The House Public Health Committee approved another constitutionally dubious anti-abortion bill.
It would require contracts by abortion providers with hospitals and ambulance services to provide services for “unforeseen complications” of people they treat.
Hospital admitting privilege requirements have already been struck down by the U.S. Supreme Court, Ali Taylor told the committee. She’s a member of an abortion support group. She said this bill was analogous. She noted that abortions have an extremely low complication rate and hospital admissions are rare. She said the bill is clearly an effort to limit access to abortion.
Karen Musick, another pro-choice witness, commented: “Why are you so obsessed with someone else’s body?”
The sponsor, Sen. Ben Gilmore, repeated the familiar dishonest line by anti-abortion foes that this bill would improve women’s health care. He can offer no demonstration of that. Nor did he cite any similar concern for physicians who engage in much more dangerous procedures. He did say the 6th Circuit U.S. Court of Appeals had upheld a similar Kentucky law.
Here’s the deal. If the requirement can’t be met by the two existing abortion providers in Arkansas, it would end legal abortion in Arkansas. Under current law, not even the anti-abortion 8th Circuit will approve that.
No matter. Approved on a voice vote.
More lawsuits in the making.