Judge: No Required Ultrasound for Abortion

(AP)  An Oklahoma judge has ruled against a law that required women seeking an abortion to receive an ultrasound and a doctor's description of the fetus.

Oklahoma County District Judge Vicki Robertson granted a permanent injunction against the law Tuesday afternoon, saying it violated constitutional requirements that legislative measures deal only with one subject.

Plaintiffs' attorneys had argued that the law was unconstitutionally vague and that it was not clear what the doctor should tell women undergoing the ultrasound.

The law was passed by lawmakers who overrode Gov. Brad Henry's veto. Henry said it was unconscionable to require victims of rape and incest to undergo the ultrasound.

Previous legal action prevented the law from going into effect last fall.

The bill had several provisions referenced by the judge in determining that it dealt with more than one subject.

Besides requiring an ultrasound and description of the fetus, the law:

- Allows doctors and other health care providers to refuse to take part in an abortion for moral and religious reasons.

- Requires women to sign a consent form before an abortion.

- Mandates that federal guidelines be followed in the use of the abortion pill RU-486.

- Prohibits wrongful-life lawsuits arguing a disabled child would have been better off aborted.

[brady51h-2009]

Nice job judge. Keep the Government away from peoples bodies

[brady51h-2009]

Nice job judge. Keep the Government away from peoples bodies

[bluenewmoon]

I'm happy they didn't pass this law. When a woman has a baby it is a great risk to her physical and sometimes mental health. Other people shouldn't be making the decisions of what she should do with her body. And while inside the mother it is a fetus not a baby, and it does not have thoughts or emotions unlike a baby or an animal.
And bringing a baby into the world can be bad for the baby too. Sometimes the mother is to young to take care of it or simply does not have enough money to take care of it. Did you know by the time a kid is 18 the parent or parents will have spent up to or over 250,000 dollars on it? Also a baby is not like a job you can't just say I'm not going to take care of it today, whether rain or shine a baby is a responsibility, and probably the most difficult at that.
So making a mother who after the birth will have no support whatsoever from the government, or pro life activists have to go through with this when it isn't her choice is completely unfair.

[bluenewmoon]

I'm happy they didn't pass this law. When a woman has a baby it is a great risk to her physical and sometimes mental health. Other people shouldn't be making the decisions of what she should do with her body. And while inside the mother it is a fetus not a baby, and it does not have thoughts or emotions unlike a baby or an animal.
And bringing a baby into the world can be bad for the baby too. Sometimes the mother is to young to take care of it or simply does not have enough money to take care of it. Did you know by the time a kid is 18 the parent or parents will have spent up to or over 250,000 dollars on it? Also a baby is not like a job you can't just say I'm not going to take care of it today, whether rain or shine a baby is a responsibility, and probably the most difficult at that.
So making a mother who after the birth will have no support whatsoever from the government, or pro life activists have to go through with this when it isn't her choice is completely unfair.

[sanity4u]

As science progresses and scientists are able to extract DNA from any tissue and clone from that DNA (it will come to pass) should I be arrested for biting off a cuticle?

The abortion issue boils down to this: Do you have the right to make someone else's decisions for them based on your religious beliefs? The Taliban says yes.

[nomealaska]

Nobody's killing babies, just aborting a pregnancy (fetus). You start killing babies, dogs, abortion doctors, or death row inmates - and I will have problem with that. You probably attend the "Church of the Dead Babies" don't you? They are the ones with giant billboards of fetuses. And you likely support the death penalty. And you probably aren't too upset when an abortion clinic is bombed. And you are probably pro-war, pro-gun, yeah you are probably all about life, aren't you? What a joke!

[johnsole1]

I have always wondered why a child conceived by rape or incest is considered less worthy of birth than a child conceived any other way. You who are against abortion do not support abortions period, right? It is so much easier and cheaper to put on a condom than to end up making a decision that will result in either a birth or an abortion.

[brianbwb-2009]

nunovyerbeezwax

You are correct, and also there is the problem that most of the "fundies" are simply jealous because they usually couldn't "get any" anyway unless they promised to pay for it, either immediately, as with a hooker, or in long term installments, as with a ring.

[johnsole1]

I have always wondered why a child conceived by rape or incest is considered less worthy of birth than a child conceived any other way. You who are against abortion do not support abortions period, right? It is so much easier and cheaper to put on a condom than to end up making a decision that will result in either a birth or an abortion.

[justsane-2009]

a sane judge in oklahoma! who would have thought? for those of you claiming "baby murder": abortion is a legal medical procedure in this country. it will remain a legal medical procedure in this country. if you don't want to have one for religious reasons, don't. no one will force you to have one. move on to another issue, like say preventing child abuse, or making sure all children have health care, and a good education. dedicate all that passion to something you can actually have an impact on.

[ROBACA]

Murder of babies is always favored in the media and by most peoples comments. Michael Vick and the dog thing, well most people can't stomach that. Yet it is okay to kill innocent babies in this country but not an animal. Go figure.

[SusanStoHelit]

Not a baby. Often, not yet even a fetus. There are no brain waves - not so much as animals have. No thoughts. No feelings. No sensation. Zero. Versus - my body. I have thoughts, feelings, sensations - and to carry a pregnancy to term, I have to risk my life, my health, my job, my future. That can only ever be a choice, to make that sacrifice for over a year.

Oh - and yes - I did risk my life carrying my child. In my case, two pregnancy related syndromes. One that goes away after - but has a significant risk of killing the mother - one that goes away - but gives me a 50% chance of a deadly disease in the next 5 years. Pregnancy can only be a choice, especially early on.

[shutout2730]

To SusanStoHelit: Your "choice" was keep your blue jeans on.