Wednesday, February 29, 2012

Three More Points on HB 1077

Yesterday I wrote a post about HB 1077, Pennsylvania's version of the infamous Virginia ultrasound bill.  I have three more points to make about it.

1) Patrick Murphy, one of the Democratic candidates for Attorney General, has issued a press release saying HB 1077 is unconstitutional.  The Inquirer published an article today (Pa. House proposes preabortion ultrasound," by Marie McCullough 2/29) with remarks from the bill's primary sponsor, Rep. Kathy Rapp, Murphy, health professionals.

2) Someone asked me to post the names of the State Representatives who introduced it.  The list in on the bill text, but, hey, I try to accommodate regular readers:
INTRODUCED BY RAPP, KULA, TURZAI, STERN, DENLINGER, CUTLER, ADOLPH, AUMENT, BAKER, BARBIN, BARRAR, BEAR, BENNINGHOFF, BLOOM, BOBACK, BOYD, BROOKS, R. BROWN, CALTAGIRONE, CAUSER, CHRISTIANA, CLYMER, COX, CREIGHTON, DAY, DiGIROLAMO, DUNBAR, ELLIS, EMRICK, EVANKOVICH, J. EVANS, EVERETT, FLECK, GABLER, GEIST, GIBBONS, GILLEN, GILLESPIE, GINGRICH, GODSHALL, GRELL, GROVE, HACKETT, HAHN, HARHART, HARKINS, HARRIS, HEFFLEY, HELM, HENNESSEY, HESS, HICKERNELL, HORNAMAN, HUTCHINSON, KAUFFMAN, KAVULICH, F. KELLER, KILLION, KNOWLES, KOTIK, KRIEGER, LAWRENCE, LONGIETTI, MAHONEY, MAJOR, MALONEY, MARSHALL, MARSICO, MASSER, METCALFE, METZGAR, MICCARELLI, MICOZZIE, MILLARD, MOUL, MURT, MUSTIO, OBERLANDER, PAYNE, PEIFER, PERRY, PICKETT, PYLE, QUIGLEY, READSHAW, REED, REESE, REICHLEY, ROAE, ROCK, SACCONE, SANTONI, SAYLOR, SCAVELLO, CULVER, SCHRODER, SIMMONS, K. SMITH, S. H. SMITH, SONNEY, STEVENSON, SWANGER, TALLMAN, TAYLOR, THOMAS, TOBASH, TOEPEL, TOOHIL, TRUITT, VEREB, VULAKOVICH AND WATSON,

I was surprised at some of state reps who signed on to co-sponsor the bill.  

3) Those with delicate sensibilities should skip this point.  Transvaginal ultrasounds are done for various reasons, not all of them having to do with pregnancy.  Some years ago I had one of these medical procedures for a non-pregnancy purpose.  It's extremely uncomfortable and as invasive as you can get.  We shouldn't force someone to have this procedure when it isn't medically necessary.

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