This one hasn’t made it to El Som’s GA PG/PG roundup yet because it hasn’t been officially introduced. But the mere announcement by Sen. Bryant Richardson (R-Your Womb) that he would sponsor measures to ban abortion after 20 weeks and force women to undergo ultrasound procedures drew a front-page headline story in the Delaware State News.
Richardson made his announcement on the anniversary of Roe v. Wade, which some forced birthers probably thought would be overturned by now, in front of anti-women’s-autonomy groups in the Senate chamber.
Richardson said he will introduce the Pain-Capable Unborn Child Protection Act and the Women’s Ultrasound Right to Know Act later this week. He told the State News he thinks the second one will have a greater chance at getting passed.
El Som will cover the specifics when the bills hit the docket, but depending on how the ultrasound bill is worded (there are variations among the 26 states with such policies on the books), that ultrasound law has the potential to be particularly ironic. Back in the ’90s state lawmakers had to deal with Delaware’s then-national worst infant mortality rate. All those blue-ribbon panels concluded lack of pre-natal care was the culprit, but moralistic Republican lawmakers made no push to ensure everyone got an ultrasound then, when it would have helped all pregnant women. Priorities, I guess.
The greatest thing about claiming to speak for the voiceless is that the voiceless can never disagree.