February 22, 2011
House Bill 2443 makes it a 3rd degree felony in Arizona for a doctor to perform an abortion for the sole reason that the mother does not like the race or the sex of the fetus.
The proposal was characterized by Representative Matt Heinz (D-Tucson), who is a doctor, as a solution in search of a problem.
Heinz said no one could show him any evidence that using abortions to select sex or race is a problem in Arizona. He also claimed that the majority of abortions are performed before the sex of the fetus can be determined.
However, the bill's backers claimed the U.S. is becoming a haven for such procedures because there is no specific law against the practice.
A number of HB 2443 supporters used letters from outside supporters to bolster their arguments. Representative Tom Forsee (R-Chandler) read a letter from Congressman Trent Franks (R-Arizona) praising the legislature for taking up the issue, since Congress will not schedule his own bill containing many of the same provisions.
The proposal was originally scheduled only for what is known as the Committee of the Whole on Feb. 21, but after discussing the proposal there, House leaders instead moved for a final vote on the floor.
It passed 41-18 and now heads to the Senate.
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