally in Washington DC that he may be on the wrong side of the issue One more result of the decision is the terrified elected officials who fear that voters might start using the abortion issue as the sole litmus test for judging candidates The court has agreed to hear three more cases which all apply to the abortion issue and could possibly lead to the toppling of Roe Ohio vs Akron Center for Reproductive Health Services will deal with the notification of one parent and nullify a bypass provision which allows teens a chance to convince a judge that it is not wise for them to do so A second case stems from a 1981 statute in Minnesota which requires a girl to have consent from both parents This includes divorced parents and even incestuous fathers A third case Tumock vs Rugsdale involves an Illinois law which requires private abortion clinics to update their facilities to meet the standards for operating rooms in complete-care hospitals These three cases could become very instrumental in the state by state law making which will surely take place in every state's next leg- - h J A v Abortion Statistics Each year three out of every 100 American women age 15 to 44 choose to end unwanted pregnancies -- 15 million abortions in aU Only 01 percent of abortions occur after 24 weeks and most of those are for uigent thenputic reasons a AgC: estimated rate per IjOOO Lcnghtof Abortion clinics Other clinics MD's offices Figures based on 1987 data 4 1985 figures Taken from the July 17 1989 Newsweek : islalive sessions Utah legislators have promised to create the nation's laws tightest Five important things that most experts feel will be important to the law making process are viability testing limits on public funding parental consent abortion clinic standards and informed consent The fine points of viability testing have to do with two factors One the fact that the medical and scientific community say the earliest a fetus becomes viable is at 24 weeks The second factor involves the risks involved in testing such as amniocentesis which requires the extraction of amniotic fluid from the uterus which can cause miscarriage hemorrhaging or infection The restriction of public funding for abortion represents a big question considering the fact that many poor women won't be able to afford the cost for an abortion in a anti-aborti- on 60 23 Parental consent laws could drastically change the rate at which teens are currently receiving abortions It could also increase the cost of an abortion for a teen since most teens wait too long to inform parents of their pregnancy The average cost of an abortion at 12 weeks is $225 while four weeks later it becomes $430 Placing tough standards on abortion clinics could increase and also lower the number of abortions quite dramatically Experts say that requiring clinics to meet the standards set for hospital operating rooms could raise the cost of an abortion to as much as $730 "Ninety percent of all abortions take place in exactly the kinds of clinics that don't comply with the regulations were talking about" said Colleen Connell head of the Illinois ACLU organization Informed consent laws will deal with things like counseling on the (continued on page 12) Tlmo Magazine Abortion Poll Q Do you favor or oppose restrictions in your state that would:- - V& v again It'a thut tlmo my doarf wa aay "bya" to aun for another ytar Wo frolic and tha fallen laavaa as fall ths winter continues to taaaa Wa'ra glad for tha play warmth of each now day knowing on tha ground snow will soon lay So hara's to fall as winter draws near you've been very nice sea you next year One In PhotobyStaptionnMaivkJkis h 1 Favor Oppose : Require parental consent before a teenager has an abortion? Require testing for fetus viability outside of the womb? Require doctors to inform patients about alternatives? Prohibit public spending on abortion? Q Do you Agree? I would never vote for any candidate who favors abortion I would never vote for any candidate who would restrict women's rights to have an abortion Pall wu taken of 504 72 25 48 38 81 16 37 57 Yes 24 32 Americans by Yankelovkh Clancy Shulman on July 6 |